Union Pacific EMD DDA40X

I have also thought the DDA40x would be cool, although it would likely need larger radius curves which would reduce the size of the target audience who could enjoy it.

You know they have thought about it because it appeared on this poll here 7 years ago:
azlforum.com/thread/818/azl-locomotive-development-pipeline
AZL has massive accomplishments in the several years since that poll was posted. Many of those locomotives are now running around our layouts.

I would think that some of AZL's "mini" accomplishments the last several years would be useful to contribute into a DDA40x development. For example there's the proven concept of the huge PA trucks with the blind/flangeless axles, and the off-center truck pivot point of the SW1500 which may or may not be useful for a truck mounted coupler here. If the rear chassis of a DDA40x would be separately motorized, it would probably need to be pretty short, such as the SW1500 chassis. But then it would also probably be pretty expensive (additional motor/parts but with a smaller target audience).

Of course, not all of us keep company with Uncle Pete, although Wyoming (pictured) looks like a fun and easy tabletop layout to model.

Union Pacific EMD DDA40X—That thing is a behemoth, to say the least!

Its inclusion I’ve seen in display cases of Union Pacific diesels more than I’ve seen photos of the prototype. HO people mostly. Not HO people. I mean people that model in HO.

Should the bosses do that one locomotive that’s Union Pacific-specific, they may as well pick up the sharknose Baldwin for the Pennsy, B&O, and NYC. True, modeling for a one-of-a-kind means a niche market. That niche market, however, would be AZLers who are Union Pacific-specific which may be, in fact, very big indeed. Likewise, the combined fan base of Pennsy, B&O, and NYC may be, in fact, very big indeed.

Ask the five fellas standing in the photograph. Why do you think they’re smiling?

Eh, ya know what? Let’s just agree on AZL running 75- or 85-foot piggyback flatcars with applicable sizes for those trailers as shown in the Wyoming photo of the EMD DDA40X Union Pacific 6902. The F-39? The PS 85?

The bosses—Previously, when asked about releasing flat cars earlier that the modern spine cars, Mr. Albritton has commented that “it depends on sales of the existing piggyback products (spine cars).” (October 2023 post in Z Scale thread):

azlforum.com/search/results?who_at_least_one=2&captcha_id=captcha_search&what_at_least_one=spine+car&display_as=0&search=Search

Certainly, Mr. Albritton (When I mention his name I feel like Winston Smith looking up at Big Brother on the jumbotron.) knows better than I do. … But I don’t get it. If one type sells, then we’ll make an early type. Seems to me people will applaud and pay for anything Frank or Elvis sings.

Aloha,

Scott

I have been asking for nearly ten years now. I even started looking for my own manufacturing and actually had something set up a few years ago, but it fell through with how good 8k printing was becoming. I can only hope AZL makes them, I would purchase 10 of them, but if not, I’ll print them as a stand in.

They sure would look good with the latest UP SD40-2 release. 😉

I would be very interested in 3x AZL DDA40Xs

The only it’s going to be made it’s in brass, and that’s going to be at least $2000 each.

It’s what I am guessing. The last brass retail price was almost a $1000, and that’s for a smaller locomotive.