By David Stowe and Eric Burger

What was once one of the biggest fleets of SD40-2 locomotives in North America is down to just 38. In April, Canadian Pacific retired another group of SD40-2 locomotives leaving just 38 such units on the active roster, mostly in work train service. 

Canadian Pacific was among the first buyers of the SD40 in 1966 and the SD40-2 in 1972. It also ordered the final 25 units in the SD40 line in 1988, the custom-designed SD40-2F cowl units. Ten of those locomotives were sold to short line Central Maine & Quebec, which was recently acquired by CP, meaning those units will once again be back under the Class One’s banner. How long the locomotives, now painted in CM&Q blue and gray, last on the roster is unclear.

Of the 3,982 examples of SD40-2 built by EMD and GMD, 486 were ordered by CP. Only Burlington Northern and Union Pacific had bigger fleets. In later years, CP added second-hand units to its fleet from Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific, and even leased units from NRE. Others came with the Soo Line absorption.

While the ongoing retirements suggest the end is nearing for the SD40-2 fleet, the durability and longevity of EMD’s most successful model suggest at least a few of them will still be on the CP roster for the model’s 50th anniversary in 2022.