Athearn HO GP38-2, FEC #507

FEC FEATURES: 

• Era-specific details
• Mid/Late Phase body
• Blomberg B trucks
• Horns on both ends
• Large 3800 gallon fuel tank
• Non-dynamic brakes
• Both mid and late paint scheme versions offered!

Starting in 1972, the FEC acquired 11 of these GP38-2s.  These locomotives came equipped with Oscitrol lighting and Leslie RS3L horns.   These GP38-2s are still in service today having gone through several rebuilds.  Taking off the Oscitrol lighting from their nose and adding front and rear ditch lights, and RV AC units to their roof.

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES: 

#505

• “Hurricane” scheme, “weedcutter” front plow
• Oscitrol nose lights (operational in DCC)
• Front and rear horns

#509

• “Hurricane” scheme, “weedcutter” front plow
• Oscitrol nose lights (operational in DCC)
• Front and rear horns

#501

• Solid blue scheme,  “weedcutter” front plow
• Front and rear horns and ditch lights
• RV-style rooftop A/C’s
• Rear spare knuckles
• Rebuilt nose with removed lights

#507

• Solid blue scheme,  “weedcutter” front plow
• Front and rear horns and ditch lights
• RV-style rooftop A/C’s
• Rear spare knuckles
• Rebuilt nose with removed lights

GP38-2 LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES: 

• Coupler cut levers
• Flexible rubber MU hoses
• Flexible rubber trainline hose
• See-through cab windows
• Full cab interior
• Walkway tread
• Windshield wipers
• Lift rings
• Wire grab irons
• Sander lines
• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
• McHenry® scale knuckle couplers – Kadee® compatible
• DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
• Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
• Accurately painted and printed paint schemes
• Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
• All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• LED Lighting for realistic appearance
• Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
• Packaging securely holds for the model for safe storage
• Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
• Minimum radius: 18”

 

PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE

• Duplicated look and feel of “In Service” equipment
• Faded base colors matched to the prototype
• Perfect starting point for adding grime and rust

 

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Precision slow speed control
• Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
• Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
• CV chart included in the box

 

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

By the early 1970s, many first generation diesels were reaching the end of their service lives. The most common replacement locomotive became the GP38-2. EMD began production of the 16-cylinder, non-turbocharged, 2000 horsepower engine in 1972. Unlike the GP38’s engine, which drove a generator to supply power to the traction motors, the GP38-2s prime mover drove an alternator which produced AC electrical current that was rectified to DC to power the four traction motors. Another major change for the GP38-2 was the introduction of the “dash 2” modular electrical cabinet. For more than 40 years, the GP38-2 has worked main line freights, locals, switching jobs, yard service, helpers, snow fighting trains, and hump power. Many remain in service today.