Athearn Genesis has announced new GP39-2 Diesel Locomotives

 

Reading (RDG)

 

Union Pacific (UP)

 

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

In the decade between 1974 and 1984, EMD produced the GP39-2 for seven North American railroads. The basic design followed most four axle road diesel switchers for the time. Borrowing improvements from the GP38-2 and GP40-2 designs, this mid-horsepower road switcher utilized a turbocharged 12-cylinder EMD 645E3 diesel engine for it’s prime mover. With 4 fewer cylinders, the smaller engine provided a distinctive long hood on the phase II and phase III bodies, where the clean room/ engine compartment doors were set back from the cab further than predecessor locomotives.

Sensitivity to fuel economy in the 1970s justified the GP39-2 in the locomotive market. It also laid the ground work for EMD to start exploring locomotive designs that utilize engines with larger piston displacement yet posess fewer cylinders. This approach has become the foundation to modern locomotive technology.

 

LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Fully-assembled and ready-to-run

• 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

• Coupler cut levers

• Flexible rubber MU hoses

• Flexible rubber trainline hose

• See-through cab windows

• Full cab interior

• Walkway tread

• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance

• Windshield wipers

• Lift rings

• Wire grab irons

• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes

• Sander lines

• McHenry scale knuckle couplers - Kadee compatible

• 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 bulbs for realistic appearance

• Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power

• Packaging securely holds model for safe storage

 

SOUND EQUPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound

• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC

• Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode

• 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

 

RDG FEATURES:

• Reading style cab roof rain gutter

• Cab wind deflectors

• Electrical cabinet door on engineer’s side

• 2900 gallon fuel tank

• Ratchet style hand brake

 

In 1974 Reading received 20 GP39-2s from EMD. During their short careers on the Reading these 2300 HP, 12-cylinder turbocharged units were used system wide in all types of service, including coal and ore trains, hot shot freights and locals.

 

DH FEATURES:

• Reading style cab roof rain gutter

• Cab wind deflectors

• Ditch lights on 7401 & 7407

• Electrical cabinet door on engineer’s side

• 2900 gallon fuel tank.

• Ratchet style hand brake.

 

These ex-Reading units were conveyed to to D&H when Conrail was formed in 1976. They were badly needed since D&H had doubled in size. Consequently they were patched quickly. Some eventually received full D&H paint when they were rebuilt.

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #7412 Presented in its early D&H patched appearance, so the modeler can weather it to match the time period of their choice.

• #7401 Unit was part of small group of D&H GP39-2’s that were rebuilt in 1989. In the process they received full D&H paint jobs and ditch lights.

• #7407 Unit was part of small group of D&H GP39-2’s that were rebuilt in 1989. In the process they received full D&H paint jobs and ditch lights.

 

UP FEATURES:

• Former MKT units

• Details to match recent in-service photos

• Front and rear operating ditch lights

• Correct GP49-style carbody details

 

With the 1988 acquisition of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad by Union Pacific, all of the former road’s motive power began to be assimilated. Some of the newest units on the roster were a group of 20 GP39-2s that had been built in 1984. They survived to serve UP for many years and wear a variety of paint scheme variations.

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #1210 Primed for grime with faded paint and lettering, Yellow sill stripe, Plow and A/C unit type per prototype road number.

• #1213 Primed for grime with faded paint and lettering, Yellow sill stripe, Plow and A/C unit type per prototype road number.

• #1216 Repainted unit in “Lightning Stripe” scheme, Yellow sill stripe, Operating RCL strobe lights.

 

BNSF FEATURES:

• Phase II carbody details

• Horn and antenna style per prototype road number

• Blomberg-M trucks

 

The BNSF merger brought GP39-2s together from both component railroads. Depicted in this release are former ATSF Phase II units in contemporary schemes.

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #2864 Primed for grime unit in ATSF paint. “Replacement” BNSF green air conditioner and snowplow. Electronic bell.

• #2866 Primed for grime unit in ATSF paint. “Replacement” BNSF green air conditioner. Standard bell.

• #2867 Fully repainted in BNSF “H3” scheme. Electronic bell and parking brake.

 

CSX FEATURES:

• All Ex-Reading. Electrical cabinet door on engineer’s side

• YN2 repaints feature: Removed nose class lights, K5 horn, front ditch lights, EMD small plow, cab rain gutters, and our most current approved CSX colors.

• CSX patched units feature: Removed nose class lights, correct horn and patching per road number, EMD small plow, and cab rain gutters.

 

In the early 1990’s, CSX acquired ex-Reading GP39-2’s for system-wide service. These locomotives were perfect for local and switching duties. A few of them were merely patched with CSX lettering and renumbered before eventually being repainted into CSX’s “YN2” scheme. They are still being used today with most being repainted into CSX’s latest scheme.

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #4301 CSX “YN2” Scheme, CSX/Chessie style angled front ditch lights.

• #4309 CSX “YN2” Scheme, Tall front ditch lights with MU caps.

• #4313 CSX “YN2” Scheme, Tall front ditch lights with MU caps, Chessie style “Mail slot” battery box doors.

• #4316 Replaced Leslie 3 chime horn and batter box doors, Santa Fe style trucks with removed outer brake shoes, unique patched art and faded paint effect.

• #4317 Replaced CSX K5 chime horn, original Blomberg B trucks, unique patched art and faded paint effect.

 

Order Due Date: October 30, 2020

Anticipated Delivery Date: November 2021

Looking for more Athearn Genesis HO Scale GP39-2 Diesel Locomotives? Click here!

 

Looking for more Athearn Genesis HO Scale items? Click here!

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