CSX

CSX purchased 20 ex-Reading/D&H GP39-2’s in the late 1980’s. They operate along side CSX’s other EMD GP’s providing power for locals, haulers and road switching assignments. Most of the fleet can still be seen operating today.

 

CSX FEATURES:

• Ex-RDG

• Illuminated number boards

• 5-chime horn

• Nose toilet hatch

• Chessie/CSX “mail slot” style battery box doors

• Early phase 1 body

• Front and rear ditch lights

• RV style roof-mounted A/C

• Correct CSX artwork and colors

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #4300 Front and rear CSX-style ditch lights (alternately flashing in DCC mode), small front EMD plow, mixed Hyatt and Timkin bearing Blomberg B trucks with outer brake shoes removed

• #4307 Front and rear CSX-style ditch lights (alternately flashing in DCC mode), small front EMD plow, mixed Hyatt and Timkin bearing Blomberg B trucks with outer brake shoes still installed

• #4311 Front tall EMD-style and rear CSX-style ditch lights (alternately flashing in DCC mode), small front EMD plow, mixed Hyatt and Timkin bearing Blomberg B trucks with outer brake shoes removed

 

Portland and Western

The Portland and Western was founded in 1995 taking over former Southern Pacific branch lines in Oregon. It operates a combined 516 miles of track throughout the state and is part of the large Genesee & Wyoming Railroad group. The PNWR also has a subsidiary, the Willamette and Pacific. The WPRR motive power can be seen on PNWR trains as they were used anywhere on the system as needed. Major transported commodities pertain to the lumber industry, but also include many other goods. They operate many older EMD locomotives, some dating back to the 1950’s! The ex-Santa Fe GP39-2’s become a favorite on the railroad, with a few still painted in Santa Fe colors.

 

PNWR FEATURES:

• Ex-ATSF

• Front and rear ditch lights

• Nathan 3-chime horn

• Small EMD front plow

• “Switcher” style walkway steps

• Road number specific antenna placement

• Early Phase 1 body

• Illuminated number boards

• Removed class lights

• Large front anticlimber

• Blomberg M trucks

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #2304 Genesee and Wyoming corporate scheme “Corvallis”, Xenon beacon effect (in DCC mode), unique white logo on nose, cab-mounted headlights, alternate flashing ditch lights effect (in DCC mode), standard bell

• #2311 Faded Santa Fe colors with W&P/P&W patches, nose-mounted headlight, alternate flash ditch lights effect (in DCC mode), standard bell

• #2316 Genesee and Wyoming corporate scheme “Albany”, 25th anniversary logo, cab-mounted headlights, standard ditch lights, electronic bell

 

 

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

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 four 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 1970’s 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.

 

GP39-2 SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Coupler cut levers

• Drop steps unless noted

• “Nub” style walkway tread

• Lift rings

• Walkway tread

• Trainline and MU hoses

• MU stands

• Windshield wipers

• Wire grab irons

• Sanding lines

• Lit number boards

• Lit class lights, if equipped

• Lit signal lights and/or beacons, if equipped

• Bell placement & type per prototype

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

• Blomberg-B or Blomberg-M trucks with appropriate bearing caps

• Speed recorder unless noted

• See-through cab windows and full cab interior

• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance

• Etched metal fan grilles

• Air tanks mounted below sill unless noted

• Body-mounted 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

• Minimum radius: 18”

 

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound

• Dual cube speakers for optimal sound quality

• 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

 

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

 

 

Order Due Date: February 24, 2023

Anticipated Delivery Date: April 2024

Looking for more Athearn EMD GP-39 Diesel Locomotives? Click here!

---