Burlington Northern Santa Fe

After the BNSF merger of 1995, the road’s power was gradually patched with the new owner’s initials. Renumbering and patching happened slowly, and it was quite common in the late 1990s and early 2000s to find units running around, still in their predecessor road’s full colors and road numbers.

 

BNSF FEATURES:

• RS-3L horn on cab roof
• Standard-range dynamic brakes
• EMD style plow
• “Mushroom” vent on nose
• Ditch Lights

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #2108: Front anticlimber, rear drop step, All-weather window, Blomberg-M trucks, “Mushroom” vent on nose, Phase Ia body
• #2343: Front and rear drop steps, Blomberg-B trucks, Phase I body

 

Soo Line

Soo Line 4416-4425 were constructed in May of 1979. Painted in the classic red-and-white “Hockey Stick” scheme, the units lacked dynamic brakes, which was typical for the Soo GP38-2s (except for the former Milwaukee Road units). As of the latest information, most remain in active service.

 

SOO FEATURES:

• Late Phase IIb body with Q-fans
• Non-dynamic, with additional grab irons on engine compartment roof
• Winterization hatch over #1 radiator fan
• Large snowplow
• Cab-mounted strobed (flash effect on DCC+Sound version)
• Angled PAF (Paper Air Filter Box)
• Simulated stainless-steel kick plates on cab steps
• Rectangular cab vent

 

Boston & Maine

BM 201-212 were delivered in 1973. 212 was renumbered 200 and repainted in an attractive red, white, and blue scheme to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial.

 

BM FEATURES:

• Phase Ia body
• No dynamic brakes
• EMD style plow
• 3600 gallon fuel tank
• Blomberg-M trucks

 

Iowa Interstate

Iowa Interstate is a Class II regional railroad operating out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Serving their namesake state as well as Illinois and Nebraska, they have connections with all of the Class I US carriers. IAIS has a fleet of 17 GP38-2s; all are of Penn Central heritage.

 

IAIS FEATURES:

• Phase Ia body
• Ditch lights
• EMD style plow
• 2600 gallon fuel tank
• Blomberg-B trucks
• Stripe placement on cab steps (varies per road number)

 

ATHEARN GENESIS HO EMD GP38-2 LOCOMOTIVE PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

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.

 

GP38-2 SERIES LOCOMOTIVE NEW FEATURES:

• Operating Class Lights (Where equipped based on prototype)
• Operating Number boards (Where equipped based on prototype)

 

GENESIS DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Coupler cut levers
• Trainline hose
• Full cab interior
• Windshield wipers
• Wire grab irons
• MU hoses
• See-through cab windows
• Walkway tread
• Lift rings
• Sander lines
• DCC-ready features Quick Plug plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
• Body-mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
• Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain for trouble free operation
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth and quiet operation
• All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• LED Lighting for trouble free operation
• Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
• Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
• Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
• Packaging securely holds 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
• 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: November 28, 2025

Anticipated Delivery Date: March 2027

 

Looking for more Athearn EMD GP38-2 Diesel Locomotives Click here!

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