PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

In 1949, EMD introduced the GP7. The basic design followed most diesel switchers with the addition of a short hood instead of an end-cab. The hoods were also full height to better accommodate the diesel engine and mechanical and electrical components.

In 1954 EMD upgraded the GP7 to become the 1,750 horsepower GP9. Externally, the first GP9s were virtually unchanged from the last GP7s. Later versions would include different louver arrangements and the last ones would come without the frame skirting. The GP9 was available with all of the fuel tank, steam generator, and dynamic brake options as the GP7, including “torpedo tube” air tanks mounted on the roof.

Many railroads chose to rebuild their GP7s and GP9s for continued service. Often times, it was cheaper to do this rather than purchasing brand-new locomotives.

 

LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Trainline and MU hoses

• Coupler cut levers

• Drop steps unless noted

• MU stands

• “Nub” style walkway tread

• Bell placement & type per prototype

• Fine-scale handrails for scale appearance

• Wire grab irons

• Lift rings

• Windshield wipers

• See-through cab windows and full cab interior

• Etched metal radiator intake grilles and fan grilles

• Air tanks mounted below sill unless noted

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

• Blomberg-B trucks with appropriate bearing caps

• Sander lines

• Speed recorder unless noted

• 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

• 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

• Bidirectional constant LED lighting so headlight brightness remains constant

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

• Packaging securely holds the model for safe storage

• Replacement parts available

• Minimum radius: 18”

 

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

 

CP FEATURES:

• CP Rail “Multi-Mark” repaints

• Passenger service equipped with steam generator.

• Correct headlights per road number

• Nathan M-3 horn

• High-mounted air tanks

• Large fuel/water tank

• Full foot boards

• Winterization hatch

• Large Sinclair antenna

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #8508 Large Multi-Mark scheme, high mounted body lettering, large front and rear “barrel” headlights.

• #8525 Large Multi-Mark scheme, centered mounted body lettering, Pyle twin beam head lights.

• #8529 Small Multi-Mark scheme, centered mounted body lettering, Pyle twin beam headlights.

 

ATSF FEATURES:

• First time in “Yellow Bonnet”

• Can style radio antenna

• Spark Arrestors

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #2923 Tall dual MU stands, Black truck side frames, foot board pilot

• #2937 Short single MU stands, silver truck side frames, MU catch boxes on pilots

• #2946 Short single MU stands, silver truck side frames, MU catch boxes on pilots

 

THB FEATURES:

• Steam Generator Intake & Exhaust

• Long hood nose mounted bell

• Separate ACI plates included

• Roof mounted air tanks

• 1960’s & 70’s appearance

 

TH&B’s 3 steam generator equipped GP9’s began service in 1954 and effectively vanquished steam on this small Canadian railroad. Their time in passenger service was relatively short and they served out their time in freight service all the way into the CP Rail era.

 

L&N FEATURES:

• Operated in all types of secondary service in 1960s and 1970s

• F&R operating gyralights

• Different horn and wheel bearing styles per road number

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #516 Former passenger unit with roof top air tanks and removed steam generators.

• #520 Former passenger unit with roof top air tanks and removed steam generators.

• #532 Standard freight unit, road number on cab.

• #534 Standard freight unit.

(Rear gyralights were removed in later years. A blanking plate is included in the box to facilitate modeling those versions)

 

B&M FEATURES:

• Painted in B&M “Blue dip” scheme

• Dual air horn sets

• Pilot grabs & footboards

• Wheel axle bearing styles vary per road number

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #1717 Standard units.

• #1722 Standard units.

• #1705 Era: late 1970s+. Removed dynamic brake fan and side grills per B&M practice (1705 was the only unit with the side grills plated over), Equipped with cab-mounted strobe lights. The unit worked a stint in commuter service on the MBTA in 1977-1978 and was equipped with strobes per MBTA practice. Since it was not equipped with a steam generator, it ran with a leased CN steam generator car.

 

 

UP FEATURES:

• Phase III Cab Unit- First time in Genesis

• Dynamic brakes

• Underframe mounted bell

• Roof mounted cab vent

• Winterization hatch

 

UP FEATURES:

• Phase I B-units

• Winterization hatch

• Dynamic brakes

• Underframe mounted bell

 

UP’s Phase III GP9’s began service on the UP in 1957 lasting into the 1970’s. While the majority of these 300 class units were modified significantly there were 5 that survived in their as-built configuration all the way up until retirement. We are offering 3 of them in this production run. Note that they could be seen in service with the UP’s “Veranda” style Turbines.

UP’s fleet of 75 Phase I GP9B units were built in in the Spring of 1954 and remained in service until the mid-1970’s. These ubiquitous units could be seen in service system wide on mainline freights as well as branch line locals. They could also be seen with in service assisting Veranda Turbines.

 

 

Order Due Date: December 28, 2020

Anticipated Delivery Date: January 2022

Looking for more Athearn Genesis HO Scale GP-9 Diesel Locomotives? Click here!

 

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

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