Retired
Athearn - Item No. ATHG71714
3.3 out of 5 Customer Rating

HO GP38-2, GTW #5853

GTW FEATURES: 

  • Ex-Rock Island
  • Mid/Late Phase
  • Large anticlimber
  • 3600 gallon fuel tank
  • Xenon Strobe
  • M-3 Horn
  • Small EMD front plow
  • Blomberg B trucks
  • Firecracker antenna
  • 88” Nose with removed class lights

After the demise of the Rock Island in 1980 many of their locomotives were sold to other railroads. The GTW purchased some of these GP38-2’s and painted them into this catchy red and blue scheme. Our models represent the pre-ditch light era.

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES: 

#5853
  • Large GT logo
  • Long hood mounted horn
  • White Xenon beacon (operational with DCC)
  • All-weather window.
#5861
  • Large GT logo
  • Long hood mounted horn
  • White Xenon beacon (operational with DCC)
  • All-weather window.
#5856
  • OLS with small GT logo
  • Cab mounted horn
  • White Xenon beacon (operational with DCC)
  • All-weather window.

    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 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.

    Product Specs

    Lighting
    LED
    Sound
    Ready
    Axles
    4
    Reporting Mark
    GTW
    Era
    1991-2009
    Prototype Manufacturer
    EMD
    Sub Brand
    GENESIS
    Approximate Assembly Time
    None Required
    Scale
    HO
    DCC
    Ready/21-Pin NEM