Athearn Genesis HO G71712 GP38-2, Florida East Coast #501

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.

FEC FEATURES:
Era-specific details
Mid/Late Phase body
Blomberg B trucks
Horns on both ends
Large 3800 gallon fuel tank
Non-dynamic brakes
Both mid and late paint scheme versions offered

Starting in 1972, the FEC acquired 11 of these GP38-2s. These locomotives came equipped with Oscitrol lighting and Leslie RS3L horns. These GP38-2s are still in service today having gone through several rebuilds. Taking off the Oscitrol lighting from their nose and adding front and rear ditch lights, and RV AC units to their roof.

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:
#505
“Hurricane” scheme
“Weedcutter” front plow
Oscitrol nose lights (operational in DCC)
Front and rear horns

#509
“Hurricane” scheme
“Weedcutter front plow
Oscitrol nose lights (operational in DCC)
Front and rear horns

#501
Solid blue scheme
“Weedcutter front plow
Front and rear horns and ditch lights
RV-style rooftop A/Cs
Rear spare knuckles
Rebuilt nose with removed lights

#507
Solid blue scheme
“Weedcutter” front plow
Front and rear horns and ditch lights
RV-style rooftop A/Cs
Rear spare knuckles
Rebuilt nose with removed lights

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, and 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 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 realistic appearance
Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
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