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Athearn Genesis G65523 HO Scale - GP39-2 Diesel, DCC & Sound - RDG #3401
SKU: 140-G65623
GP39-2 Diesel, DCC & Sound - RDG #3401
GP39-2 Diesel, DCC & Sound - RDG #3401
ETA: October 2021
Detailed Information
RDG FEATURES:
Reading style cab roof rain gutter
2900 gallon fuel tank
Cab wind deflectors
Ratchet style hand brake
Electrical cabinet door on engineers side
In 1974 Reading received 20 GP39-2s from EMD. During their short careers on the Reading these 2300 HP, 12-cylinder turbocharged units were used system wide in all types of service, including coal and ore trains, hot shot freights and locals.
LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
All units are powered
Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
DCC-ready features Quick Plug plug-and-play technology with both 21-pin connector (DCC-Ready only)
Factory installed SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound and DCC decoder (DCC+sound units only)
Tsunami sounds are compatible with both DCC and DC operation (DCC+sound units only)
Genesis driveline with balanced five pole skew wound motor and dual flywheels
Directional constant lighting-featuring LEDs; headlight brightness remains constant
Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
Separately applied photo etched metal and injection molded detail parts:
Cab interior
Coupler cut levers
MU and Trainline hoses
Windshield wipers
Lift rings
Wire grab irons Sander lines
Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, breather pipes, and retention tanks
Body mounted McHenry scale knuckle couplers - Kadee compatible
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
Detailed Blomberg-B trucks with prototype-specific wheel bearings
Replacement parts available
Minimum radius: 18inch
SOUND EQUPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE
Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 decoder pre-installed
Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
Individual sound boards installed in both A and B units (sound units only)
All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
Some functions are limited in DC
Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
Slow speed control
Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
CV chart included in the box
Lighting effects such as beacons and Gyralight where prototypically accurate
A and B units often include sound decoders with different default pitch shift, so MU lashups sound unique
PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
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 its prime mover. With 4 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 1970s 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 possess fewer cylinders. This approach has become the foundation to modern locomotive technology.