Atlas's GP-38-2s

[Bruce Archer]

Hi All!
    I dug out the pair of Atlas GP-38-2s which were undecorated to paint them as D&H -LV "patch" paint jobs. One GP-38-2 was as advertised, with sight glass, electronics cabinet, and close fan spacing. But the second one had the cabinet, and sight glass but wide fan spacing.
    So my questions are :
1- were some GP-38-2s built with the wide fan spacing of the GP-39-2s and GP-38s?
2- Or did Atlas make a mistake on the model?

The model with the wide spacing I can turn into a Ph.1 GP-39-2 easily, but I needed the second "normal" GP-38-2.

Bruce

[learmoia]

If it's wide fan spacing and a sight glass it's a GP39-2.
If you purchased them second hand, then could be previous owner put it in the wrong box..

If you purchased it new, maybe China was doing a run of GP38-2s and 39-2s at the same time, they could have box swapped or pulled the wrong long hood out of the parts bin.

[martin station]

 Early GP38-2 locomotives had wider spacing between the fans than mid or later ones. They also had split radiator screens as later phases had a one piece screen. My MoPac and GM&O early GP38-2s all have the wider spaced fans just like the earlier GP38 and GP38AC locomotives did. I'm lacking for time to paste links, but if you look at photos @rrpictures.com or other sites and look at GM&O in the 745 engine number range or MoPac 860 or 888 engine numbers you will see what I mean.
Ralph

[martin station]

Also I forgot to mention that if it has two exhaust stacks it's a GP38-2 also almost all GP38-2s had paper a air filter box except early Southern units that still used oil bath filters but all were later converted to the paper air filter. I do not believe Atlas has this version in N scale except on the earlier gp38.
Ralph

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I would love to see pics of the oddball.

[Skeebo]

Loco's being turbocharged or normal aspiration are a good indicator of whether its a GP 38 or 39. But the definitive way to tell is how the tall doors on the long hood are grouped. The GP38's door arrangement is 2-4-4, and GP39's are 2-3-3. In the past when the only way to get a GP39 was to kit bash them from a 38, but one of the most common mistakes was not changing the tall doors. Hope this helps,
        Jim

[Bruce Archer]

Hi!
  I acquired the locos in a trade 10= years ago, so it would not have been a GP_39-2, it has non-turbo exhausts. Looking at it closely, the sight glass may have been added ( if it was it was a really good job). It also has the Blomberg "B" trucks.
  I just put them aside until now.
  Because it has wide fan spacing, I'll convert it to a Ph.! GP-39-2 (in a D&H/Reading "patch" ).
  Now I need to find a GP_38-2 body ( for a D&H/LV "patch")...can someone help?

Bruce Archer

[randgust]

I do appreciate the detail issues, but I have a hard time getting past the fact that they pull less than half of an 'antique' Kato GP38.   It's a lot easier to see the detail if it's sitting spinning on a grade.

[peteski]

I do appreciate the detail issues, but I have a hard time getting past the fact that they pull less than half of an 'antique' Kato GP38.   It's a lot easier to see the detail if it's sitting spinning on a grade.

Ah, the good ol' days when manufacturers still used lead alloys for the frames.  Nice and heavy. Todays locos use much less dense white metal for the chassis, and large portions are carved out to be replaced with electronics (decoder/speaker). It is just not the same.

[learmoia]

I've got a couple of Mark4Design GP38-2 kits, but they are late Phase 2 Conrail. 

Not sure if I have any extra GP38-2s undec, I can look..

[Bruce Archer]

I am going to do the GP-38-2s in LV patch. The the only D&H locos I will need to do will be the S-2 and S-2, an ex-CP Sw something, low nose RS-11s and RS-36s and those M-K RS-3ms...

Bruce

[Bruce Archer]

Hi All!
    Well Ed K wanted to see an image of the odd GP-38-2 from Atlas. Here it is . It is decorated as L&N 4055. Notice the sight glass, paper filter housing, and wide spaced fans. It also has an electronics cabinet on the fireman's side.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wow, so Atlas DID tool two versions of "early 38-2s".

From https://archive.atlasrr.com/NLoco/arc-ngp38-2.htm

Both from the June 2008 run:





I'll be damned. Ya learn something new every day.

[Bruce Archer]

The D&H only had the "late" GP-38-2s. So the "early" GP-38-2 is suitable for me to convert to a GP-39-2, but useless as one of the ex-Lehigh Valley GP-38-2s conveyed to the D&H on "C-Day". So anybody need an "early" GP-38-2? I'll trade for a "Late" GP-38-2.

Bruce

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The D&H only had the "late" GP-38-2s. So the "early" GP-38-2 is suitable for me to convert to a GP-39-2, but useless as one of the ex-Lehigh Valley GP-38-2s conveyed to the D&H on "C-Day". So anybody need an "early" GP-38-2? I'll trade for a "Late" GP-38-2.

Bruce

Maybe not trade, but I DO have 7307 for sale: https://conrail1285.com/for-sale/