Athearn Genesis ATHG66261, HO Scale EMD GP39-2, Std. DC, PNWR #2304

PNWR FEATURES:

• Ex-ATSF
• Early Phase 1 body
• Front and rear ditch lights
• Illuminated number boards
• Nathan 3-chime horn
• Removed class lights
• Small EMD front plow
• Large front anticlimber
• “Switcher” style walkway steps
• Blomberg M trucks
• Road number specific antenna placement

The Portland and Western was founded in 1995 taking over former Southern Pacific branch lines in Oregon. It operates a combined 516 miles of track throughout the state and is part of the large Genesee & Wyoming Railroad group. The PNWR also has a subsidiary, the Willamette and Pacific. The WPRR motive power can be seen on PNWR trains as they were used anywhere on the system as needed. Major transported commodities pertain to the lumber industry, but also include many other goods. They operate many older EMD locomotives, some dating back to the 1950s! The ex-Santa Fe GP39-2’s become a favorite on the railroad, with a few still painted in Santa Fe colors.

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

#2304

• Genesee and Wyoming corporate scheme “Corvallis”
• Xenon beacon (effect in DCC mode)
• unique white logo on nose, cab mounted headlights
• alternate flashing ditch lights (effect in DCC mode)
• standard bell

#2311

• Faded Santa Fe colors with W&P/P&W patches
• nose mounted headlight
• alternate flash ditch lights (effect in DCC mode)
• standard bell

#2316

• Genesee and Wyoming corporate scheme “Albany”
• 25th anniversary logo
• cab mounted headlights
• standard ditch lights
• electronic bell

GP39-2 LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Coupler cut levers
• Trainline and MU hoses
• Drop steps unless noted
• MU stands
• Windshield wipers
• Lift rings
• Wire grab irons
• Walkway tread
• Sanding lines
• Lit number boards
• Lit class lights, if equipped
• Lit signal lights and/or beacons, if equipped
• Bell placement & type per prototype
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, and breather pipes
• Blomberg-B or Blomberg-M trucks with appropriate bearing caps
• Speed recorder unless noted
• See-through cab windows and full cab interior
• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
• Etched metal fan grilles
• Air tanks mounted below sill unless noted
• Body-mounted 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 for the model for safe storage
• 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
• Dual cube speakers for optimal sound quality
• 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

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.