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Good Day,

 

Who will be the first to produce the GP40-2 in O Scale?  I started a post on the Atlas O Forum on May 23, 2008; “How about EMD GP40-2’s for future production?” Viewed 32,684 times!

 

Some of the Railroads that ordered the GP40-2’s:

ARR, B&O, B&M, C&O, CR, DRGW, DTI, FEC, KCS, L&N, RDG, RFP, SCL, SLSF, SP, SSW, WM, WP. Over 800 Diesel Locomotives


 

Last edited by Rich Melvin
Original Post

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I would like Atlas to produce the GP40-2 because they already have some components already available to produce the phase II SP and SSW models. The 88" nose and the notched stepwells plus Q fans are already on their GP60.

 

The GP40-2 had many different phases and I don't know if Atlas would be willing to produce the different features that distinguishes the phases from each other and the specific details for each railroad, like the phase I DRGW with the nose gyralite, or the phase II SP and SSW with the unique nose light package,etc. In fact Atlas has never produced any of their SP units (GP35,SD35) with the nose light package unique to those models.

 

The GP40-2 is a very common loco that would look good on the main line or branch line as well as just switching cars around.

 

Travis

I would think that one of the biggest issues with any model manufacturer planning to offer a GP40-2 would be,,,,which version!?!

 

Throughout the production of the GP40-2 model, EMD made numerous carbody/hood design changes which affected their appearance. For example, the last production GP40-2 units, for the Southern Pacific, look almost like a GP50.

 

Lots of research will be required for any O Scale model manufacture to jump on the "GP40-2 band wagon".

Why Atlas has gone down the road they have is a mystery...did they have some type of idea that the C40-8W would be a better seller? 

PRobably since at the time of initial announcement the only C40-8W was Mth's early 1993 version with undersized fuel tank and molded in details. Atlas O was NOT counting on being broadsided by:


Mfg taking TOO long to come up with the model and

MTH movimng the original to RK scale and making a new premier model with better details.


Originally Posted by Hot Water:

The problem will be not only "road specific" but, delivery/era specific. Many, many railroads received deliveries of GP40-2 units, over quite a number of years. They may all look different!

It would definetly be a challenge and plenty of research would be required.  That said another thing to consider are the changes made during their careers. Such as SP7245 seen below.  Built in 84' and by 93 you can see some of the changes made.  Not major but obvious.

 

1985 

SP7245

 

1993

SP7245-930416%20EB%20Martinez,%20CA

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Certainly a common unit but also very generic. In the 1970's it seemed that most of the new locos were looking pretty similar. Good old EMD, they were reliable power for the most part, the solid mainstream of American dieselization - back then.

 

Wonder how nostalgic the crews would feel about the typically stinky Incinolet toilets in the nose compartment and the often drafty weatherstripping on the cab doors which they endured for long hours on the road. In winter the crews often brought masking tape to seal the door drafts. Then stick a packing hook or fusee on the deadman pedal so you can put your feet up in comfort.

 

RI 366 - burned

not a Dash-2, apologies to the rivet-counters

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Atlas latest post 6 days ago appears to indicate MFG issues are resolved and production is moving forward. They took a big hit in the Sanda Kan fiasco[total commitment to one factory] and have had to set up new sources for MFG. They seem to be on a slow but steady pace at this point, it remains to be seen how soon big ticket items get produced.

 

Atlas is a small company and they seem understandably cautious about new releases. What baffles me is the development and release of an engine like the Erie Built instead of the Gp-40 or 40-2. I believe the thinking was that no other manufacturer had released one? But that doesn’t matter to us. We don’t want Erie builts….or RS-1’s, or 0-4-0 steam locos or F2’s (we wanted an F7). I don’t care if a loco has already been released by Lionel and I have one or more in my collection. I am going to buy an Atlas release because I am a collector. Also, because of the quality and/or unique features Atlas might offer. If there isn;t money to develop and release new products in this economy, we understand. How about using this time to focus on improving quality of existing products. Get rid of the China drives, give us constant lighting in dummies (I am sure we could develop a list here).

Don,

 

Couldn't agree more with your comments.  Obscure product releases and poor quality products will drive consumers away, collectors or operators.  The China drive might have been a good thing 15 years ago but certainly doesn't hold up to today's standards.   We buy products which we like and have the features we want for the price we want to pay.

 

The fact is on the GP38 and GP40 series of locomotives, they are great 4 axle locomotives which could negotiate smaller radius curves, be delivered in multiple paint schemes, eras and even phases with mainly body changes.  Can't think of a better locomotives to put in new starter sets.

 

This is a locomotive investment which should have been made long ago by Atlas O to build the new O Scale market.  They already have a lot of the research from their work in HO and N.  Much like the SD40-2 are staples of railroading, span eras, railroads, etc... Talk about building a strong core base of products.    You certainly can make the case for other era staples around 1st Gen locos as well as modern railroading.

 

Instead MTH seems to have the jump on these markets.

Originally Posted by Mike DeBerg:

The fact is on the GP38 and GP40 series of locomotives, they are great 4 axle locomotives which could negotiate smaller radius curves, be delivered in multiple paint schemes, eras and even phases with mainly body changes.  Can't think of a better locomotives to put in new starter sets.

 

 


That is so true....Very well said.

Originally Posted by Hot Water:
Originally Posted by Swafford:

I'd take a GP50 too!.....................

 

Regards,

Swafford

Santa Fe GP50

OK. How do you tell a late production GP40-2 from a GP50, except for railroad name & road number?

Good Day Hot Water,





Good question, can you please share with us the difference between the GP50 and GP40-2?





Regards,

Swafford

Internally the GP50 had a 645F3B engine for 3500HP and used a new radar-type wheelslip detection system. GP40X demonstrators tested the hardware for a few years beforehand. The six GP40X demonstrators on Union Pacific had flared radiators and an unusual truck design that was not repeated to my knowledge. It would be interesting to hear whether the GP40-2's and production GP50's had any external cosmetic differences. Taller radiator intakes?

  

GP40X

GP40X

I think the production GP50 had a larger duct from the equipment blower, left side behind cab..

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Last edited by Ace

Externally, the most readily recognizable differences between the GP40-2 and GP50 are the larger intakes at the end of the long hood of the GP50 and the GP50's hood rear extends farther back, resulting in a rear anti-climber so there's enough space on the deck for employees to be able to walk around the end of the hood. 

 

The MOPAC 3515 illustrates these spotting features for us:

    

MPOAC3515

 

There are other differences but I've found these to be the easiest to spot.

 

Bob

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Swafford,

 

Well, gosh...this is my first post since the Atlas forum disappeared into the tunnel of no return. We're all still mistified over why Atlas won't do either the GP40-2 or the SD40-2 after all these years. One wonders if Atlas products are just solely the desires of the owner and not much else. Certainly, convincing arguments were offered up and.....if such a model were offered up now, of course I'd want a Master Line run.  Just couldn't ever imagine why a model you could make for years, would be by-passed over and over again.

 

I wouldn't put any hopes in MTH. The "Wolf" continues to be a 3 rail O gauge manufacturer at his core, offering very few models that could be considered O scale, even with a little tweaking.....just sayin...

 

On the Atlas forum, some folks regularly whined about pricing, but hey, you get what you pay for. Perhaps Atlas listened just a little too much to that negativity. I note that they had no problem selling out the last run of GP60s that took forever to come in so price could not have been that great an issue for the prototype modeler. It sure beats the price of brass.

 

Mike Caddell

 

 

Hey, Atlas....make mine Master Line!

I always thought the Atlas O model selection a bit "off" and slow. I guess people want early f units and I am glad for them but I really wanted an F7.

 

The China drives ruin perfectly good cabs. Ha! I have a Red Caboose GP as an alternative and have to get to work building it.

 

I picked up an HO MTH SD70M-2 new for $95 on sale (a steal) since I figured I wouldn't be out much. I wasn't expecting much considering the hi-rail base of MTH and all the nasty gossip over the years (not that business practices affect model design, per se). I was flabbergasted. That MTH unit put my Athearn Genesis units to shame and those Genesis units are sharp (except for those stupidly protruding BULBS. The MTH unit was beautifully finished, ran smoothly, had awesome sound (Proto Sound 3.0), in my opinion the best I have heard (even better than my Atlas 2R Gold GP15 -- LOL! What weak sound), and the lighting was perfect.

 

I was so tickled I decided to spring for an MTH 2R scale wheels, fixed pilot GP35. I am curious to see how it measures up to my Atlas 2R GP35.

 

Bill McBride

I spoke with Shane Wilson, the general product manager of Athearn-Horizon, last week and suggested to him that how I thought their Genesis line of GP-series units would sell like hot cakes in O scale.    

 

This was his response,

"I understand your desire for more O scale 2 rail models.   The size allows for incredibly realistic details.   Unfortunately this segment of the market has a limited number of participants."

 

I suggest that anyone that would like to see Athearn enter the O scale market to email them and let them know.   Maybe they will change their mind if they see there is enough interest. 

swilson@horizonhobby.com  

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

Last edited by rtg
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