Dear HO Scale Customers;

Athearn Genesis is excited to announce New EMD GP39-2 Phase III Diesel Locomotives

Now with OPERATING NUMBER BOARDS & CLASS LIGHTS

Rio Grande

Rio Grande’s primary branch line and secondary power in the 1980s consisted of a worn-out group of GP9s, GP30s, and GP35s. All of these units had been well-maintained by the Grande, but by this time they were starting to show their age.

What if DRGW decided to piggyback on MKT’s order of GP39-2s to upgrade their secondary power? Here is Athearn's take on what might have transpired.

 

DRGW FEATURES:

• Nose mounted oscillating light
• Sinclair antenna
• Short snowplow
• Operating class lights
• M-3 horn
• “Trade-in” Blomberg-B trucks
• Rear MU hose brackets

 

Missouri-Kansas-Texas

MKT GP39-2s were delivered in 1984. The final 39-2s built, they were constructed using the then-current GP49 style carbodies.

The units were some of the best and most reliable locomotives available on the MKT during this time; MKT liked them so much that they also acquired 9 former Kennecott Copper 39-2s.

 

MKT FEATURES:

• RS5T and A-200 horns
• “Blomberg-B trucks
• Clear strobe
• Firecracker antenna
• Short snowplow
• Operating class lights

 

 

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

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 it’s prime mover. With four 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 1970’s 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 posess fewer cylinders. This approach has become the foundation to modern locomotive technology.

 

GP39-2 SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• Coupler cut levers
• Drop steps unless noted
• “Nub” style walkway tread
• Lift rings
• Walkway tread
• Trainline and MU hoses
• MU stands
• Windshield wipers
• Wire grab irons
• 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”

 

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

 

LEGENDARY LIVERIES

What are Legendary Liveries? An Athearn exclusive, they are the ultimate answer to “What if?” Featuring some of the most popular railroad paint schemes of all time, these models are perfect for collecting, protofreelancing, or just plain fun! Whether company proposed paint schemes, canceled locomotive orders, or alternate takes on history, Legendary Liveries are fun and unique additions to any roster. Enjoy these items, and answer the ultimate railroad question of: “What if?”

 

Larry’s Truck & Electric

Located in McDonald, Ohio, northwest of Youngstown, Larry’s Truck and Electric (LTEX Rail) is a scrapper, rebuilder, leaser, and reseller of a wide variety of second-hand locomotives, mostly first- and second-generation road and yard switchers. The facility also provides sales and repair of major locomotive parts, including prime movers and traction motors. The LTEX facility receives and ships via the adjacent CSX mainline through Youngstown, Ohio.

LTEX 2372 and 2377 are ex-MKT 373 and 378, respectively.

Source: https://hawkinsrails.net/industrials/ltex/ltex.htm

 

LTEX FEATURES:

• Ex-MKT
• Firecracker antenna

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #2372 Cab A/C, K5LA horn, short snowplow
• #2377 P-3 horn, large snowplow

 

 

Order Due Date: May 2, 2025

Anticipated Delivery Date: December 2026

 

Looking for more Athearn EMD GP-30 Diesel Locomotives? Click here!

---