EMD GP38-2

The EMD GP38-2 is an American four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors, Electro-Motive Division. Part of the EMD Dash 2 line, the GP38-2 was an upgraded version of the earlier GP38. Power is provided by an EMD 645E 16-cylinder engine, which generates 2,000 horsepower (1.5 MW).[1]

EMD GP38-2
BNSF GP38-2s 2273 and 2778 in Lincoln, Nebraska
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderUnited States - Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD)
Canada - General Motors Diesel (GMD)
ModelGP38-2
Build dateJanuary 1972–July 1986
Total produced2,213
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARB-B
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length59 ft 2 in (18.03 m)
Width10 ft 4.5 in (3.16 m)
Height15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Loco weight250,000 lb (113,400 kg)
Prime moverEMD 645E
Engine typeV16 Two-stroke diesel
AspirationRoots-type blower
AlternatorAC alternator,
Traction motorsDC traction motors
Cylinders16
Transmissiondiesel electric
Loco brakeStraight air, Dynamic
Performance figures
Maximum speed65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output2,000 hp (1.49 MW)
Tractive effortStarting: 61,000 lbf (271 kN) at 20%
Continuous: 54,700 lbf (243 kN) and 11.1 mph (17.9 km/h)
Career
LocaleNorth America, Saudi Arabia, México
DispositionMost still in service as of 2019
Soo Line 4413 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

GP38-2W
Canadian National 4769, a GMD GP38-2, with a CN-spec comfort cab in Saint-Félicien, Quebec

The GP38-2W is a Canadian variant of the GP38-2. It is easily distinguished by its wide-nose Canadian comfort cab. 51 of these locomotives were produced for the Canadian National Railway during 1973–1974.

Although a W is commonly suffixed to the name, it is actually an addition by enthusiasts to help specify the presence of a CN-spec comfort cab. No locomotives built using CN's design of comfort cab ever featured a W in their designation, as the presence of the cab did not mechanically alter the locomotive. This is reflected by the lack of the "W" in the model designation on the builders' plates of these units.

There are snow shields above the inertial-filter central air intakes behind the cab; the electrical boxes and equipment blower behind the cab also differ in detail from a standard GP38-2. They are otherwise identical.[2]

Original buyers

1,799 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads and industrial concerns, 257 for Canadian railroads and industrials, 156 for Mexican railroads and industrials, and 1 export unit for the Saudi Railways Organization. A total of 31 GP38-2s were built with high-short-hoods containing steam generators for passenger service on Mexican railways. In addition, all 257 of Southern Railway's GP38-2s had Southern's "standard" high-short-hoods.[3]

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Angelina and Neches River Railroad12000
The American Rolling Mill Company1B-84
Atlanta and West Point Railroad26007–6008Family Lines paint. To

Seaboard System Railroad.

Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad3508–510
Belt Railway of Chicago6490–495
Boston and Maine Railroad12201–212212 was renumbered 200 as a

bicentennial unit.

Burlington Northern Railroad372078–2109, 2150–21542150-2154 assigned to Fort Worth & Denver. Most passed on to BNSF Railway.
Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway2108–109
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company354600–4634Ordered by Rock Island. To Union Pacific Railroad.
Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad102000–2009
Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company9100–108
Clinchfield Railroad86000–6006, 6045Family Lines paint. To Seaboard System.
Colorado and Wyoming Railway22001–2002
Conrail1198163–8281All units were renumbered when divided between CSX Transportation

and Norfolk Southern Railway.

Curtis, Milburn and Eastern Railroad4810, 817-819
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad8221–228228 was renumbered 1776 for

the bicentennial. Renumbered GTW 6221–6228 in 1984–85.

Durham and Southern Railway42000–2003To Seaboard Coast Line Railroad 556–559.
Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway5700–704All to Birmingham and Southern Railroad. 703 re-purchased in the 90s and assigned to Waukegan.
Florida East Coast Railway11501–511
Georgia Railroad46009–6010, 6051–6052Family Lines paint. To Seaboard System
Grand Trunk Western Railroad255812–5836
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad15740–754To Illinois Central Gulf Railroad.
Illinois Central Gulf Railroad409600–9639
Illinois Terminal Railroad42001–2004
Kansas City Southern Railway124000–4011
Lehigh Valley Railroad12314–325To the Delaware & Hudson Railway upon creation of Conrail as 7314–7325. Briefly renumbered to 220-231 during the Guilford ownership of the D&H, upon emergence from Guilford renumbered to 7303–7312.
Long Island Rail Road28250–277261, 268, 270–271 to New York and Atlantic Railway.

Delivered in Long Island bicentennial scheme.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad1294050–4144, 6011-60446011-6044 Family Lines paint. To Seaboard System.
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad16350–365To Soo Line Railroad.
Mississippi Export Railroad265–66
Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad18304–321319-321 has D\BTo Union Pacific.
Missouri Pacific Railroad274858–959, 2111–2237, 2290–2334To Union Pacific.
Penn Central Transportation Company2237940–8162To Conrail, same numbers.
Phelps Dodge81–4, 9, 55, 56, 58
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad62051–2056
Providence and Worcester Railroad42006–2009
Public Service Company of Indiana2WG1-WG2Lettered for AMAX Coal.
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad684300–4355, 4368-4379

Acquired by GTW, MP and P&LE upon dissolution of Rock Island.

San Manuel Arizona Railroad216–17
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad74500–555, 6046–6050, 6053-60656046–6050,

6053-6065 Family Lines paint. To Seaboard System.

Soo Line Railroad53790–799, 4410–4452790–799 renumbered 4400–4409

soon after delivery.

South East Coal Company33821–3823
Southern Railway2575000–5256High-short-hoods. To Norfolk Southern. 23 rebuilt with an Admiral Cab.[note 1][4] 50 to be sold at auction on August 18, 2016. 5076 sold to Northwestern Pacific in 2017.
Southern Pacific Transportation Company454800–4844
St. Louis–San Francisco Railway116400–478, 663–699To Burlington Northern Railroad.
Texas Mexican Railway7861–867867 was the last La Grange-built GP38-2 in

May '85. All others built at GMDD London, Ont.

Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway112001–2011All went to Santa Fe then were divided up, with some going to BNSF after merger and others to KCS.
Union Pacific Railroad602000–2059
Vermont Railway2201–202
Locomotives built by GMD, London, Ontario
Algoma Central Railway6200-205
Canadian National Railway605500–555923 renumbered to the 200 series when converted to hump mothers in 1978, these plus one additional renumbered to 7500-7526 (not all #'s used) in 1985. Three more, 7528, 7530, 7532 renumbered in 1990. The balance of these units became 4700–4732 in 1988. Units 4702 and 4728 rebuilt to GP40-3 and repainted to heritage schemes.
515560–5610GP38-2W's. Renumbered 4760–4810 in 1988. 5586 destroyed in the Hinton train collision of 1986.
Canadian Pacific Railway1153021–3135The 3086-3135 were the last GP38-2's built by GMD, between March and July 1986.
Devco Railway13216–228
Ontario Northland Railway101800–1809
Texas Gulf Sulphur2054–055
Export locomotives built by EMD for other railroads
Altos Hornos de México6141, 145, 157–158, 167-168
Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico12900-911910 & 911 have high-short-hoods containing steam generators.
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México1249200–9299, 9400–9414, 9901-99099200-9219 & 9901-9909 have high-short-hoods containing steam generators.
Ferrocarriles Unidos del Sureste14514–521, 528-533
Saudi Railways Organization12000
Totals2213

Rebuilds
Two Providence and Worcester Railroad GP38-2s at Pawtucket/Central Falls station in 2023

A number of higher horsepower 40 Series locomotives have been rebuilt into the equivalent of a GP38-2, by removal of the turbocharger and the substitution of twin Roots blowers.

CSX and Norfolk Southern have both started replacing cabs on the aging locomotives. NS still calls them GP38-2 while CSX calls them GP38-3.

Preservation

A relatively small amount of GP38-2s are in preservation, with all being ex-Southern, and all operating on tourist lines.

See also

References
  1. Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
  2. Foster, Gerald (1996). A Field Guide to Trains of North America. Houghton Mifflin Field Guides. pp. 74–75. ISBN 0-395-70112-0.
  3. Marre, Louis A. & Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1989). The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide. Waukesha, WI: Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-89024-088-4. LCCN 88083625. OCLC 19959644.
  4. "What is an Admiral Cab?". altoonaworks.info. L.R. Myers. Retrieved 19 February 2022.

Notes
  1. The Admiral Cab was designed by Norfolk Southern for narrow-nose and low-hood cabs that retains the look of a standard EMD cab, the exceptions being sharper angles, angled center windows, raised numberboard section, under-floor air conditioning, and the nose being made of one inch thick steel instead of the quarter inch steel of the original EMD cab.
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