GP38

GP38
terry cantrell · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	GP38
Powertype	Diesel-electric
Builder	Electro-Motive Division
Builddate	1966–1971
Totalproduction	2,213
Wheeldiameter	40 in (1,016 mm)
Length	56 ft 2 in (17.12 m)
Primemover	EMD 16-645 (model 645 engine)
Poweroutput	2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
Tractiveeffort	61,000 lbf (271 kN) starting
Transmission	Diesel-electric
Locoweight	250,000–260,000 lb (113,398–117,934 kg)

GP38

The GP38 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Electro-Motive Division for North American railroads during the late 1960s and early 1970s. It served as a road switcher used by major carriers such as Penn Central Transportation Company, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Illinois Central Railroad, Conrail, and Southern Pacific Railroad. The model became notable for its reliability and ease of maintenance, leading to widespread adoption across freight operators, shortlines, and industrial users.

Design and Development

The GP38 originated from design lineage tracing back to earlier models produced by Electro-Motive Division, influenced by engineering practices at General Motors and field feedback from companies like New York Central Railroad and Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. The locomotive used the non-turbocharged 16-cylinder EMD 645 series prime mover, a descendant of the EMD 567 series used by Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroad in previous decades. Design goals emphasized mechanical simplicity, parts commonality with existing EMD fleets, and adaptability for road and yard duties requested by procurement departments at Pennsylvania Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Crew ergonomics and serviceability were refined in workshops influenced by practices at General Electric and Alco facilities, while regulatory factors from the Interstate Commerce Commission shaped weight and braking features.

Production and Variants

Between 1966 and 1971, Electro-Motive Division produced 2,213 units, with orders placed by major carriers including Conrail predecessors Penn Central Transportation Company and regional purchasers like Illinois Central Railroad. Variants emerged through factory options and railroad-specific modifications: some units were fitted with dynamic braking packages favored by Southern Pacific Railroad and Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad for mountain service; others received upgraded traction motors requested by Norfolk and Western Railway. Rebuilt and remanufactured variants were later produced by firms such as General Motors Electro-Motive Division (GMD) shops and independent contractors like National Railway Equipment Company and Precision National Corporation, yielding models with updated electronics used by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation. Private leasing companies like RailAmerica and Genesee & Wyoming Inc. acquired and modified units for shortline operations, while industrial operators in the Illinois Basin and Gulf Coast configured units for heavy-haul switching.

Technical Specifications

The GP38 employed the 16-cylinder, non-turbocharged EMD 645 prime mover rated at 2,000 horsepower, paired with a direct current generator and D77 traction motors similar to components used on sister models ordered by Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroad. The B-B wheel arrangement matched standards used by New York Central Railroad and Chicago and North Western Transportation Company for light-axle-load routes. Cooling systems and air intake configurations reflected EMD practices that were comparable to designs deployed by General Electric on contemporaneous models. Brake systems integrated air brake equipment widely standardized across fleets like Burlington Northern Railroad, while optional dynamic brakes were installed at the request of mountain-road customers such as Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. Fuel capacity options and auxiliary equipment were tailored per order from carriers like Illinois Central Railroad and industrial operators in the Appalachian region.

Service History

GP38 locomotives entered service with a cross-section of North American railroads, performing roles from road freight to local switching on networks operated by Penn Central Transportation Company, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Southern Pacific Railroad, Illinois Central Railroad, and later Conrail. Their operational flexibility made them staples for mergers and restructurings involving Chessie System, Seaboard System Railroad, and ultimately successor carriers CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation. Units assigned to subdivisions in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada often featured dynamic brakes and reinforced cooling, while those in Midwestern terminals handled mixed-freight and manifest service influenced by traffic patterns of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and Milwaukee Road. Remanufacturing programs in the 1980s and 1990s extended service life for units transferred to shortlines operated by companies like Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and leasing firms such as GATX Corporation and Progress Rail Services Corporation.

Preservation and Surviving Examples

Numerous examples survive in preservation, museum, and tourist-railway service, operated by organizations like the Illinois Railway Museum, California State Railroad Museum, and regional heritage lines in states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and California. Volunteer-operated tourist operations and shortline museums often run restored units to demonstrate diesel-era switching practices influenced by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad procedures. Some preserved locomotives were donated by major carriers during fleet updates at CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation, while other examples were acquired through auction by preservation groups connected to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. Preservation efforts typically focus on maintaining original EMD mechanical systems, carbodies, and period liveries resembling paint schemes formerly used by Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Southern Pacific Railroad.

Category:Diesel locomotives of the United States Category:Electro-Motive Division locomotives