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The EMD GP38-2 is one of the most recognisable diesel locomotives in North American railroading, and Athearn's Genesis version in HO scale brings that character straight to the layout. This ATHG-71839 reproduces Chehalis Western Railroad unit #817 with a factory-installed SoundTraxx Tsunami2 decoder, meaning it arrives ready to run in both analogue and digital from day one.
Sound, lighting and control from the first run
The Tsunami2 decoder handles the diesel engine sound, the Leslie 5-chime horn and the bell, all functional in DC and DCC with no additional modifications. Lighting is provided by LEDs at the front and rear headlights, independently lit number boards, class lights and dual Xenon beacons, faithfully reproducing the real machine's lighting configuration. The system is NMRA DCC compatible with multiple adjustable CVs, MU lashup function and precision speed control, making it easy to integrate into digital layouts with full flexibility.
Mechanism and exterior detail
The chassis is die-cast metal with all-wheel electrical pickup, a 5-pole skewed-armature motor and dual flywheels for smooth, consistent running. On the outside, the handrails are Celcon, the windshield wipers are photo-etched and hand-applied, the cab windows are clear with a textured interior, and the McHenry couplers are operational. The blackened metal wheels have an RP25 profile, compatible with code 83 and code 100 track. Minimum turning radius is 18 inches, though 22 inches is recommended for smoother operation.
On the layout, a shortline GP38-2 has its own rhythm
Shortline locomotives like those of Chehalis Western fit especially well on layouts themed around North American regional or industrial traffic: they don't need long consists to make sense, and they work just as well leading a freight train as working alone in a yard scene. Unit #817 in its CWWR colours brings a specific railway identity to any layout set in the Pacific Northwest, and the Tsunami2 sound reinforces that sense of real operation every time it starts up or slows to a stop.