GP38-2 question

A while back I had a brace of GP38-2's. On my lead unit the power/dyno selector lever had notch 1 thru 4. For example if it were in 4 you went to dyno's click it to the left (as it is self centering) and it counts back down to 1 and then idle then to dyno. Was this possibly a unit equipped to control older motors without automatic transistion? It was an early model too, built in 72. I have had a few with the selector vs. two handles but not one quite like that.

Sounds like someone replaced the selector switch, with an older style transition switch, like you mentioned. While physically the same size, you would have a "dead spot" on one of the positions, from the DB/Off/Power position, to the four positons on the manual selector. I have seen the selctor switch, in both indexing (ratcheting) and non-indexing styles, but not the transition selector. It was always indexing. Sounds like a resourceful person, in the roundhouse.......

GN 599 wrote:A while back I had a brace of GP38-2's. On my lead unit the power/dyno selector lever had notch 1 thru 4. For example if it were in 4 you went to dyno's click it to the left (as it is self centering) and it counts back down to 1 and then idle then to dyno. Was this possibly a unit equipped to control older motors without automatic transistion? It was an early model too, built in 72. I have had a few with the selector vs. two handles but not one quite like that.

You don't mention which road the unit belonged to.

I have had a few like that. Manual transitioning was way before my time; but on the ones I had, it was clearly an old control stand (or older face) put into a later model locomotive. The ones I had were late 1970s SD-40s. I figured it for a transition control but moving it around had no effect. Only the power-vs-dynamic brake control function worked.

Write it off to parts-bin engineering in the back shops.

I work for the BNSF, I think it was the 2086, I would have to look at my timeslips. Like I mentioned before I know it was a 72 model GP38-2. I can imagine it now, shifting trailing RS-3's and covered wagons from series to paralell. It is probably something recycled from something else I dont know if they were equipping motors with stuff like that into the 70's. I wonder what locomotive it came from.........

I had never thought of it being for older trailing units.

There's no question that the part was placed there from an older unit. The attached GM plate wore the ancient "GM" logo, the rounded, serif-lettering, without the underlining. It's commonplace with CSX to just grab whatever part's convenient and make it work...

...but maybe there was a method to their madness. This time at least.

Last night we had the 2334 and it still had linoleum/wood floors and the access doors in the floor next to the back wall of the cab were wood also!

GN 599 wrote:I work for the BNSF, I think it was the 2086, I would have to look at my timeslips. Like I mentioned before I know it was a 72 model GP38-2. I can imagine it now, shifting trailing RS-3's and covered wagons from series to paralell. It is probably something recycled from something else I dont know if they were equipping motors with stuff like that into the 70's. I wonder what locomotive it came from.........

Is this one of the GP38-2s delivered with special dynamic brakes for the Boeing trains out of Everett?

I never heard about that. The 2334 is ex-SLSF 663.

GN 599 wrote:I never heard about that. The 2334 is ex-SLSF 663.

I was talking about the 2086

Oh that one. I have never heard about anything like that. Sounds interesting, where did you read about it?

GN 599 wrote:Oh that one. I have never heard about anything like that. Sounds interesting, where did you read about it?

Don't remember where exactly, but it must've been at some website dealing with BN/BNSF

Sounds cool, I think the GP38-2 was the best four axle locomotive ever built, save for maybe a GP9. I guess I have a new homework assignment....

Hi GN,

Sounds about right. I do know that Union Pacific agrees with you. When they rebuilt and upgraded their three E-9's, they removed everything and rebuilt them as GP-38's, internally. So each of the UP E-9's is rated at 2000 hp. According to Steve Lee, manager of Steam Operations and classic diesels, anyone that can handle a GP-38, can drive those E-9's. No difference inside.

He he, that would be cool to run an E-9. I would think the biggest challenge of running an old unit would be a non maintaining brake valve, as I have little experience with them.

Do we still have any of those left on the BNSF with 24L brake valve? Santa Fe had some GP7's or 9's but I haven't seen them for years.