The GP38-2s are 25 years old!

I remember taking pictures of the GP38s back in 1981 when they were less than 2 weeks old. They're now going on 26 yrs. What condition are they in? How are they holding up?

Well, other then years of salt eating away at the running boards they seem the same. No major problems have befallen them as of yet, they're just working day in and day out like EMD intended.

I personally loved operating them over our passenger equipment. Also, so far only 2 units of the 10 have the "Phase III" paint, 2000 and 2007.

put pantagraphs on them 8-P

prr did you work for the freight side for a few years, or is everybody required to cross-qualify?

Before I was a trainman, I was a car cleaner and terminal carman. We carried locomotive engineers licenses and serviced both NICTD and SouthShore Freight locomotives and naturally I had to know how to operate and troubleshoot both types of equipment. We did things like fueling, sanding, lube oil, and changed brake shoes. We also did all the switching for the CSS's RIP track and NICTD's shops too.

Also, when training for the promotion from collector to engineer or conductor..depending on what NICTD decides, you spend at least one week in the yard with the carmen and one week on the road with freight crews.

Is salt eating away at the running boards normal wear and tear? Are the running boards part of the front plow?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=146719

U-Haul wrote:Is salt eating away at the running boards normal wear and tear?

For trains that run on city streets, yes.

Are the running boards part of the front plow?

The GP38's don't actually have running boards. I would assume PRRGuy meant the front and rear pilots and the steps.

Yes, those and the walkways along the sides on the units.