Introduced in January, 1966, EMD’s GP38 was the last fully new model in the “GP” line to lack a turbocharger. These locomotives were powered by a Roots Blower equipped, 16 cylinder 645 engine and rated at 2,000 horsepower. They were designed as a medium horsepower locomotive, intended to replace older diesel models and without the increased costs of high horsepower turbocharged engines. As such, they continued in the fashion of the earlier F-Units as well as the early 567 engined GP7, GP9, GP18 and GP28 models.
After the GP38, all new four axle EMD models would be high horsepower, turbocharged designs (with the exception of the GP15-1, which recycled older frames and components with new engines and electronics).
706 GP38s were built for U.S. railroads. The GP38AC variation, which had an alternator instead of a generator, sold an additional 261 engines. The GP38-2 variation, introduced in 1972, featured upgraded electical gear and sold another 1,799 units, for a total of 2,766 locomotives in the GP38 family. In the November, 1982, issue of Trains Magazine, Baltimore & Ohio GP38 #3802 was selected as the “typical” American locomotive.
No longer front line power, the GP38s now serve mostly in local and switching work on the Class-I railroads, and are prized on shortline and regional railroads where they are once again replacing an earlier generation of locomotives.
Track Listing
Track 1 - A CSX GP38-2 passes with a caboose hop at Plymouth, Michigan, on August 20, 1998.
Track 2 - Running light, Illinois Central #9607 passes near DeSoto, Illinois, on November 7, 2001.
Track 3 - Union Pacific #1902 passes through the yard at Jefferson City, Missouri, on February 5, 1992.
Track 4 - A GP38 on St. Louis to Memphis intermodal train I-11 north of Carbondale, Illinois, on August 27, 1990.
Track 5 - A train struggles to get moving on Union Pacific’s Chester Subdivision the night of September 15, 1990
Track 6 - Illinois Central GP38-2 #9622 was on the point departing Carbondale, Illinois, on July 4, 1991.
Track 7 - On November 7, 1997, we catch a set of ‘38s heading Chicago-Memphis freight CHME on the hill at Cobden, Illinois.
Track 8 - In the pre-dawn hours of April 23, 1989, GP38-2 #9623 leads a trio of sisters down Cobden hill, pulling against the brakes in Run-8.
Track 9 - On June 5, 1991, Illinois Central #9627 headed south through Carbondale with the microphones between the rails.
Track 10 - A quartet of GP38s leads Norfolk Southern 123 up Cobden Hill on April 23, 1989.
Track 11 - Early on July 23, 1989, Illinois Central symbol freight SM-3 powered up Cobden Hill behind a trio of ‘38s.
Track 12 - Later that morning, another quartet of ‘38s lead Norfolk Southern #123 up Cobden Hill.
Track 13 - Norfolk Southern #123 with its standard four ’38s climb Cobden Hill on April 29, 1990.
Track 14 - A pair of Illinois Central ‘38s and an SD40 passes Grand Avenue in Carbondale on July 9, 1990.
Track 15 - One more recording from Carbondale as Illinois Central symbol CHC heads south behind four ‘38s on March 7, 1990.
Track 16 - An Illinois Central GP38-2 leads a short local freight at Buckner, Illinois, on April 19, 1999.
Track 17 - A GP38-2 is in the lead of a southbound Louisville & Indiana freight at Indianapolis on July 9, 2002.
Track 18 - The next night, another ‘38s leads another L&I freight southbound from Indianapolis.
Track 19 - Grand Trunk Western GP38-2 #5845 switching cars at St. Johns, Illinois, on August 29, 2001.
Track 20 - #5845 continues switching on August 29, 2001.
Track 21 - Switching at Goddard, Illinois, I.C. GP38-2 #9607 pulls hard on a cut of cars on November 12, 2001.
Track 22 - #9607 performs a “flying drop” on November 14, 2001. The rolling cars make quite a hard coupling!
Track 23 - After putting its train together, #9607 heads south from DuQuoin, Illinois, on November 14, 2001.
Track 24 - Later that afternoon, #9607 is headed north at DeSoto, Illinois, headed back to DuQuoin.
Track 25 - Illinois Central GP38-2 #9631 leads a northbound local at Elkville, Illinois, on March 3, 2004.
Track 26 - Illinois Central “Benton Local” heads east for Benton on April 19, 1999.
