This colorful HO Electro-Motive Division GP60M locomotive comes ready to run in post-merger Burlington Northern Santa Fe colors and three other prototypical paint schemes. The assembled models come with Bachmann E-Z Mate magnetic knuckle couplers and are part of Athearn’s Ready-to-Roll line.
EMD built the prototype 3,800-hp GP60Ms exclusively for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe in 1990 and 1991 to power its hotshot Super Fleet intermodal trains. The 63 red-and-silver A units have modified North American safety cabs; 23 matching B units followed in 1991. Athearn’s model closely matches the prototype dimensions specified in EMD sales literature. The model cab unit is a scale 59′-9″ long, 10′-6″ wide, and 14′-10″ tall.
A single instruction sheet contains an exploded isometric drawing, a parts list, and a description of how to add a Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder.
As a Ready-to-Roll model, this locomotive is a bit more Spartan in detail than Athearn’s Genesis models which are also more expensive. Items like a cab interior, lift rings, m.u. hoses, and windshield wipers are omitted, but the overall workmanship is excellent.
Inside, the GP60M has a standard Athearn mechanism with a heavy cast-zinc-alloy chassis held into the body shell by the coupler boxes and their screws. The motor is recessed into the fuel tank and secured by a pair of rubbery plastic clips. Four-wheel EMD-modified GP trucks are mounted with snap-on retainers.
Both trucks are hard-wired into a printed circuit board mounted across the top of the motor. This PC board contains the diodes for the directional headlight lamps and a National Model Railroad Association 8-pin Digital Command Control (DCC) receptacle. A jumper plug allows DC operation, or it can be removed to plug in any decoder desired. The lamps do not need to be changed for DCC operation.
The trucks have plastic modified GP sideframes with added brake cylinder, damping strut, and swing hanger details. All of the RP-25 contour wheelsets match the NMRA standards gauge.
The GP60M’s couplers were about .010″ low until I removed the plastic shims between the coupler boxes and their mounting pads. This raised the couplers to the proper height. Substituting other couplers is easy since the coupler boxes are mounted with screws.
The GP60M started and operated smoothly at only 2 scale mph. It performed well, reaching a realistic 75 mph top speed at 9 volts. Its drawbar pull is equivalent to 31 free-rolling freight cars on straight and level track. Additional weight could be added for additional traction as long as the drivers can still slip if the engine is overloaded.
The post-merger BNSF GP60M is neatly spray painted with excellent masking and striping. The lettering even includes the small BNSF initials that were added on the prototype cab sides and tiny labels along the frame edges. Nice!
It’s also offered in the original Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe red warbonnet colors, a special temporary Maersk Co. promotional blue warbonnet scheme, and in BNSF’s orange and green “Heritage I and II” paint schemes. This model captures the look of Santa Fe’s Super Fleet locomotives, gets high marks for its paint and lettering, and delivers smooth performance.
Price:$99.99
Manufacturer:
Athearn Inc.
19010 Laurel Park Rd.
Compton, CA 90222
Description:
Plastic and metal locomotive
Road names:
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern Santa Fe (red warbonnet); BNSF orange and green; Maersk Co. (blue warbonnet); ATSF silver B unit; BNSF orange and green B unit
Features:
Cacetal plastic handrails
Directional operating headlights
Drawbar pull: 2.24 ounces
Dual flywheel drive
Eight-wheel drive and power pickup
Engine weight: 12 oz.
E-Z Mate couplers
Flush-mounted clear glazing
Minimum radius: 18″
NMRA Digital Command Control (DCC) receptacle
RP-25 contour nickel-silver wheels (mounted in gauge)
Just getting back into the hobby and bought this as a second loco. Really impressed with slow speed running and body detailing. Seems to be a great value and is DCC ready.
This Locomotive is sweet!! I just bought it from Rochelle Railroad Park on the way back from Marysville, OH. The detail is awesome. It runs smooth without stalling. I hope to buy a DCC decoder for it, Details West detail kit, MU cable, and I'll also try to get the ditch lights working by adding micro bulbs in it, luckily I don't have to change out the bulbs. See Ya in Rochelle Everybody!