News & Reviews Product Reviews Staff Reviews Atlas HO scale EMD GP38

Atlas HO scale EMD GP38

By Cody Grivno | May 20, 2024

The four-axle road locomotive is offered in new paint schemes and road numbers

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Are you ready to rock? In our latest Product Review video, Senior Editor Cody Grivno takes a look at the Atlas HO scale EMD GP38 decorated for Mississippi’s Rock Island Rail. In the video, Cody provides a brief history of the full-size 4310, points out the various details on the model, demonstrates the sound and light features, and switches an industry on our Wisconsin & Southern staff layout.

In addition to Rock Island Rail, the Atlas HO scale GP38 is decorated for Central Maine & Quebec (blue and gray with ditch lights); Chesapeake & Delaware (black and silver with ditch lights); Chicago & North Western (yellow and green); Conrail (Spirit of Conrail); Florida, Gulf & Atlantic (red, white, and blue with ditch lights); First Union Rail (maroon and black with ditch lights); Indiana Harbor Belt (off black and orange with ditch lights); Norfolk & Western (black and white with high short hood); Providence & Worcester (orange and brown with ditch lights); Tennessee, Alabama & Gulf (Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum version with ditch lights and original, both with high short hood); and Union Pacific (C&NW patchout with ditch lights). The GP38 is offered in one to three numbers per paint scheme; undecorated models (low- and high-short hood versions) are also available.

Features on the four-axle road locomotive include an injection-molded plastic shell; die-cast metal chassis; and a five-pole, skew-wound motor with dual flywheels. In addition, the GP38 has directional, golden-white light-emitting-diode lighting; a detailed cab interior with two factory-painted and installed crew figures; and separate, factory-applied windshield wipers, metal grab irons, and positionable drop steps. Other freestanding parts include the air horn, uncoupling levers, m.u. and trainline hoses, and snow plow.

Direct-current models have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $189.95. Models with a dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder are priced at $299.95. Add $10 to GP38s with ditch lights. Subtract $10 for undecorated models.

Trains.com Product Review videos showcase the latest new items from manufacturers of products in Z, N, HO, S, O, and large scales. In the videos, you can watch locomotives in action, take a close-up look at details on freight cars, see kit components, and much more.

If you are a manufacturer and have products you would like reviewed, please email Senior Editor Cody Grivno at cody.grivno@firecrown.com for more information.

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