Athearn HO GP40X An Electro-Motive Division GP40X with railroad-specific detail is offered by Athearn Trains. The Ready-to-Roll model, which features an upgraded Rail Power Products shell, is based on the short-lived EMD prototype manufactured from December 1977 through June 1978. Only 23 units were built, all for railroads in the United States. The GP40X was the forerunner for EMD’s 50-series locomotives. Rated at 3,500 hp, the units had the first regular production F-series prime movers (16-645F3). The GP40Xs owned by SP and UP had experimental HT-B trucks (High Traction, B-B wheel arrangement). All others used the traditional Blomberg-M trucks.Measuring 60′-2″ over the pulling faces, the GP40X is a foot longer than the GP40-2. But the easiest way to tell the two units apart without a tape measure is to look at the radiator section. The GP40X has flared radiators, similar to those found on SD45s.
So who owned the GP40Xs? Four railroads: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (10); Southern Pacific (4); Southern Ry. (3, all high-nose units operated long nose forward); and Union Pacific (6).
Though only a handful of GP40Xs were produced, they can still be found in operation today on the BNSF Ry. and Canadian Pacific, among other railroads. The CP units are classified GP38-3s.
Railroad-specific models. Our review samples were decoratedfor Southern Pacific and Norfolk Southern. The paint on both models was smooth and evenly applied, and the printing was crisp and legible.
The SP model features numerous prototoype-specific details, including appropriate front and rear headlight and Mars light clusters, an SP-style rooftop bell, antenna stands, and an L-window cab. Though the model has a curved grab iron behind the rear radiator fan, it doesn’t have eyebolts.
The neatest features on the SP model are the injection-molded plastic “elephant ear” shrouds and the HT-B trucks. The shrouds, used to draw clean, cool air into the radiator to prevent the engine from overheating, were later removed.
The HT-B trucks are crisply molded with “HT-B” printed in the center and “70/17″ (the prototype’s gear ratio) on the upper right of the truck. Athearn used its regular four-axle truck mechanism on the GP40X, so the wheelbase is too short. It should be a scale 9′-91/2″ instead of 9′-3″. The 40″ diameter wheelsets should be 42”.
Our other sample, decorated for NS, closely matches prototype drawings published in the book Southern: A Motive Power Pictorial by Paul K. Withers and Tom L. Sink (P.K. Withers, 1987). The high-nose model is set up for long-hood forward operation and has a five-chime horn on each end and a bell mounted above the front headlights. The model has three 48″-diameter Q-fans over the radiator section and a single 48″-diameter flat-top dynamic brake fan. All of the fans are see-through with separate blades underneath.
The NS model has Blomberg-M trucks with 40″-diameter wheelsets. The smaller wheels are accurate for this style of truck.
Athearn used a 3,600-gallon injection-molded-plastic fuel tank on both models instead of the 3,500-gallon version found on the prototypes. In HO scale, the difference is hardly noticeable. The tank has well-executed fuel neck and sight- and fuel-gauge detail. Modeler-installed parts, such as an air box drain pipe, breather pipes, and sump drain, also are included.
Performance. The shell is attached to the zinc-alloy chassis with two Phillips-head screws located above the rear axle of the trailing truck. You’ll also need to remove the draft gear boxes to get the shell off.The GP40X uses Athearn’s traditional five-pole skew-wound motor with dual brass flywheels and hex drive shafts. A Digital Command Control decoder Quick Plug is seated on top of the motor. Be careful when removing the shell, though, as the headlight wires are attached to the printed-circuit board, as shown below.
I tested our SP sample, which moved a scale 4.5 mph at 2.4V, and had a top speed of 91.3 scale mph. The starting speed will decrease once the model has been in service for a while. With a drawbar pull of 4.16 ounces, the model is capable of pulling 58 free-rolling freight cars on straight and level track.
Despite a few minor detail issues, the Athearn GP40X is a fine model. The railroad-specific details enhance the realism of the locomotive, and the Quick Plug makes it easy to convert the unit to DCC. HO scale GP40XPrice: $89.98 to $99.98
Manufacturer
Athearn Trains
1550 Glenn Curtiss St.
Carson, CA 90746
www.athearn.com
Description:
Plastic and metal
Ready-to-Roll locomotive
Road names: BNSF Ry. (Heritage I), Norfolk Southern, Southern Pacific, St. Lawrence & Atlantic, Union Pacific, and undecorated (NS, SP, and UP versions)
HO scale GP40X featuresCelcon handrails
Digital Command Control decoder Quick Plug
Directional headlights
Drawbar pull: 4.16 ounces
Engine weight: 173/4 ounces
Five-pole skew-wound motor with hex drive line
McHenry semi-scale magnetic knuckle couplers (mounted at the correct height)
Minimum radius: 18″
Modeler-installed fuel tank detail
Movable cab side windows
Railroad-specific details
RP-25 contour metal wheelsets, mounted in gauge
See-through fans
Snowplow
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