40 years of GP 38-2

GP-38-2's over at NYA http://www.trainsarefun.com/NYA/nyaengineroster.htm
NYA EMD GP38-2 #261, #268, #270, #271 at page bottom.


NYA #270 Wellwood Ave siding with NYA #268 rear unit 01/21/2008 Photo: Mike McDermet

Might be some newer EMD style power on the Island sooner than later...

workextra wrote:That new "thing" posted above is in a class of its own and should to be holding the F class designation. That is a direct insult to the legacy of the real F's from the FT to the FL9 and everything in between and rebuilt afterwards.

This new crap should have is own class. Such as CCJ- Conputer Controlles Junk!

Uh, isn't everything modern computer controlled? I mean the EMD 645 (which powered the GP-38-2), as a marine engine was kinda bad until we installed computer based controlles, now it plays nicely as a power generation system and can be operated remotely, and pollutes less!

Ryand-Smith wrote:

workextra wrote:That new "thing" posted above is in a class of its own and should to be holding the F class designation. That is a direct insult to the legacy of the real F's from the FT to the FL9 and everything in between and rebuilt afterwards.

This new crap should have is own class. Such as CCJ- Conputer Controlles Junk!

Uh, isn't everything modern computer controlled? I mean the EMD 645 (which powered the GP-38-2), as a marine engine was kinda bad until we installed computer based controlles, now it plays nicely as a power generation system and can be operated remotely, and pollutes less!

As locomotives are inanimate objects, they cannot be "insulted."

There is no intent on "insulting" a specific unit. Such being ipossible. The "insult"'is to the humans who appreciate the legacy of the former Fs from their killing off steam to lasting much longer then they were intended to. The "insult" is how the "human" interprets it.

RGlueck wrote:I suppose those "things" are inevitable on the LIRR. Sad day when ALCO left the Island and EMD took their places.

I don't know that the LIRR had much choice. ALCO had thrown in the towel and gone out of the locomotive business in 1968, after building the last eight LIRR C-420s (the ones with HI-AD trucks). So the choice was GE or EMD. I think it was some guy in the motive power department who had come from the Milwaukee Road and was familiar with EMD products, who made the decision.

I seem to recall reading that they were originally an order for CN that was canceled by them.

keyboardkat wrote:

RGlueck wrote:I suppose those "things" are inevitable on the LIRR. Sad day when ALCO left the Island and EMD took their places.

I think it was some guy in the motive power department who had come from the Milwaukee Road and was familiar with EMD products, who made the decision.

John Scala had indicated it came from the mechanical department with ex-Milwaukee Road employees, they also influenced the "wave" style scheme.
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrGP38/de_page23.jpg

I "seem" to recall reading that the ex-MRR sup made this call.

The Blue/White "wave" was based off the MILW # 1776 Bicentenial paint scheme.
Not sure if that was a SD40-2 or GP38-2 that had that scheme.

Backshophoss wrote:The Blue/White "wave" was based off the MILW # 1776 Bicentenial paint scheme.
Not sure if that was a SD40-2 or GP38-2 that had that scheme.

It was a SD40-2.

Stuart