Well.. Huh.. A New Run of Walthers GP38-2s

[johnh35]

Can anyone with one of these and an Atlas GP38 check to see if the Atlas shell will fit on the chassis?  If these can do the small fuel tanks, that will be nice for doing NS GP38s

The Atlas shell fits, but rather snug. You will need to remove a little metal (unless they completely changed the frame).

[u18b]

What exactly are the differences between Walthers and Atlas GP38-2's body/phase wise?

Atlas makes the earlier phases.

Walthers makes a later phase.

Walthers has:  Anticlimber, big corrugated radiator intake (versus chicken wire).

So it is a different loco from what others produce.

[Ike the BN Freak]

What exactly are the differences between Walthers and Atlas GP38-2's body/phase wise?

The Walther's is a later phase with corrugated radiator grilles, where the Atlas units are earlier phases with chicken wire grilles.

[Rich_S]

That's what I'm counting on. I have a bunch of the older runs I'll gladly get rid of for these. Also, that number was probably never in the quality paint scheme from the pics I found online,

Phil

The TCS CN decoder works well with the older run. Sure it's not a plug-n-play, but the TCS CN split decoder replaces the front and rear light boards and all that is required are a few solder connections, plus you maintain both a front an rear headlight when all is said and done. These TCS CN decoders work for both the Walthers / Life-Like proto units with the split light boards and the early Atlas / Kato units with the split light boards.   

I'm a little disappointed all the units in this run are coming with the Type M truck. It looks like non of them have the Type B truck 

[High Hood]

Can anyone with one of these and an Atlas GP38 check to see if the Atlas shell will fit on the chassis?  If these can do the small fuel tanks, that will be nice for doing NS GP38s

+1 They look like they might actually be the right size for NS/SOU GP38-2's.  How many gallons are the Walthers fuel tanks?

[conrail98]

The TCS CN decoder works well with the older run. Sure it's not a plug-n-play, but the TCS CN split decoder replaces the front and rear light boards and all that is required are a few solder connections, plus you maintain both a front an rear headlight when all is said and done. These TCS CN decoders work for both the Walthers / Life-Like proto units with the split light boards and the early Atlas / Kato units with the split light boards.   

Thanks, good to know,

Phil

[lock4244]

Unless the CN units replresent former GTW (some blt for P&LE and CRIP) units repainted in the 90's and up, they're incorrect. CN's were all 1972/73 built units. Forgive my ignorance on many of the differences, but certainly the corrugated radiator intakes are wrong as CN's original GP38-2's all have the 'chicken' wire grills.

Unless they're making them correct for CN... hopefully that will extend to the snow steps and nose headlight. Of course, the statement "Based on Units in Service 1977 to the Present" precludes this...

Kudo's on the new jewel case, tho

[spookshow]

Got one on order. I'll be most interested to see the new level of "DCC Readiness". And oh yeah, the latest "sightglass" recombobulation.

I really do get a kick out of how some of you guys manage to experience literal palpitations over this stuff, LOL 

Cheers,
-Mark

[GonzoCRFan]

Is it just me, or is the artwork missing the traction motor blower duct?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Is it just me, or is the artwork missing the traction motor blower duct?

Blower ducts are for rivet counters.

[Spades]

Mark 4 designs shells fit fine, for those who have issues with the long hood. 

G

[Ike the BN Freak]

Mark 4 designs shells fit fine, for those who have issues with the long hood. 

G

Too bad his machine broke and last I heard, he's out of the game.  He may have a few shells left, but not too many.

[GN Fan]

I just got the electronic version of their new flyer for August.  This page shows a new run of GP38-2s for December delivery. (http://flyers.walthers.com/WebProject.asp?) See Page 7.

DCC Ready at $100 MSRP.

Tom Todd

[pjm20]

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33408.0

[Rich_S]

Got one on order. I'll be most interested to see the new level of "DCC Readiness". And oh yeah, the latest "sightglass" recombobulation.

I really do get a kick out of how some of you guys manage to experience literal palpitations over this stuff, LOL 

Cheers,
-Mark

Mark,
   If they are the same as the last, here is the method I used to add the TCS CN decoder to my GP38-2's.

http://geep40.blogspot.com/2011/04/installing-tcs-cn-in-lifelike-gp38-2.html

The only difference in my installation from the above method, I used the standard Dremel cutoff wheel, creating a thinner cut in the front of the frame.