HO GP39-2 Locomotive, D&H #7405 Overview
The D&H received all 20 of the Reading's GP39-2's when Conrail was formed in 1976. They continued to operate in patched green and yellow paint for several years, but many were subsequently repainted into D&H's attractive solid blue and yellow scheme. When mixed in with other EMD and ALCO models, they added a splash of variety to passing trains. We are offering 3 different versions of the blue scheme to add to your fleet!
In the decade between 1974 and 1984, EMD produced the GP39-2 for seven North American railroads. The basic design followed most four axle road diesel switchers for the time. Borrowing improvements from the GP38-2 and GP40-2 designs, this mid-horsepower road switcher utilized a turbocharged 12-cylinder EMD 645E3 diesel engine for its prime mover. With 4 fewer cylinders, the smaller engine provided a distinctive long hood on the phase II and phase III bodies, where the clean room/engine compartment doors were set back from the cab further than predecessor locomotives.
Sensitivity to fuel economy in the 1970s justified the GP39-2 in the locomotive market. It also laid the ground work for EMD to start exploring locomotive designs that utilize engines with larger piston displacement yet possess fewer cylinders. This approach has become the foundation to modern locomotive technology.