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This review was taken from the December 2000/ January 2001 issue of Model Railroading Magazine and is reproduced with permission of Highlands Station, Inc., Aurora, CO.

ATLAS MASTER® LOCOMOTIVE SERIES:  EDM LOW-NOSE GP38

Review by Rich Picariello

The non-turbo-charged 2,000-hp GP38 was produced by EMD from 1966 to 1968.  Roads that originally owned the GP38 were Aberdeen & Rockfish (1): Baltimore & Ohio (70); Bangor & Aroostook (8); Burlington Northern (6); Chesapeake & Ohio (60); Clinchfield (10); Detroit, Toledo & Ironton (7); Erie Mining (2); Gulf, Mobile, & Ohio (20); Louisville & Nashville (20); Maine Central (13); Missouri-Kansas-Texas (4); Missouri Pacific (6); Monongahela (5); (original) Norfolk Southern (6); Penn Central (265) Pennsylvania-Reading (15); Phelps-Dodge (8); Santa Fe (61); Southern (107); Tennessee, Alabama& Georgia (1) and Texas-Mexican (4). Mexican owners were Altos Homos de Mexico S.A. (4) and Ferrocarrilles Unidos Del Sureste (2). Canadian Pacific with 21 units was the only Canadian operator. Some of the railroads that later acquired GP38s through mergers or sales were Chessie System, Conrail, CSX, Grand Trunk Western, Illinois Central Gulf, Norfolk Southern (new), Seaboard System, Union Pacific and many shortlines.

Over 20 years ago, Atlas imported a GP38 (made by Roco) that set new standards for its time. Atlas has far surpassed that original GP38 with an all-new version (made in China) in their Mater Locomotive Series. This all-new GP38 is now available factory-equipped with a DCC Atlas Dual-Mode® decoder. All future Master Series locomotives will come equipped with a factory-installed decoder. The locomotive is factory-set to operate on regular (analog) DC out of the box. To operate on DCC, remove the dynamic/non-dynamic brake panel and move a jumper plug on the circuit board (instructions are included on a separate sheet). The decoder uses the last two digits of the road number as its address and will operate as such on the Atlas DCC system. The undecorated model uses NMRA 03 as its address.

 Features of the Atlas decoder are:

  • 14, 28 or 128 speed step selectable
  • Provides 1-amp continuous motor current
  • Support for advanced consist control and extended addressing
  • Full support for operations mode programming (long and short)
  • Two function outputs that can be configured for either directional lighting, or lights and Function 1.
  • Extra function can be used to dim headlights (rule 17)
  • Functions that can be programmed for ditch-lights or other effects

See Larry Puckett’s DCC Update article in this issue for his review of the Atlas Master® DCC System.

The model comes RTR out of the box except for the installation of the front and rear handrails. When the pilot handrails are installed, the model will not fit back into the Styrofoam box unless the foam is trimmed away. Depending on the prototype, other detail parts to be installed by the modeler include electrical-filter cabinet, sunshades, dynamic–brake vents (2) and either the snowplow or front pilot steps. Underframe piping, drainpipe and air hoses are factory installed.

Features of the GP38 include:

  • Factory-installed AccuMate® magnetic couplers; X2F supplied in bag
  • Fully detailed cab interior w/painted crew figures
  • Separate bag of roadname-specific detail parts to be installed by the modeler
  • Either a 2,600- or 3,600-gal. fuel tank to match prototypes
  • 5-pole skewed-armature motor w/dual flywheels
  • Directional lighting
  • Separately installed scale windshield wipers
  • Metal grabirons
  • Truck sideframes have separately applied parts for brake cylinders, air lines an swing hangars
  • Near-scale flexible engineering plastic handrails
  • Dynamic or non-dynamic brake versions to match prototypes

Our sample came decorated for CSX Transportation and is numbered 2112. This CSX roadnumber is accurate for an ex-Chessie System/B&O unit from the 4800-4819 series. The color separation between the blue, yellow and gray is straight and sharp. The large CSX logo is opaque, but it is shiny. A light overspray with a clear flat paint will correct this. All small lettering is sharp and readable. Major dimensions match prototype drawings. Running qualities for the GP38 are the same as the previously reviewed GP40.

Roadnames available in two numbers each plus unnumbered are Alaska RR; BNSF; CSX; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; New England Central; Penn Central; Santa Fe and undecorated. Price is $129.95. High-nose versions of the GP38 and GP40 will be available next.