Guaranteed Pre-Order Deadline is December 31, 2026
After closing, you may still place a pre-order and we will attempt to acquire one for you.
Estimated Delivery Date Is: April 2028
Product Information:
Athearn HO ATH SD38 Locomotive, EJE #655
PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:
The SD38 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between May 1967 and October 1971. It had an EMD 645 16-cylinder engine generating 2,000 horsepower. The EMD SD38AC built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between June and October 1971. It was basically an SD38 with an AR10 alternating current alternator instead of the SD38’s normal direct current generator. It also produces 2,000 horsepower from a 16-cylinder EMD 645E roots blown prime mover. It came equipped with or without dynamic brakes. The SD38 and SD38AC have the same frame as the SD39, SD40 and SD45.
In 1966, EMD updated its locomotive catalog with entirely new models, all powered by the new 645 diesel engine. The SD39 had 2,300 hp from a turbocharged V12. The SD39 had the smallest prime mover of the SD locomotives in the EMD catalog. 54 were built for American railroads.
MODEL FEATURES:
- Fine scale handrails
- Brake wheel or ratchet brake nose per prototype
- See-through cab windows
- See-through dynamic brake and radiator fans
- DCC Ready 21-pin NEM plug
- LED Illuminated front and rear headlights, ditch lights, and beacons (where applicable to the prototype)
- All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
- Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
- Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
- Painted and printed for realistic decoration
- Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
- Separately-applied air tanks
- Individually applied wire formed grab irons
- Detailed fuel tank per prototype
- Separately-applied detail parts
- Non-sound version features 21-pin NEM DCC plug
- All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth and quiet operation
- 5-pole motor with precision-machined flywheels and multi-link drive train for trouble free operation
- McHenry® scale knuckle spring couplers
- Fully-assembled and ready-to-run out of the box
- Genesis motor retrofit kit ATHG63839 compatible
- Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”
SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE:
- Onboard Econami Sound by SoundTraxx
- Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
- Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
- Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
- All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
- Excellent Slow speed control
- Effect lighting (if applicable) using F5 and/or F6
- Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
- Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:
- #650: Ditch lights, anti-skid on nose, “J” logo (tiled on one side), intricate striping decoration, hood-mounted bell
- #655: Front and rear “weed cutter” plows, hood-mounted bell, standard MU stands
- #652: Front and rear “weed cutter” plows, hood-mounted bell, standard MU stands
CR FEATURES:
- Former PC units
- White frame stripe
- Leslie RS3L horn
- Sinclair antenna
- Standard MU stands
- Clasp-brake trucks
EJE FEATURES:
- All-weather windows
- Strobe on cab roof (flash effect on DCC/sound version)
DMRI FEATURES:
- RS5T horn
- Cab-mounted beacon
- Unique underframe details
- Hood-mounted bel
- Sinclair antenna
- Anti-skid on cab and nose
- Extra air hoses
PC FEATURES:
- Leslie RS3L horn
- Standard MU stands
- Footboards
- Sinclair antenna
- Clasp-brake trucks
- Pilot grabs
AGW FEATURES:
- Details similar to EJE 650
TS FEATURES:
- Details similar to EJE 650; no beacon
SP FEATURES:
- P3 Horn
- SP/UP style plow on front and rear pilots
- Flexicoil high-brake trucks
- FARR radiator grills
ATSF FEATURES:
- RS3L horn
- Stratolight beacon on cab roof (DCC info)
- Footboard pilots
- Flexicoil high-brake trucks
- Chicken Wire radiator grills
ITC FEATURES:
- RS3L horn
- MU hose holder pilots
- Flexicoil high-brake trucks
- Chicken Wire radiator grills
BM FEATURES:
- RS3L horn
- MU hose holder pilots
- Flexicoil high-brake trucks
- Chicken Wire radiator grills
