EMD GP39-2 Missouri-Kansas-Texas #370

Technical Specifics

The EMD GP39-2 was introduced in 1974 as part of Electro-Motive Division's broader Dash 2 series, which represented a significant refinement of the builder's earlier locomotive designs through improved electrical systems, modular components, and enhanced reliability. The GP39-2 was essentially an upgraded successor to the GP39, a model that had struggled commercially against the naturally aspirated GP38, which railroads had favored for its proven dependability. The GP39-2 managed to carve out a more respectable market position than its predecessor, with 249 units ultimately constructed over a production run that stretched from 1974 through 1984. The improved commercial reception of the GP39-2 relative to the original GP39 owed much to the economic circumstances of the 1970s. The energy crisis of that decade made fuel efficiency a considerably higher priority for railroad purchasing departments, and the GP39-2's turbocharged prime mover offered better fuel economy compared to the more powerful GP38-2 under certain operating conditions. The locomotive also demonstrated stronger performance at higher elevations, making it attractive for operations in mountainous territory. Purchasers included several American Class I railroads as well as at least one industrial operator, Kennecott Utah Copper, which employed the type in its mining operations. The legacy of the GP39-2 has extended beyond its original service lives through rebuild programs. Union Pacific, one of the model's operators, undertook a program at its Jenks Shop facility to convert a number of its GP39-2 units into GP39N locomotives, equipping the rebuilt machines with microprocessor control systems to improve adhesion characteristics and extend their operational usefulness. One example, a former Reading Company unit numbered 3412, survived into preservation at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, representing the class in static display.

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