Athearn Genesis #ATHG82346 HO GP7 With DCC & Sound, BAR #1776
BAR FEATURES:
Winterization hatch
Bell mounted on short hood
Sloped pilots with footboards
Large fuel tanks
Square MU boxes with pipe bases and dual receptacles
BAR was an early supporter of EMD’s road switcher concept, purchasing 12 GP7s in late 1949 and another 4 in 1952. Starting in the early 1960s, the units were repainted in a simplified solid blue scheme. The former BAR 73 was selected in 1975 to receive a colorful scheme of red, white, and blue to commemorate the nation’s Bicentennial. The unit carried the name Jeremiah O’Brien, a Maine patriot, and a new number, 1776. The BAR GP7s were true travelers, being leased to the PRR starting in 1951 to assist with summer ore traffic, an agreement which lasted through the Penn Central era. They were also leased to the LV and LIRR to assist with power shortages on those roads.
LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
Coupler cut levers
Trainline and MU hoses
Drop steps unless noted
MU stands
“Nub” style walkway tread
Windshield wiper
Lift rings
Wire grab irons
Windshield wipers
Sander lines
Bell placement & type per prototype
Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, breather pipes, and retention tanks
Blomberg-B trucks with appropriate bearing caps
Speed recorder unless noted
See-through cab windows and full cab interior
Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
Etched metal radiator intake grilles and fan grilles
Air tanks mounted below sill unless noted
Body-mounted McHenry® scale knuckle couplers - Kadee® compatible
DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
Accurately painted and printed paint schemes
Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
LED Lighting for realistic appearance
Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
Packaging securely holds the model for safe storage
Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
Minimum radius: 18”
SOUND EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE
Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
Precision slow speed control
Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
In 1949, EMD introduced the GP7. The basic design followed most diesel switchers with the addition of a short hood instead of an end-cab. The hoods were also full height to better accommodate the diesel engine and mechanical and electrical components.
In 1954 EMD upgraded the GP7 to become the 1,750 horsepower GP9. Externally, the first GP9s were virtually unchanged from the last GP7s. Later versions would include different louver arrangements and the last ones would come without the frame skirting. The GP9 was available with all of the fuel tank, steam generator, and dynamic brake options as the GP7, including “torpedo tube” air tanks mounted on the roof.
Many railroads chose to rebuild their GP7s and GP9s for continued service. Often times, it was cheaper to do this rather than purchasing brand-new locomotives.
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Athearn Genesis
