American Z Line GP38

shamoo737 May 19, 2020

  1. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    According to the link below, last UP GP7s were retired in the mid-eighties. So in the absolute it would have not been impossible to find them MU'ed with GP38-2s (first introduced in 1972).

    https://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-diesel-roster-02.php

    Speaking of CP, they still operate numbers of GP38-2s. I don't know whether it's in their policy to mix heavy road power with branchline/switch/transfer locomotives, but CN does, as is shown here with 2 GP9s and a C44-9W at the point.

    9624.1337730391.jpg


    On a Pentrex video that I recommand, Tribute to Tennessee Pass, on can see a lashup consisting of a SP AC4400W and a D&RGW GP30, among other units.. :)

    Dom
     
  2. LWR21

    LWR21 TrainBoard Member

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    What a small world, that's just 5 minutes from my house. Too funny.
     
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  3. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Brilliant! Beauty picture too.
     
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  4. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    This picture is not mine.. ;)

    Dom
     
  5. LWR21

    LWR21 TrainBoard Member

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    It's a busy area, lots of different things to see. Something for everyone that likes modern operations. Thanks for Posting, Dom.
     
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  6. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for posting it though!
     
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  7. rray

    rray Staff Member

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  8. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    I just received a couple of the New GP38-2's and I'll be contacting AZL. One of them is taking almost 14 seconds to go around a Rokuhan starter oval at WOT 9.9v. For comparison my old AZL UP GP7 does it in 5.6 seconds averaged, my new AZL UP GP38-2 takes 9.6 seconds, and my new AZL CP GP38-2 14 seconds. So if anyone is getting these please let me know if that is normal for them, these are very slow locos. They run well and look great it's just that I was planning to consist them with the other locos. Different motors, or gearing, for sure. I'll keep breaking them in and make sure they are lubricated then post again, hopefully they will pick up the pace.
     
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  9. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yeah, I think just more breaking in may be necessary, but I'll be watching for your results. Mine are on the way and I have one of each color so I can probably give you some bit of valuable comparison maybe.
     
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  10. tjdreams

    tjdreams TrainBoard Member

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    The first generation GP7's had 8mm Faulhauber motors and came out in 2007, The 2nd gen GP7/9's have 7.5mm motors and came out in 2014. I don't know what motor the new 2020 release of GP38-2 has.

    But comparing them and their speed is like comparing a;
    -New 2020 Yellow car with (any) cyl motor,
    -to a 6 year old Yellow car with a 6 cyl motor,
    -to a 13 year old Yellow High performance sports car with a 8 cyl motor.

    They are not going to be the same.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
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  11. bostonjim

    bostonjim TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the concise explanation. Much easier for me to understand with this example.Jim
     
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  12. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Actually, I knew my old GP7's had Faulhauber motors, and that they really had to go for the loco's to remain competitively priced. But those didn't seem to run differently to my other AZL locos speedwise. Maybe it would be better to say that the new CP GP38-2, with my Rokuhan RC-02, doesn't even start moving until the throttle is at the 11 clock position. And then it crawls along at a speed that a snail speed controller would envy. I have seven AZL locos now, this one is really slooow. Compared to them and my Markli and Rokuhan loco's too. I don't know that I can consist it with my CP ES44AC's. I need to DCC it first anyway. As a standalone I wouldn't care so much, I run my trains pretty slow. But my average running speed would still have this engine close to WOT most of the time. As I said before it runs great, so I thought maybe the gearing or motor has changed.
     
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  13. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Call me a rookie, I deserve it! Throughout the day (which included a 28 mile mountain bike ride just to prove it's not all trains!) I ran the locos. I also oiled the two new GP-38-2's which made a big difference on the slower one. Then I switched back to a Rokuhan wall wart they are rated at 12v. I let each circle for a few minutes then timed 10 laps.
    AZL CP 9360 ES44AC 7.0 sec
    AZL CP 9371 ES44AC 8.0 sec
    AZL CP 3060 GP38-2 7.6 sec
    AZL UP 2024 GP38-2 7.5 sec
    AZL UP 113 GP7 4.5 sec (Faulhauber motor)
    What I learned today is that AZL locos may take a while, like a long time, to break in. Next time I buy an AZL loco and it doesn't want to run out of the box at any kind of reasonable speed I will not post until it has some serious running in and a drop of oil. I won't assume I got a dud.
    Obviously the CP locos will make a great consist performance wise :) But I may have to rethink combining my Faulhauber powered Geeps with my new GP 38-2 :(
    All is not lost though, anyone want to drag race some Z scale locos? :)
     
  14. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Frank!
     
  15. Mark L Horstead

    Mark L Horstead TrainBoard Member

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    Second locomotive is a GP38-2.
     

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