Athearn Genesis G81337 HO Scale P42DC Diesel Amtrak “Operation Lifesaver” 203 DCC Sound

The General Electric P40DC/P42DC, also known as the Genesis, is the current primary passenger locomotive of Amtrak. The original P40DC’s produced 4000 HP and their upgraded successor the P42DC were rated for 4250 HP while both having a top speed of 100 mph, these units are seen nationwide on short and long-distance trains. The originally delivered P40DC units were equipped with two unique features; an additional rear window, known as a “hostler’s window” allowed the locomotive to be operated from the rear of the locomotive, and a light package on the nose, above the front window, which included two Xenon strobes and a central red light that would illuminate when the train went into “emergency.” Both the light package and hostlers window were removed as these units were shopped during their life and subsequent orders did not include these features. Flashing ditch lights replaced the Xenon strobes on later units, but on the strobe equipped units, the ditch lights did not flash. Equipped with marker lights on each end, the units are also seen in service on push-pull trains. Amtrak originally rostered 208 of the units, numbered from 1-207.

Via Rail owns a fleet of 21 units numbered 900-920, and they have been active since 2001. These locomotives are equipped with both standard and emergency horn sets. Some units also are equipped with a bright spotlight on the center of the nose, in addition to the standard headlights and ditch lights.

These highly-detailed models will finally answer one of our top customer requests for a Genesis Genesis. Highlights include a detailed cab interior complete with all of the appropriate controls and seats. A wealth of underbody detail includes piping, air filters, air dryer, and complete pilot detail. The models also feature prototype-specific details for Amtrak and Via Rail Canada. Amtrak units are available with either the as-built or the rebuilt (bolted-on) nose. They also feature several different styles of antenna arrays, ranging from the simple as-built appearance to the complex arrangement of the Illinois service units. Via Rail units feature the unique nose-mounted spotlight as well as prototypical standard and emergency horn sets.

All versions feature the operational, light, and sound features that have come to be expected from Genesis. Under the hood, the proven Genesis motor and a massive die-case frame combine to provide ample tractive effort. LED headlights, ditch lights, and marker lights are all provided. On the DCC/sound equipped versions, the ditch lights will alternate when the horn is activated, and the marker lights are independently-controlled and directional. Finally, A Soundtraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder and dual 28mm speakers provide our model with high-quality sound.

By 1996, production of the P40DC was replaced by the P42DC. Amtrak took delivery of over 200 units and placed them in service to ultimately replace the aging and tired EMD F40 fleet. Horsepower was increased from 4000 to 4250. Many P40DC’s were upgraded to P42DC standards by the late 2000’s.

FEATURES:

• 5-Chime forward facing horn
• Antenna arrangement per road number
• Front and rear marker lights
• Amtrak approved artwork
• #203
• Phase IV repaint
• Large and small Sinclair antennas
• Original style nose
• Officially licensed product of Amtrak® (Amtrak-painted units)
• Officially licensed product of Via Rail Canada® (Via painted units)
• Officially licensed product of Operation Lifesaver (Operation Lifesaver-painted unit)
• 4 different nose variations: Amtrak as-built with strobes, Amtrak as-built without strobes, Amtrak rebuilt, and Via
• Operating marker lights front and rear on Tsunami2 equipped models
• Rear marker lights installed, but not connected on DCC Ready models
• Newly-tooled lit number boards
• Flashing strobe light and “Big-Hole” emergency light on equipped Amtrak units (Operational on DCC only)
• Flashing ditch lights on non-strobe equipped Amtrak units synced with horn blow (Operational on DCC only)
• Flexible rubber MU hoses
• Flexible rubber trainline hose
• Separately applied wire handrails
• Exhaust stack
• Photo etched metal radiator fan grille
• Highly-detailed underframe including air tanks with air lines, air filter, and air dryer with two different types of rock shields
• McHenry® scale knuckle couplers – Kadee® compatible
• DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
• 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 including operating ditch lights and red marker lights
• Completely-redesigned die-cast frame for superior tractive effort
• Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
• Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
• Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
• Packaging securely holds model for safe storage
• Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”
• SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE:
• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
• Equipped with dual 28mm round speakersSound 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
• 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
• CV chart included in the box