Athearn Genesis 82247 – EMD GP7 St Louis – San Francisco (SLSF) 537 – HO Scale

SLSF FEATURES: 

• Orange and white scheme – first time in Genesis
• Spark arrestors (consumer-applied) included in box
• Operating Prime Stratolight beacon
• Firecracker antenna
• “Canvas” sunshades
• Modified fuel tank skirts

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES: 

#537

• Freight unit; no stripes

#544

• Freight unit; warning stripes on nose

#611

• Dual-service unit (steam generator and water tanks)
• Warning stripes on nose

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” 

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.