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Lionel GP 38

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  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,155 posts
Lionel GP 38
Posted by tcwright973 on Thursday, January 12, 2006 12:07 PM
Hi everyone,

I'm into HO and spend most of my time over in that forum, but I just received a Lionel Southern Train Set I obtained on E-Bay to give to my great nephew as a gift. Naturally, I had to take the engine out of the box and inspect it. Really nice. However, there is a piece just sitting on the top of the engine very loosly. It is a third fan. Was this third fan a modification on later engines? I was wondering because the picture on the sets box doesn't show a third fan. I'm probably going to apply some silicon to hold it on as it enhances the overall appearance, but I'm curious about it.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 548 posts
Posted by Chris F on Thursday, January 12, 2006 6:19 PM
I'm guessing you got Lionel's Southern Diesel Freight, #31938:
http://www.lionel.com/Products/Catalogs/Catalog.cfm?CatalogID=4&PageID=245

It's a little hard to see the third fan; here's a better picture of a DM&IR model:
http://www.lionel.com/Products/Catalogs/Catalog.cfm?CatalogID=4&PageID=340

The third fan is for the dynamic brake "blister", which is an add-on part. Apparently it wasn't "added-on" well enough! I don't know why it wasn't shown on the picture on the set box; the Lehigh Valley GP-38 from the previous year had one, too.

Model Railroader's Cyclopedia for Diesel Locomotives shows a number of prototype units with this dynamic brake/fan combination.
  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,155 posts
Posted by tcwright973 on Thursday, January 12, 2006 9:38 PM
Thanks Chris,
That is the same set I purchased in your first picture. Your picture shows the "dynamic brake" while the box the set came in doesn't. Earlier this evening, I saw an ad for a GP 38 in HO scale that comes with or without the dynamic brake depending on the road name. I'm going to glue this one on as it just makes for a better looking locomotive.

I appreciate your taking the time to help me with this.

Tom

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

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