What's the opening in the yellow area near the the batteries for?
Noticed it on a GP38-2 and don't recall ever seeing it before.
It is an extra large battery box vent. I suspect that someone was especially leery of battery explosions when the unit was ordered, or that the cover with the larger vent was an easier replacement part. Normally, the cover simply has two louvers.
Leo_Ames What's the opening in the yellow area near the the batteries for? Noticed it on a GP38-2 and don't recall ever seeing it before.
That particular engine is assigned to the Track Geometry Car and operates with the TGC all over the CSX system. With all the electronics and equipment that are a part of the TGC there 'may' be a need for more than the standard battery power on this particular engine.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Thanks guys.
The GP38-2 I saw it on was the 2699. Was easier linking something similar I found after a quick search (The GP40-2 above), than it was to upload my own.
A quick glance at some photographs makes it appear that the cover was retrofitted, and that the units were built with the standard arrangement.
That is a Chessie standard battery box cover. Most EMD engines used by them have this. The big slot is for ease of cleaning the battery terminals with a big brush, instead of having to unlatch or unbolt the door to do same.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Exactly, that's a chessie standard. Every pre-CSX chessie 2nd gen EMD unit had that.
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