Atlas, HO Scale, 10004314, Master Line Gold Series, GE Dash 8-40B, CSX, #5938, (DCC & Sound)
Atlas

Atlas, HO Scale, 10004314, Master Line Gold Series, GE Dash 8-40B, CSX, #5938, (DCC & Sound)

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CSX #5938 (YN2, gray, blue, yellow)

The GE DASH 8-40B Locomotives

Design and Features

Built by General Electric (GE) in the late 1980s, the DASH 8-40B diesel locomotives were notable for their high horsepower and unique design. One of the distinguishing features was their dynamic brake gear, which was located along the roofline between the cab and engine compartment. The ventilation for these brakes was provided by large roof-top grilles, giving them a distinctive appearance.

Production Numbers

A total of 150 units of the DASH 8-40B locomotives were built by GE. These units were delivered to various railroads across North America, where they played a significant role in freight transportation.

Technological Advancements

The DASH 8-40B locomotives were equipped with advanced microprocessor control systems, which were a significant leap forward at the time. These systems allowed for better traction control, fuel efficiency, and overall operational reliability. The four-axle (B-B wheel arrangement) configuration provided a balance between speed and tractive effort, making them versatile for various types of freight service.

The Transition to the North American Cab

Evolution in Cab Design

By the early 1990s, the North American Cab (also known as the Safety Cab) began replacing the standard cab on GE's 4 and 6-axle locomotives. This cab design was introduced to enhance crew safety and comfort, with features such as improved crashworthiness and better visibility.

Unique Orders from Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Railway was the only company to order the 4-axle Dash 8-40B locomotives with the new North American Cab, resulting in the Dash 8-40BW model. A total of 83 units were built for Santa Fe, making them unique to this railroad. These units were later inherited by BNSF Railway after the merger of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe.

Railroads That Operated DASH 8-40B Locomotives

Several major North American railroads operated the DASH 8-40B locomotives, including:

  1. Santa Fe Railway (ATSF): The primary operator of the DASH 8-40BW model.

  2. Conrail: Another major user of the standard DASH 8-40B locomotives.

  3. Norfolk Southern (NS): Operated a fleet of DASH 8-40Bs.

  4. CSX Transportation: Utilized several DASH 8-40B units in their operations.

  5. Union Pacific (UP): Also had some DASH 8-40B locomotives in their roster.

Legacy and Current Service

Despite being over three decades old, many of these Dash 8-40B and Dash 8-40BW locomotives are still in service today. They continue to be used by various railroads across North America, demonstrating their durability and the effectiveness of their design. Their longevity is a testament to the engineering prowess of GE and the robustness of their microprocessor-based control systems.

These locomotives played a pivotal role in the transition from older locomotive designs to more modern, efficient models, and they remain a significant part of North American railroading history.

Features:

  • Operating ditch lights (HO DASH 8-40BW/8-32BHW only)
  • Realistic die-cast underframe
  • Standard cab or gull wing cab as per the prototype (HO DASH 8-40BW/8-32BHW only)
  • Five-pole skewed armature motor with dual flywheels for optimum performance at all speeds
  • Directional lighting
  • Factory-equipped with AccuMate® knuckle couplers
  • Painted crew figures
  • Separately-installed scale windshield wipers, metal grab irons and fine scale handrails
  • Highly detailed coupler cut bars
  • Multiple unit hoses and trainline hoses
  • Snowplow
  • Shock absorbers
  • Piping on trucks

DCC Operation FEATURES:

  • Supports all DCC-programming modes
  • Flexible mapping of function keys F0 to F28.
  • A total of six DCC function outputs are available
  • Follows all NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices.

Analog (DC) Operation FEATURES:

  • The LokSound Select Dual-Mode decoder allows your Atlas Gold Series locomotive to be used on DC as well as on DCC layouts.
  • Please note that the Atlas Quantum Engineer will NOT operate an Atlas Gold Series locomotive equipped with a LokSound Select decoder on an analog (DC) layout. However, the sound and lighting
    functions of the LokSound Select decoder in the Atlas Gold Series DASH 8 locomotive can be controlled by an easy-to-use basic DCC system
  • Also note that on a DC-powered layout, a DCC and sound equipped locomotive (such as the Atlas Gold Series DASH 8) CANNOT be consisted with another locomotive that does not also have both DCC and sound. (This statement does NOT apply to DCC-equipped locomotives operating on a DCC layout.)

Sound Functionality FEATURES: 

  • ESU LOK Sound V5 equipped
  • Over 20 sound effects are available, including engine start-up and shutdown, prime mover sounds through all eight notches, bell, air horn, air compressor, dynamic brakes and more.
  • There are 16 user-selectable horns, 2 user-selectable bells, and 2 user-selectable synchronized brake squeals.
  • Manual and Automatic Notching modes with the ability to change modes ”on the fly” are provided for true realism.

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