HO GP39-2 Locomotive with DCC & Sound, PNWR #2316 Overview
The Portland and Western was founded in 1995 taking over former Southern Pacific branch lines in Oregon. It operates a combined 516 miles of track throughout the state and is part of the large Genesee & Wyoming Railroad group. The PNWR also has a subsidiary, the Willamette and Pacific. The WPRR motive power can be seen on PNWR trains as they were used anywhere on the system as needed. Major transported commodities pertain to the lumber industry, but also include many other goods. They operate many older EMD locomotives, some dating back to the 1950s! The ex-Santa Fe GP39-2's become a favorite on the railroad, with a few still painted in Santa Fe colors.
In the decade between 1974 and 1984, EMD produced the GP39-2 for seven North American railroads. The basic design followed most four axle road diesel switchers for the time. Borrowing improvements from the GP38-2 and GP40-2 designs, this mid-horsepower road switcher utilized a turbocharged 12-cylinder EMD 645E3 diesel engine for its prime mover. With 4 fewer cylinders, the smaller engine provided a distinctive long hood on the phase II and phase III bodies, where the clean room/engine compartment doors were set back from the cab further than predecessor locomotives.
Sensitivity to fuel economy in the 1970s justified the GP39-2 in the locomotive market. It also laid the ground work for EMD to start exploring locomotive designs that utilize engines with larger piston displacement yet possess fewer cylinders. This approach has become the foundation to modern locomotive technology.