| In the 60s EMD identified the need for a medium-horsepower roadswitcher with no turbocharger for improved reliability. With the rack settings on its 16-cylinder 645 prime mover set at a very conservative 2,000 horsepower, tried-and-true traction motors and other components, the GP38 was designed for reliability in all kinds of service. The locomotive sold well, but the addition of easy-to-maintain modular electronics made its successor the GP38-2 the runaway favorite with 2,188 locos sold. D. Land photo |