# Aristo GP40 & USA GP38-2



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Has anyone who now has one of the new Aristo GP40's matched one up with a USA GP38-2?   I'm not too concerned about running speeds but how do they look together?  The USA model has undersized wheels and might look a little odd next to the GP40 which I'm assuming has somewhat scale wheels.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, 
The stock Aristo unit is about 1/8 th inch higher than the USA unit, the Aristo unit 
is easy to lower though, it only needs about a 16 th to be right though...
Paul R...


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## Art (Jan 3, 2008)

Paul,
Are you going to lower the GP40? If so will you do it the same way as with the Dash 9?

Art


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Art,
Don't know which Paul you are talking too.  I don't have one yet, thus my question.  It would be nice if someone could put up a photo with the two end to end.  I don't know if I want the Aristo unit or will wait to see the AML GP60's before deciding.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Art, 
I already lowered the A-C GP-40 about a 16th when I went in to machine the coupler posts, 
I took a 16th off the bolsters while I was there... Easy job!!
Paul B,
Here is a quick pic I just took of the pair, the one on the right is the GP-38 I bashed into a 40 
when they first came out in 99-00... The left one is the AC version that has been lowered and 
detailed... SRY about the tiny pic, we seem to be cut down to 60 kb limit now, almost not 
worth the bother anymore...
Paul R...


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul,
Thanks for the photo.  There is a little difference still in height like you said. A new Aristo unit would need lowering.   Probably not worth doing anymore than that.  They look good enough together to get away with it.  My main concern would be not so much in overall loco height but how the two trucks compare visually.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, 
The Aristo sideframes definately sit higher than the USA ones by a fair amount, about 5/32 nds to
3/16 ths inch would be a good guesstimate, but since there is almost 6 inches between them, the
difference doesn't seem to jump out at U.. 
Paul R...


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like the trucks may be a tad different also.  Later RJD


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

The sideframes basically the same RJ, the USA one has sprung, moveable journals, 
and the AC unit has the brake air line between the cyls, otherwise their about the same...
The motor blocks R a lot different however...
Paul R...


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## wmumpower (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't currently have prototype drawings I can put my hands on, but my recollection is that the GP40 should sit about 6" taller than the GP38. The GP38 being at the 14' 6" standard of the first generation locomotives.  The GP40 should match the height of the 2nd Generation SD units which I believe was between 15' and 15' 3".  Also, I'm not sure when they were introduced, but I do believe the GP40 would ride on newer, modified Blomberg trucks which have a slightly different appearance than the standard Blomberg found on GP9's etc.  My recollection is the major visible difference is a shock absorber located  outside the frame midway between the wheels.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Warren,
Looks like it comes down to my original thought. If the undersized wheels on the USA trucks look ok next to the Aristo unit, then everything else doesn't really matter. By the end of the year we should have GP38-2's,GP40's and two versions of GP60's.  Sure beats what we had 10 years ago.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

FWIW to anybody, the WM drawings on the GP-40 show a height of 14' 6' over the cab roof, 
15' 7" over the horns (Nathan M5), and 15' 4" over the fans... If anybody is interested, these 
sheets I have contain all the other dimensions, weights, specs, etc. if anyone needs any 
of it... 
Paul R...


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