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Front and center on Kato’s table at the 2025 N Scale Enthusiast convention this past summer in Overland Park, Kan., was an unpainted pre-production SD70ACu model. A unique model based on the SD9043MAC platform, Canadian Pacific (CP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) are the only ones to roster these behemoth units, so let’s learn more about the largest diesels currently roaming the North American rail network.

The Prototypes
The SD9043MAC was an interesting chapter in the horsepower race, with units delivered rated at 4,300 hp with the option to upgrade to 6,000 hp, although that enhance-ment never arrived. CP’s big 415,000 pound, 80-foot AC traction units were mostly sequestered in a joint pool with Union Pacific (including many of that road’s SD90MACs) on the Spokane International route between Spokane, Wash., and Calgary, Alb., Canada, crossing the border at Eastport, Idaho/Kingsgate, B.C. Riding on HTCR-II trucks with 45″ wheels, the SD90s became victims of their own specialized success, as I recall seeing early UP 8000-class examples on western coal trains across southern Illinois in the late 1990s.

Norfolk Southern and General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division Successor company Progress Rail developed the SD70ACu rebuild concept as an answer to best utilize the barely 20-year-old SD90MACs for upgrade, basing this on the success of the more recent SD70ACe model. The 710G3C prime mover was overhauled, with wear items renewed or replaced, including new isolated cabs and the forward electrical section of the hood, as this was transitioned from older Siemens to newer Mitsubishi products. EMD/Progress Rail competitor Wabtec is leading in the locomotive rebuilding race, converting similar vintage GE products into refreshed units, utilizing C44-9W and AC4400 cores, while also building new ES44 series units.

As of this writing, the last of the un-rebuilt Union Pacific and CIT/CEFX SD9043MAC fleet have been dismantled. Norfolk Southern’s roster of 45 units spread across number series 7229–7339 and Canadian Pacific’s fleet of 60 units (7000–7059) are the upgraded and designated survivors out of nearly 375 SD9043MACs built from 1995–1999. The roster lineage on these units is tough to trace, as they were leased or sold in batches from Union Pacific to both Norfolk Southern and CP directly for their respective rebuild programs, or back through Progress Rail. The CP rebuilds wander all over North America, while Norfolk Southern’s fleet is generally kept in captive pusher service between Conway and Altoona, Pa. over the famous Horseshoe Curve. CP 6644 and 7020–7023 were rebuilt at Progress Rail’s Mayfield, Ky., facility in 2019, and were observed in transit on BNSF at Centralia, Ill. with wrapped exteriors hiding the bodies — the only clue something was afoot would be the uniquely coordinated truck colors that were visible during transit.

Let’s take a look at each of these unit’s past, cores, and schemes, as they are a trip through both countries’ military, naval, and navigational history. All units have CP’s “Support Our Troops” yellow ribbon on the nose, and four of the five have U.S. flags on the conductor’s side of the locomotive and the Canadian flag on the other (illustrating CP employs both active duty and veterans from both countries). Unveiled in a stunning lineup at CP’s Ogden Shops in Calgary, Alberta, on November 11, 2019, these units can be found working all over the expanded CPKC system, and have ventured offline, on occasion, in run-through service.

CP SD70ACu 6644, built as CP 9160 in May 1999 (serial/frame number 976842-61), wears a specially considered and designed scheme based on the Royal Canadian Air Force “Spitfire” fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. This one is probably the most stand out with green/gray camouflage and the white/black tail stripes across the radiator section.

CP SD70ACu 7020 was built as CP 9113 in November 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-14) with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) green applied, as seen on equipment deployed in temperate regions.

CP SD70ACu 7021 was built as CP 9107 in November 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-8), and wears an arid climate sand color, used by Canadian and American application to army vehicles and equipment.

CP SD70ACu 7022 was built as CP 9146 in April 1999 (serial/frame number 976842-47). It is painted in the “battleship” gray, black, and oxide red scheme of modern North American warships, with large road numbers under the radiator section.

CP SD70ACu 7023 was built as CP 9128 in December 1998 (serial/frame number 976842-29), and is painted in a two-tone gray Air Force scheme that is similar to what is applied on U.S. and Canadian fighter jets…

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Review by Dave Abeles/Model Photos by Tony Cook

A recent production of Athearn Genesis GP38-2 diesel locomotive models is on shelves at hobby shops. There are exciting new features in addition to the solid mechanism and SoundTraxx (soundtraxx.com) DCC sound decoders we have become ac-customed to in the Genesis series. This release provides a familiar locomotive and a welcome addition to my Conrail (CR) lineup.

Long-time modelers in HO scale will recognize this brand name, as Athearn has been around for decades (the company is celebrating 80 years in 2026). The firm’s models are available at all hobby shops in those iconic blue cardboard boxes. Each of the ‘blue box’ kits, as they were known, included the basics that made the model reliable, powerful, and fun with all-wheel drive, all-wheel electrical pickup, and a simple mechanism that was easy to maintain or improve. With changes in the manufacturing allowing better mold relief and more details, Athearn would go on to upgrade again and again through the 1980s and into the 1990s. Hoods that had been extra wide to accommodate older motors moved to scale-width proportions during this time, creating beautiful starting points for a variety of General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division (EMD) Dash-2 series locomotive prototypes in 1:87.

The Genesis line was a new approach to plastic models beginning in 1996. At the pinnacle of modeling, Athearn Genesis was, and is, aimed at the scale modeler and operator, with amaz-ing separately-applied detail parts, improved motor, and upgraded drive design based on the trusty concepts of those first gear-driven drivetrains that made the company famous. This was an exciting development at the time – an old favorite brand, reimagined for the future. Release after release has included railroad and locomotive number-specific detailing, wire grab irons, amazing molding, and crisp paint work. EMD’s GP38-2 joined the Genesis line in 2016 with the most up-to-date tooling at the time, allowing a variety of hood and carbody details to be included for different prototypes. The current release has upgraded the original model to include Soundtraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder and LED headlights, along with working LED marker lights.

The GP38-2 is truly a model that embraces that “GP” acronym (general purpose), as designated by EMD. A “Geep,” as they are known by railfans, is a road switcher built on trucks with two-axles each (as contrasted with ‘special duty’ locomotives that ride on three-axle trucks). As the locomo-tive market grew through the 1950s into the 1960s, EMD responded by offering a new, more powerful prime mover design based on 645-cubic-inch cylinders that used standardized parts across different locomotives. In 1966, the new EMD catalog included a variety of different horsepower locomotives based on the 645 prime mover in the 38-, 39-, 40-, and 45-series for both GP and SD series models. More horsepower needed? Just add more pairs of cylinders!

By 1970, with inroads from competitor General Electric, EMD revisited its designs. Customer feedback and maintenance records showed areas for improvements. The use of modular electronics in the locomotive was an idea that caught quick support from customers, as it allowed for removal of a troublesome electrical component that could be swapped with a spare. This put the locomotive right back into service and saved on downtime. The design was robust and low-maintenance. The entire line was made available in 1972 with the same base idea. Commemorating the second look that EMD gave these models, the famous ‘Dash-2’ series included offerings again for both GP and SD series models.

Building on earlier success with the GP30 and GP35, EMD offered many of those locomotives to be equipped standard with a turbocharger, a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases from the prime mover. The turbo uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.

The GP38 and GP38-2 listing was the lone exception in the new line. Since 2,000 horsepower was reached easily with a 12-cylinder prime mover, EMD decided to keep a roots-blown prime mover option for the 38-series, including the Dash-2 offering starting in 1972. The lack of a turbocharger reduced a future maintenance item, which was important for railroads that didn’t see the need for the extra horsepower in the first place. In appearance, the GP38-2 and all other EMD second-generation power were standardized on the now-legendary EMD spartan cab, as was first introduced on the GP35. That cab design would dominate EMD American locomotive production for the next 30 years.

EMD’s famous reliability and dependability drove huge numbers for the GP38-2 model. Between January 1972 and July 1986, a total of 2,264 GP38-2 locomotives were built including variants for export and Canadian railroads. Of this fleet, Penn Central railroad purchased a large group, with 223 models on its roster. Conrail, taking over Penn Central operations in 1976, followed suit and ordered 119 more GP38-2 models, nearly doubling the number of those units inherited from Penn Central…

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Review by Jason Quinn/Model Photos by Pamela Varney

Only a few short years ago, the aspiring Union Pacific (UP) heritage fleet modeler could only dream of acquiring unique and, in many cases, one-off prototypes of the fleet. Broadway Limited Imports (BLI) has recognized the need for these cars and has hit the ground running! BLI offers many of Union Pacific’s special heritage fleet cars, as well as many unique passenger cars operated by other railroads. This has created an exciting new frontier for the business train or excursion train modeler. In a world where brass or kitbashing models was the only way forward, BLI has turned this niche market into an obtainable option for anyone interested.

My first sample is the “power behind it all,” UPP (the extra “P” in the reporting marks refers to the road’s passenger equipment) 2066 power car with sound. The other sample is the “best view of the rails,” the Fox River track inspection car with its huge window covering the entire rear end of the car. Both samples are for the modern era. Let’s take a look at the power car!

ABOVE: With its distinctive humped roofline, Union Paicifc’s power car 2066 is easy to spot and stands out in excursion train consists. Broadway Limited Imports brings this interesting prototype to its growing line of HO scale passenger car offerings. UPP 2066 features many of the same attributes of other BLI efforts in this category. The 1:87 power car includes ac-curate Union Pacific colors and lettering. The model can navigate curves as narrow as 18-inch radius.

The power car was built from UP 5816, a postal storage car. In 1972, car 5816 was renumbered to UP 903677 and turned into a Roadway Tool Car. In 2004, it was redesignated as Power Car UPP 2066 after receiving the upgrades and modifications. BLI’s model faithfully replicates the 2066 in HO scale.

The 1:87 replica features an authentic body produced in plastic with many of the details separately applied, such as grab irons, antennas, and end diaphragms. The model does have some molded-on details, one such detail is roof top conduit. I do find some of the details to be a bit chunky. The stirrup steps are one such detail of note. Chunky may be too harsh of a word to describe it though, perhaps less refined would be a better definition. With ultra refined details being important to some modelers, I will say this model is a solid, durable, and overall good representation of the prototype.

ABOVE: Once the domain of high-end brass imports or arduous kitbashing efforts, Union Pacific’s executive passenger car fleet is rolling out from Broadway Limited Imports as finely rendered plastic models. The efforts include numerous separately applied details, flush-fitting clear windows, interiors, and more.

However, it is not what I would call ultra refined in detail. It is built for the everyday modeler who wants every aspect to be good, which it absolutely is! If unparalleled detail is your interest, you will need to sharpen up those modeling skills and push this model to the ultra-detailed finish line. Here are some highlights of detail the car does have: atop the bulge area of the roof you will find two photo etched fan grills with fan detail beneath,the rivet details are refined, and so are the casting marks on the trucks. The electronics is where BLI passenger car models really shine!

The review sample is equipped with sound; BLI also offers a non-sound version of the model. Once DCC track power is applied, you will hear the start up of two Deutz diesel engines. These will run continuously throughout your run session, unless you turn them off with the supplied magnetic wand. The sound can be set to one of three volume levels by simply touching the car side. The lights are also activated the same way. Full information on the operation of these features is supplied within the box. I must say I really love the touch activated features! And if features are of interest, you’ll simply love what the next sample has in store!

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