Bachmann DCC Ready GP-38 Loco

[HoModeler]

Hello... Maybe some of the older guys in the hobby longer than I am Can HELP ME with my QUESTION @ the Bottom of my post... I just completed my HO Railroad Layout it's size is 17 Feet Long x 6 Feet Wide...
I have a 9 Track Yard area "ORG Plans called for only 6 track Yard but decided to up it to 9 based on my Stock of Rolling Stock & Locos... A 2 Track main line & 3 Track Interchange leading to mainline tracks & Yard I also have a passenger siding & Station... Total build time 4 years Started construction January 2013 & is now 95% complete with buildings / scenery / weathered track / ballasting... My Layout is Full DCC with 2 Throttle Stations all my Locos are DCC / Sound All I have left is minor touch up's to layout & install carpet in the Layout Room & Layout accent Lighting as well as build a external wall with insulation & Door to Complete MY TRAIN ROOM / Man Cave LOL.....

My Question is I have a Bachmann GP-38 2nd Generation I had it running the other night my friend was over we where having an operating session he stated GP-38's did not have Turbos my GP-38 is equipped with a Turbo My Friend said I have the wrong sound profile in my GP-38... I strive to model all my Locos with the proper sounds of that loco... Please advise me of this...

[jward]

the gp38 and gp38-2 use a 16 cylinder emd 645 engine, without turbo.
the gp40 and gp40-2 use a 16 cylinder emd 645, with turbo.

the difference in sound is that the non turbo engines sound a lot like a gp9 or f7, the turbo engines have that whistling growl most often associated with emd locomotives.

[brokenrail]

The gp 38-2 sounds like a car with a bad muffler a lot of chugging .No high pitch wining like in the dd40.Maybe there just using the gp 40 sound decoder since they share the same drive.Walthers gp 15 has the same sound decoder in the 8 cylinder turbo version as they do in the standard non turbo.It was quite disappointing in that the different sounds are available, but they chose the easy way to do it rather then the correct way.I would not think Bachmann would do this on purpose.May be a mistake with the incorrect decoder on the same drive.Maybe.
Johnny

[James in FL]

Minor discrepancies.

[jward]

Minor discrepancies.

those are not minor discrepancies. if I bought a sound value gp38-2 and it sounded like a gp40, back it would go, and it would be replaced by a non sound version. and I would think twice before buying any more sound equipped locomotives. the two sound nothing like each other. if I am paying a premium for sound I expect it to be close to the real thing. generic diesel sounds are not worth paying for.

[HoModeler]

the gp38 and gp38-2 use a 16 cylinder emd 645 engine, without turbo.
the gp40 and gp40-2 use a 16 cylinder emd 645, with turbo.

the difference in sound is that the non turbo engines sound a lot like a gp9 or f7, the turbo engines have that whistling growl most often associated with emd locomotives.

Thank You for the advise I have also inquired with my Train Shop & spoke with the installer that does the Sound Chips for all my locos... He did tell me he used a Sound Profile from EMD's 645 Prime Engine Mover some had turbo's & some did not have turbo's...I asked the Tech why mine has turbo he told me if I look @ the top part of the body of my Loco witch is a UP Loco & the way my Fans look on top of my loco would support that the Loco did have Turbo equipped... But did in fact say I have a Sound Profile Era Correct for the Loco with EMD 645 Prime Mover Sound...He also said I could get a GP-40-2 shell & swap it out if I really wanted to be fussy.... Thank you for that advise I am just going to say to my friends when I have an operating session Yes it's a GP-38-2 second gen loco but was retooled with a 645 EMD turbo.. that's why you hear the turbo whine... I FOR ONE PERSONALLY LIKE IT SOUNDING THAT WAY lol....But I do still strive to have the proper Prime Mover Sound Profiles in all my locos though...

[jward]

the man at the hobby shop doesn't know what he's talking about regarding the fans. fans are not how you can tell if an emd has a turbo or not.

on emd road locomotives like the gp and sd series, a unit with a turbo will have one rectangular exhaust stack. this may be countersunk into a bulge on top of the locomotive. on non turbo units there will be two stacks, one on either side of the dynamic brake fans in the middle of the hood. this remained pretty consistent over the years, up until emd discontinued non-turbo units in 1987.

I do agree that the turbo 645 units have a nice sound, as do the later turbo 710 units like the sd70ace.

for the record, spotting features of a gp38 are twin exhaust stacks, and two cooing fans at the rear of the hood. the gp40 has a single stack just behind the cab, and 3 cooling fans at the rear of the unit

[HoModeler]

the man at the hobby shop doesn't know what he's talking about regarding the fans. fans are not how you can tell if an emd has a turbo or not.

on emd road locomotives like the gp and sd series, a unit with a turbo will have one rectangular exhaust stack. this may be countersunk into a bulge on top of the locomotive. on non turbo units there will be two stacks, one on either side of the dynamic brake fans in the middle of the hood. this remained pretty consistent over the years, up until emd discontinued non-turbo units in 1987.

I do agree that the turbo 645 units have a nice sound, as do the later turbo 710 units like the sd70ace.

for the record, spotting features of a gp38 are twin exhaust stacks, and two cooing fans at the rear of the hood. the gp40 has a single stack just behind the cab, and 3 cooling fans at the rear of the unit

Thank You for the information... I will certainly bring it to the Tech's knowledge & correct him of his error.. How ever he is a very talented installer of Sound Profiles into locos... He's got a nice Shop Area in back of Train Hobby Shop... Good @ what he does over 3 years going to this Hobby Shop I have never ever had a problem with his install's or Sound Profiles... He did tell me to spread the word if anyone is looking for Sound Profiles he would gladly do the install... He does air brushing weathering & engine super detailing too... & he's very honest with prices & understands everyone has budgets too.

[Bucksco]

Just curious. This is a "DCC Ready" model? What sound decoder is installed in the model? It seems that some folks are assuming that Bachmann has the wrong sound set in the model - if it is "DCC Ready" it does not come from the factory with sound installed.

[HoModeler]

Just curious. This is a "DCC Ready" model? What sound decoder is installed in the model? It seems that some folks are assuming that Bachmann has the wrong sound set in the model - if it is "DCC Ready" it does not come from the factory with sound installed.

Thank You for your inquire... I got the Loco for Christmas in 2013... It is in Fact a Bachmann Sliver Series Loco #2025 UP... DCC equipped BUT NO SOUND...
Out Of Box I took the Loco to my Train Shop & had Sound installed.. The Shop used a Sound profile from EMD's 645 Prime Mover the shop uses a few different decoder Brand's  Tsunami / MRC / Digitrax  & just started getting in Stock WOW Sound...I don't know witch brand decoder is in my Loco but I do know it's one that has Turbo......

[brokenrail]

So Does Bachmann put the correct sound set in the new gp38-2 dcc sound loco ?This should be the soundtraxx 645 non turbo sound set .Is that correct Yardmaster?I have seen many comments on the web that state that Bachmann used the gp 40 645t sound set in the gp38-2.Can you clear this confusion up ? Here and now.Thanks
Johnny Adam

[Bucksco]

Personally I do not know for sure but we trust SoundTraxx to guide us in choosing the correct sound choices for our models.