I. History:
a. The Cotton Belt Railway:
From 1891 to 1992, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and various points in the states of Arkansas and Texas. It was nicknamed "The Cotton Belt Route," or simply Cotton Belt, because its rails ran primarily through regions where cotton was the predominate crop.
In Texas, the line originated in Tyler where the "Tyler Tap" connected Tyler to the International & Great Northern Railroad (I&GNRR) and the Texas & Pacific Railroad.
The St. Louis Compress Company later invested in the railroad as an alternate route to bring down freight rates for its cotton. Southern Pacific Railroad gained control of the Cotton Belt in 1932 in an effort to gain connections to eastern markets at St. Louis, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee. The Cotton Belt shops in Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) were the railroad’s primary repair and construction facility for freight cars, passenger cars, and locomotives. As part of the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Cotton Belt was merged with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1996, and by the late 1990s, their massive shop facility in Pine Bluff was closed.
b. EMD GP 40:
The GP40 is a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) between November 1965 and December 1971. It has an EMD 645E3 16-cylinder engine generating 3,000 hp (2,240 kW).
1,187 GP40s were built for Twenty eight U.S. railroads; sixteen were built for one Canadian carrier, Canadian National; and eighteen were built for two Mexican carriers, Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico and Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México. Sixty units were built with high-short-hoods and dual control stands for Norfolk & Western Railway. Two passenger versions, the GP40P and GP40TC, were also built, but on longer frames to accommodate steam generators and HEP equipment.
On January 1, 1972, the GP40 was discontinued and replaced by the GP40-2, which has a modular electrical system and a few minor exterior changes.
c. Atlas Kato:
In 1984, Atlas imported a new production of their HO scale GP38 and GP40 diesels. Once again sourced from Roco in Austria, the 1980s editions featured directional headlights for the first time and retailed for $45 each. What followed the next year took this line to a new level that raised the bar on consumer expectations for all future HO scale diesel models.
In 1985, Atlas began to source new locomotive releases from Kato of Japan. Founded in 1957 by Yuji Kato, Tokyo-based Kato Precision Railroad Models first entered the market producing trains based on Japanese prototypes, such as the Shinkansen bullet train. In 1986, subsidiary Kato USA was established to design and market models of American prototypes. Besides developing products for Atlas and others, Kato USA began releasing unique models under their own branding as well.
II. For sale:
ATLAS (Kato-Japan) 1985 run HO scale Cotton Belt EMD GP40 .
a. Model Overview:
The 1984 run is well-remembered releases, many modelers consider the pioneering diesel models state of the art for its day. The units are still widely albeit upgraded with Kadee couplers being used on layouts. The motor is rugged, and the detail is impeccable for 1985.
The Austrian tooling provided for a level of detail that had not been found consistently on plastic HO-scale locos prior to this 1984 release. The inclusion of only X2f couplers and cast-on or molded-on grab irons are not seen today. The model has earned a respectable place in model railroading. The model is in mint condition with a reasonable price point.
b. Model Features:
Five pole Skew wound motor.
Directional lighting
c. Before using:
This item has been in storage since 1985. It is recommended for longer running time and better performance to inspect, and clean out the gear case of all old grease, particularly if the grease has caked (hard, and dry) use Isopropyl alcohol and toothbrush. And lubing w/ Labelle 106 usually does the trick, Other bushing/ bearing points should be oiled w/ plastic compatible lubricant (motor shaft, worm bearing as well as any axle and other pivot points
III DCC Upgrade:
Not recommended with the exception of professional shops, or advanced molders. No DCC Plug in.
IV. Box:
Original some shelf wear.
V. Shipping:
Free local pick up Seattle WA area. Domestic: Free USPS Priority Mail. International: Through eBay International shipping program only.