Lionel GP-38 diesel locomotive User manual

72-8848-250
4/04
Lionel GP-38
Diesel Locomotive
Owner’s Manual
with the Conventional RailSounds sound system

Table of contents
Locomotive operations
Running your locomotive with a Lionel transformer 3
Locking your locomotive into a single operational state 4
Uncoupling your locomotive 5
RailSounds sound system operations
Installing a Lionel Sound Activation Button 6
Your locomotive’s Conventional RailSounds sound system—the basics 7
Experiencing the Conventional RailSounds sound system 7
Adjusting the volume 8
TowerCom announcements and CrewTalk communication 8
CrewTalk communication 9
Train brakes 9
Wheel flange squeal 9
Notes on the Conventional RailSounds sound system 9
Locomotive maintenance
Lubricating your locomotive 10
Replacing your locomotive’s lamps 11
Replacing the traction tires 11
Limited Warranty/Lionel Service 12
Congratulations!
You purchased a tough, durable locomotive—the GP-38 diesel locomotive built by Lionel. From the crisp detail and expert decoration on the outside to the brute power under the hood,
the Lionel GP-38 is ready for duty on your model railroad. Experience the superiority of today’s
Lionel.
Features of this locomotive
• Transformer controlled forward, neutral, and reverse operation
• Conventional RailSounds sound system
• Operating headlights
• Interior lighting
• Operating coupler
• Two powerful maintenance-free motors
The following Lionel marks may be used throughout this instruction manual and are protected under
law. All rights reserved.
Lionel®, TrainMaster®, Odyssey®, RailSounds®, CrewTalk™, TowerCom™, DynaChuff™,
StationSounds™, Pullmor®, ElectroCoupler™, Magne-Traction®, CAB-1®Remote Controller,
PowerMaster®, Lionel ZW®, ZW®, PowerHouse®, TMCC®, Lionelville™, Lockon®, Wireless Tether™
The name FasTrack®is used with permission from Pitsco, Inc.

3
Locomotive operations
3
3Move ‘em out!
Get your locomotive moving. Press the DIRECTION button on your Lionel
transformer. This sequences the reverse unit to the next operating state in the
repeating sequence: forward, neutral, reverse, and neutral.
Adjust track voltage until your locomotive moves at your desired speed. To
increase speed, increase track voltage. To decrease speed, reduce voltage. To stop the
locomotive, turn-off track power.
See page 4 for information on locking your locomotive into a single
operational state.
Place your locomotive on Lionel or Lionel-compatible
O gauge track.
2
2
Power up your locomotive with your transformer.
Your locomotive is designed to operate on 8-18 volts alternating
current. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible alternating-current
transformers are suitable.
Do not power your locomotive with direct current (DC). Damage to
sensitive electronic components may occur.
1
1
Running your locomotive with a Lionel transformer
Caution!

4
Locomotive operations
To select a single operational state for your Lionel locomotive (for example, forward only), you can deactivate the reverse unit’s sequencing function with the reverse unit switch.
Get your locomotive moving in the desired direction, then slow it down without stopping.
Set the reverse unit switch to OFF. Refer to Figure 1 for the location of the switch. The
locomotive is now “locked” into your chosen direction.
When you no longer want single-direction operation, just slide the switch back to ON.
Your locomotive’s reverse unit will “reset” to forward after any power interruption
lasting five seconds or longer, regardless of the original locked-out direction.
Locking your locomotive into a single operational state
Figure 1. Switch locations
ON
DIRECTIONAL
CON TROL
OFF ONHORNOFF
Horn ON/OFF switch
Volume control knob
Reverse unit switch
Note!
REAR

Lionel magnetic couplers react to the magnetic field generated by a Lionel Remote-Control Track section (available separately, 6-65149 or 6-12746 for O-27 gauge; or 6-65530 for
O gauge; and 6-12020 for FasTrack layouts).
As illustrated in Figure 2, place your locomotive’s coupler trigger disk over the central coil
of a Remote-Control Track section and press UNCOUPLE on the controller. The magnetic field
pulls the disk downward, and the knuckle opens.
One operating technique favored by Lionel railroaders is the “moving uncouple.” Press the
UNCOUPLE button as the locomotive passes over a Remote-Control Track section. The
magnetic field will open the coupler; the consist remains behind as the locomotive moves on.
But be careful—the speed of a newly uncoupled and moving locomotive can increase
dramatically.
To open the coupler manually, pull down on the coupler’s trigger disk.
Figure 2. Coupler operation
Uncoupling your locomotive
Locomotive operations
5
Note!
Coupler
Trigger
disk

Locomotive operations
Installing a Lionel Sound Activation Button
12
POWER
SUPPLY
POWER
SUPPLY
For AC transformers with a horn/whistle button
For AC transformers lacking a horn/whistle button
Existing wire
Black wire
Red wire
Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for
activating the bell
Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button
for whistle Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for bell
Black wire
Red wire
Red wire
The no. 610-5906-001 button works with any Lionel AC transformer except
no. 6-4690 Type MW. Transformers made by other manufacturers may not be
compatible with RailSounds.
Note!
To activate the bell and horn sounds when operating your locomotive with transformers that lack horn and bell controls, you’ll need to install a Lionel no. 610-5906-001 Sound Activation
Button (available separately). Connect the button(s) as shown below.
All track power must feed through the Sound Activation Button. Do not bypass the
button.
Note!
Existing wire
Common/Ground/U
Power/A
Common/Ground/U
Power/A
6
Wire nut

7
With the Conventional RailSounds sound system, you experience the sounds of real railroading like never before. Simply put, it’s the most sophisticated, authentic model
railroad sound system in the world.
• Mechanical bell. Press BELL on your transformer to begin the effect, again to
discontinue. Even the final “hit” is muted like the real thing.
• Variable diesel RPM rate. Your locomotive’s speed or track voltage determines the
diesel engine RPM rate.
• Shutdown sequence. No other model railroad sound system shuts down like RailSounds.
Turn off track power, and after the air-release reset sound, you have two seconds to restart your
locomotive. If you’re done with operations, the RailSounds sound system will commence with
an authentic diesel locomotive shutdown sequence about two seconds after the air-release reset
occurs. Turn to pages 8 and 9 for additional sounds available with the Conventional
RailSounds sound system.
A nine-volt alkaline battery must be installed for the shutdown sequence to
function.
• TowerCom announcements. Receive and respond to messages from the yard master.
• Crewtalk communication. Listen to random call and response messages.
• Train Brakes. Authentic brake sounds during quick stops.
• Wheel Flange Squeal. Authentic wheel flange squeal when passing through tight
curves.
Experiencing the Conventional RailSounds sound system
RailSounds sound system operations
The Lionel Conventional RailSounds sound system is the most realistic model railroad sound system in the world. Your locomotive features digital sound for the ultimate in
realism.
Begin by installing a nine-volt alkaline battery in your locomotive. This ensures interruption
free operation of the Conventional RailSounds sound system. To access the battery, remove the four
body screws and lift away the body. The screws are shown in Figure 4 on page 10. Connect the
nine-volt alkaline battery to the battery clip. Place the battery in its holder and replace the cab.
When you first apply track power, the Conventional RailSounds sound system delivers an
authentic start-up sequence, followed by the sounds of the locomotive at idle. As the speed
increases, the RPMs move through four levels of roar. Sounds return to idle only after the
locomotive has come to a complete stop.
Although the Conventional RailSounds sound system is powered by track voltage,
the battery is required for uninterrupted operation and shutdown sequences. Use
only alkaline batteries.
If the Conventional RailSounds sound system “drops out” during track power
interruptions (direction change), replace the battery.
Your locomotive’s Conventional RailSounds sound system—the basics
Note!
Note!
Note!

TowerCom announcements and CrewTalk communication
TowerCom announcements are “stand-by” and “clear for departure” messages from the dispatcher. The TowerCom announcements are triggered by a short horn blast only when the
train is stopped. A long horn blast will not trigger the effect, and it is disabled when the engine is
in motion.
If the short horn blast occurs within 15 seconds of the train stopping, a “stand by” message is
played; if the trigger occurs more than 15 seconds after the train has stopped, a “clear for
departure” message is played. The 15-second interval is marked by the first instance of CrewTalk
communication after the engine stops.
CrewTalk communication simulates radio messages. They play at random intervals when the
train is stopped.
Example
• User brings the engine to a stop and sounds a short horn blast.
• TowerCom announcement says, “Please stand by.”
• User waits until first CrewTalk plays, user sounds another short horn blast.
• TowerCom announcement says “You are clear for departure.”
8
Adjusting the volume
You can adjust the volume of the Conventional RailSounds sound system. The volume control is located underneath the left side of the engine. As illustrated in Figure 3, turn the
engine over and move the rear truck to the left to reveal the control. Use a small flat-blade
screwdriver to turn the control clockwise to increase volume or counter-clockwise to decrease
RailSounds sound system operations
ON
DIRECTIONAL
CON TROL
OFF ONHORNOFF
Figure 3. Volume control knob location
Horn ON/OFF switch
Volume control knob
REAR

9
RailSounds sound system operations
Notes on the Conventional RailSounds sound system
• The volume control knob is located beneath the locomotive. See Figure 3 on page 8 for the
location.
• Listen for incidental locomotive sounds during the Conventional RailSounds sound system
operation. They’re automatic and, of course, authentic.
• The nine-volt alkaline battery you installed ensures continuous diesel locomotive sounds.
(Use alkaline batteries only.)
• Longer track-power interruptions (including locomotive derailments) cause the
Conventional RailSounds sound system to shut down after about seven seconds.
CrewTalk communication
There are “call” announcements and “response” announcements that are selected randomly for playback. The CrewTalk announcements are triggered at random intervals,
from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, only when the train is stopped.
Train brakes
For the ultimate in realism, the sound of squealing train brakes can be played during abrupt stops. The engine must be moving at a medium speed then slowed quickly to trigger the sounds. With
practice, you will be able to control the sound at any time.
Wheel flange squeal
The brake sounds may also be used to simulate the sound of wheel flange squeal when traveling through tight curves. Depending on your track layout, this sound may occasionally play when
entering a curve. You may also trigger this sound by quickly moving the throttle toward the OFF
position, then quickly moving it back to its original setting. Do not move it completely to OFF or the
engine will shift to neutral.

10
Locomotive maintenance
Lubricating your locomotive
Help your Lionel locomotive lead a long and productive life on your railroad by maintaining it properly.
We recommend that you purchase a Lionel Lubrication and Maintenance Kit
(6-62927), available from your Lionel dealer. Two basic rules to keep in mind: never over-
lubricate (a small amount will do), and avoid getting grease or oil on the locomotive’s wheels
or your track. You’ll know your locomotive requires lubrication when visual inspection reveals
dryness on the parts indicated in Figure 4. Remove accumulated dirt and dust before
lubricating and always lubricate any locomotive emerging from prolonged storage.
Figure 4. Underside details and lubrication points
ON
DIRECTIONAL
CON TROL
OFF ONHORNOFF
Lubricate gears with
Lionel grease
sparingly
Lubricate gears with
Lionel grease
sparingly Lubricate with Lionel oil
sparingly
Lubricate with Lionel
oil sparingly
Location of the body
screws on the
underside of the frame.
Location of the body
screws on the underside
of the frame.
FRONT
REAR