Youtube has a bunch of videos showing GP38-2 servicing industry spurs with cuts of less than 4 cars. Those videos are in general newer than the year 2000. It is not clear if a much longer local freight is waiting somewhere as the purpose why a GP38-2 is used.
Those short videos provide the impression that I could use GP38-2 instead of SW1XXXX, MP5XX etc.on my small layout to serve my industry spurs.
Are the GP38-2 so old (end of live cycle) that they are pushed down to the switcher job by wealthy class 1 railroads? What more modern engines are used to run lite freight trains (locals) today e.g. NRE Genset?
The GP38-2 has always been used as a local engine, industry switcher and yard engine. Common local power now is SD40-2’s and SD60’s, which have been bumped from through freight pols by SD70’s and C44’s.
Around these parts CSX and NS both use Geeps for road switchers. I pass 3 places on the way to work everyday and that’s all they use. Amtrak has been using Geeps and a couple of Gensets. A steel plant in between uses a few older switchers including a 44 tonner, and a couple SW/GP’s.
Perhaps its because the GP38-2 was consider the " GP9 of the 70s" since it was a 2000hp road switcher that filled the bill quite nicely doing yeomen duties from a road unit to a yard unit…
Besides railroads will use locomotives as they will…I even seen NS use their D9-40CW on locals.Seen CSX used SD60s.