PRE-ORDER: Athearn Genesis 2920 - EMD SD80MAC (DC Silent) Guilford Rail System (ST) 801 - HO Scale

Pre-Order Due Date:  April 04 2026

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Pre-Order FAQ

Most manufacturers give an ETA on when they expect to release the pre-order which can be seen near the "add to cart" button on the product page. They also give an order due date (found in the product description) which is indicative of when the product is expected to go into production.

There is a 5% NON-refundable deposit for preorders, this amount will be deducted from the price of the product when it arrives. You will see how much downpayment is required after adding the item to your cart. We do not store your payment information and it is not charged by us when the product arrives.

For any pre-order submitted after the due date, we will try our best to fulfill your pre-order, but are at the mercy of the manufacturer and if they produce more than were preordered by their dealers. If we cannot fulfill your pre-order we will credit the 5% deposit to you.

When the pre-ordered product(s) are available to ship, you will receive an email requesting the remaining 95% payment that will take you to your cart. It is at this point you are asked for shipping address and method OR in-store pickup.. We will never charge your payment method without you checking out. At this time you are also able to add other in-stock items if you wish.

Please note that Estimated Arrival Dates can change at any point. Midwest Model Railroad is not responsible for manufacturers delaying production. Visit midwestmodelrr.com/pre-orders/ for more information.

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NS FEATURES:
• Former CR repaints; original NS logo
• Different antenna, horn, and warning label placements per road number

Conrail’s 30 SD80MACs were split up in 1999, with Norfolk Southern getting 17 units (numbered 7200–7216). They were the first AC traction units on the NS. Many of them wore patched CR colors, but a few early repaints featured the original NS logo.

CSX FEATURES:
• YN3 Scheme
• Different GPS dome placement per road number
• Unique 0804 offered for first time

CSX received 13 of Conrail’s SD80MACs. Starting in the early 2000s, they were repainted into the YN3 scheme.

Burlington Northern

Burlington Northern was a pioneer of AC traction technology, testing EMD’s SD60MAC before placing a large order for the SD70MAC production version. They were also no stranger to 20-cylinder locos, operating numerous SD45s and F45s in the 1970s.

What if BN decided to take the next step in horsepower after the SD70MAC? Here is what these units would have looked like in Grinstein Green.

Wisconsin Central

WC was well-known for fielding a group of secondhand EMD 20-cylinder models- long after most roads had sidelined them. Decked out in WC maroon and gold, these units could have been the absolute pinnacle of the EMD 20-cylider prime mover on the WC.

Guilford

Guilford’s Springfield Terminal subsidiary had prior experience with EMD 20-cylinder models- they operated a fleet of second-hand SD45s of NW and SOU heritage. Guilford liked to buy their locomotives second-hand, but here’s our take on what a charcoal grey and orange SD80MAC would have looked like.

Chessie System

Chessie was a big user of EMD power, and had purchased a sizeable group of SD50s prior to their merger into CSX in 1986.

If they had remained independent into the 90s, it’s possible that they would have looked for unit-reduction options for their coal trains, and followed in Conrail’s footsteps with their own SD80MACs.

Great Northern

GN was synonymous with the EMD SD45. They owned the first production units, including #400 “Hustle Muscle”, as well as their cowlbodied F45 cousins. Had GN remained its own entity into the 1990s, here is what a resurgence of EMD 20-cylinder power might have looked like on that road.

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE
• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
• Dual cube speakers for optimal sound quality
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Precision slow speed control
• Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
• Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
• CV chart included in the box

All Road Names

PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

With the increase in available adhesion and tractive effort due to ACtraction technology, an unofficial horsepower race between the two dominant locomotive builders was on.

The SD80MAC was the first EMD locomotive to utilize a V20 engine since the SD45 series. For Conrail, the SD80MACs were the first AC-traction diesel locomotives on the roster. These locomotives became Conrail’s choice for handling long and heavy coal trains on their Pittsburgh and Boston Lines, also over their Allegheny Mountain routes in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and New York.

After the split-up of Conrail in 1999, the SD80MACs went to CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern. Eventually NS traded with CSX to acquire the remaining SD80MACs becoming the sole operator of these models to date.

SD80MAC SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
• Coupler cut levers • MU hoses
• Trainline hose • See-through cab windows
• Full cab interior • Walkway tread
• Windshield wipers • Lift rings
• Wire grab irons • Sander lines
• Illuminated ground lights above front trucks, front and rear walkway lights, and number boards
• Etched, see-through walkway steps
• DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
• Body-mounted McHenry® operating scale knuckle couplers
• Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain for trouble free operation
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth and quiet operation
• All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• LED Lighting for trouble free operation
• Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
• Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
• Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
• Packaging securely holds the model for safe storage
• Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”