Did I find a rare locomotive?

I live near a branch line of the Indiana and Ohio Railroad, part of RailAmerica, and I usually see a pretty good variety of power on the line, mainly second hand locos or lease units. Today, me and my dad were driving around town (Mason, Ohio FYI) and we happend to run across the train, sitting in a siding. I looked over to see what class it was, and under the cab, it said, "GP38-3". I've never seen this type of loco, in fac, I didn't know it even existed until today..... Is this a rare unit, and what is the difference between it and a GP38-2? By the way, the loco was CEFX 6671.

Sounds cool! Any pictures?

Here's a good one: http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=195988&nseq=6. (NOTE: I did not take this picture, it belongs to the photographer. I have never got a pic of this engine myself... )

a GP38-3 is basically just a rebuilt GP38-2. Like an SD40-3, instead of adding another letter to the name like SD40-2M or SD40-2R, they just upped the dash number. So, instead of a Dash 2, its now Dash 3, meaning its electronics, and engine is up to date, from which when the unit was rebuilt
Nothing rare, just a rebuilt GP38-2 is all you found.
HTH
Sean

Awwwwww man, I was hoping this would be something rare and unusual...not just a rebuilt GP38-2:'(

Well here is a crack. it may not have been a GP-38-2 at all! if it had two fans in the back and one in the in the middle no but tell me the fans up top and ill tell you what it is. reason me saying this is because i saw an SD-45t-2 and it had sd40 under it! Certainly someone doesn't know their trains!

So, it could be a rebuilt GP40-2, GP50, GP35, what ever. Doesnt matter. And a SD45T-2 into a SD40-2 means that it's 20cyl. 645 was replaced by a 16 cyl, or a 12 cyl.
I may be more centered on ALCos, but i know quite a bit.

Sean

Norfolkwesternman said:

Well here is a crack. it may not have been a GP-38-2 at all! if it had two fans in the back and one in the in the middle no but tell me the fans up top and ill tell you what it is. reason me saying this is because i saw an SD-45t-2 and it had sd40 under it! Certainly someone doesn't know their trains!

Click to expand...

Not all rebuilds work like that. Look at the picture in the thread, the body looks like a GP38 especially from the raised portion before the brake blister. However the best way to determine the original is not by picture but tracing former owners, this diesel and #6537 were Ex-SP GP35s; 6537 Leased to Montana Rail Link according to Diesel Shop.

GP35s do not look like #6671. Thus picture alone doesn't work.