Nostalgia & History > Blue Monday

The MP 951 at Wichita (Ks.) probably about 1974. Would have been a better photo if the Stupidbaker had been just a bit further south. Looks to me like this unit may have been reengined with an EMD engine. What model Alco was this, how many did the MOP roster, and how,many were reengined? Thanks. 

---

Alco RS11

Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

Nice catch, don't recall ever seeing that?
JB

Posted from Android

With an EMD engine in it.


retcsxcfm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Alco RS11
>
> Uncle Joe
> Seffner,Fl.

RS11's and RS3's were re-engined in 1960s shortly after the Jenks crowd assumed management. They were reclassed as GP16's and GP12's, respectively. The other Alco's (and the BLW's) were disposed of by 1965.

From Kevin EuDaly's "Missouri Pacific Motive Power", MP only bought twelve RS-11s, in October/November 1959, the last ALCO locomotives MP bought.  They rode on trade-in Westinghouse trucks and traction motors from Baldwin DR-4-4-1500s. 
MP had previously purchased 147 total FA/FB units, but those had been retired en mass in 1961/1962, with most traded-in to EMD on a group of one hundred GP18s.  Those GP18s used the trucks from the trade-in FA/FBs; all other delivery GP18s rode on Blomberg trucks.  MP (Lines) had purchased a total of forty RS-3s (26 for MP; 13 for M-I; one for TPMPT), as well as four RS-2s.  The reliabilty/cost of the ALCO engines had not been good. 
When John German came to MP in 1961 as VP- Mechanical, this 567 engine fan boy devised a strategy to standardize by re-engining the remaining ALCOs with 567s.  North Little Rock performed the engine replacements in 1965.  All twelve of the RS-11s ("GP16", using 16-567B engines up-rated to 1650 hp), 37 of the forty RS-3s, and two of the four RS-2s ("GP12", using 12-567B engines at 1200 hp rebuilt from 12-567A engines taken from retired E units) received 567 prime movers.  The GP16s and GP12s were modified with MP designed free-breathing intake and exhaust manifolds to get about 10% more horsepower.  The GP16s were not well liked by engine crews, with the electrical systems reportedly being particularly problematic.

GP16
Builders#   1st MP Road#   2nd MP Road#   3rd MP Road#   4th MP Road#     Retired
83492               4601                   488                     944                     68                  11/74
83493               4602                   489                     945                     69                  01/74
83494               4603                   490                     946                     70                  12/74
83495               4604                   491                     947                     71                  1976
83496               4605                   492                     948                     72                  1976
83497               4606                   493                     949                     73                  12/74
83498               4607                   494                     950                     74                  09/74
83499               4608                   495                     951                     75                  06/73 (wrecked 5/21/73, Webster Groves, MO)
83500               4609                   496                     952                     76                  1976
83501               4610                   497                     953                     77                  1976
83502               4611                   498                     954                     78                  11/74
83503               4612                   499                     955                     79                  03/74

I just played the last gig of my band's tour in Wichita the other day and I'm pretty sure I could see this elevator from the venue. Fun parallel and a great shot!