NKP Alco PA at Spencer

Yes, two PA shells were brought back. I saw them both as gutted hulks right after they were first brought to Oregon. I can't believe one of those is now Doyle's 190, just saw it in Portland before it went East. My understanding is the second won't be turning up anywhere as a Santa Fe unit any time soon.

In conversation with Doyle, he said the key to the project was the two pairs of trucks for the PA's. He located them in a Canadian salvage yard and while they aren't true PA trucks, they were very close and only a few rivet counters will know the difference.

Doyle had struck a deal with the Smithsonian to bring the hulks back to the US, mate the trucks to the chassis and Doyle kept one and the other is owned by the Smithsonian. An incorrect rumor at the time was Doyle was to restore both units and deliver a restored ATSF PA to Washington, Doyle said that was never the deal. As mentioned earlier post, the 2nd PA will be a Warbonnet restored by the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, Texas.

All the nose in this photo looks like a Jimmy Durante family reunion.

Rich

That one is cute only because its an Alco   Now this one is a beauty

I am not a fancier of diesels, but I make an exception for early hood units. The ALCO PA is beyond any doubt the most beautiful diesel ever built, and I put it on the same plateau as the New York Central's Hudsons, the most beautiful steam locomotives ever built.

The NKP PA is gorgeous. Nice work Doyle! I too would like to see the NKP PA run with the 765. Oh by the way, I rate the 765 as the most fabulous steam engine still running.

I hope my opinions don't rile anyone.

Its easy to see why the PA was considered in it's time by railfans to be an honorary steam locomotive. That paint scheme is striking in it's simplicity without being overly busy. Wouldn't it be terrific to see it pull a consist of similarly decorated coaches? I would go anywhere to see that.

Regarding the trucks they come from a set of FM Erie Built B units which were used to power a rail grinder train.  The shape is slightly different from the true PA trucks, but at least the are close.

Stuart

It's just amazing what he has achieved with that PA considering what he had to start with...to look at it now one would never guess.

 You have got to be kidding me!

They stole the wires out of the engine on Doyle's PA???

I hope they catch them and hang 'em!!!

The 1941 LocomotiveCyclopedia has an Alco-GE centerfold of 2000 HP Passenger

diesels (not PA, but predecessor).  No model is given  These early Alcos are striking diesels, including Rock Island, Southern, Milwaukee, New Haven, and War Bonnet. They have extreme sloping front-ends, more so than early E units.  The Rock Island version of this Alco is my choice for Miss Diesel America.  The D&RGW PA's in early black are second.  Not a diesel fan either.

 Thanks for the info HW!

Those would be the DL109's.  The last one was a New Haven (last used as a mobile power plant) unit scrapped in 1970 despite efforts to preserve it.

Rusty

There are two ALCO "Family" units at the showing:

1.  NKP 190 (Originally ALCO: now has a MLW prime mover)

2.  CN cab, which was from MLW.

Looks like I will be hitting Google on what, where, and when is Spencer.

Very cool loco.

I got to see it live and in person as it was moved through the Chicago area on the BNSF line a week or so ago. I was with the kids playing at a park along the main line and heard a train approaching, we looked up and there it was!! The NKP paint scheme was gleaming in the sun and very striking.

"DL=109" came up in my head after I posted that, but I wasn't sure that wasn't

a Baldwin diesel designation.  I think MTH made of run of DL-109's, but I don't

think a Rock Island version, which might have forced me to want one.

I can see what all the hubbub is about.  Great event.  Thanks to those sharing pics and info.  The event URL does not convey, neither does their home page address for that matter (you end up with site map); scroll down to Events, and click on Streamliners at Spencer. 

http://www.nctrans.org

Amen my friend!!

dv

This is a tough crowd.  I think all the poster was saying was that he personally prefers warbonnet to NKP.  Me too.  Doyle has the right to paint it any way he wants.

I went Sunday and it was "the stuff dreams are made of". Its one thing to do model railroads and another to be immersed in what was a railroad fair. You entered the parking lot and there was a full PRR passenger consist. Parked up against the station platform, the was the NKP gleaming in the sun. An excursion train running with a CNW unit and over there was the 611 with cab tours.  A very brightly colored Milwaukee observation car over there..A full roundhouse of amazingly colorful varieties of diesels. A full consist of NC passenger cars fresh out of the shop to tour as well. 

The NS touring band played out in the roundhouse staging area...lunch was bbq hamburgers, etc..Inside the roundhouse the museum collection, the site was huge colorful, full of all the right sounds and smells. 

My hats off to the sponsors and the participants and the museum.A once in a lifetime experience.Five stars to Norfolk Southern..one heck of a party.

Here is another view.

And another.

Ron

This is a wonderful photo, Ron.

Nice shot. Merger maniacs beware! The Isle of Denail forces are marshalling for a major counter-offensive.

You just can't take a bad photo of the 190...beautiful.

True, however she looks SO MUCH better when photos are taken with the sun BEHIND the photographer.

With all the Heaven and Earth needed to be moved in order to set up these kind of events, obviously, someone should have moved the sun!

Rusty

It is doyles engine so he has the right to do what he wants with it.  His money too.  If you can't say anything good just don't speak.

No schedule. Norfolk Southern will most likely operate a special move with NKP190, CB&Q E5A, C&NW "F unit" and Soo Line "F unit" from Spencer, NC thru Roanoke to Portsmouth, OH, then north to Bellevue, and finally east to Elkhart, IN. All four units will then be transferred to either the UP, or BNSF for the NKP190 & the Soo unit. 

anybody post some pictures of full PRR consist Please

Seems like there was enough equipment there for Trains Magazine to do a stand alone stream-liner issue. 

Anybody have a list of the various locos that are in that turntable pic? Thanks.

Simon

They are:

Wabash E8 #1009 on table,

Lackawanna F3 #664 (#663 was also here),

NS F9 looks like #4271 (#4270 was also here),

Erie E8 #833,

Southern E8 #6900,

PRR E8 either 5711 or 5809,

Southern FP7 #6133,

Pan Am FP9 #PAR 1,

GM demo 103 FT not sure from photo if back of A-unit or just the B-unit,

Canadian National FPA4 #6789,

Soo Line FPA #2500-A,

C&O F7 #411,

Burlington E5 #9911-A,

Atlantic Coast Line E3 #501,

New Haven FL9 #2019,

B&O F3 #8016.

I have been posting some pics over on the thread Sam started "Photo Coverage at Spencer" Hi-Rail .... forum.

Ron

Although off the OP's topic but what the heck.

The Other Alco that was here.

Three images of #190.  The first shows the unit after its arrival in Oregon.  The hulk brought up from Mexico now had trucks and NKP style numberboards.  The second and third images are of #190 on the turntable at Spencer.  It certainly looked different than EMD products of the era...