A question: if, by most accounts and posts here, by those who ran these big Alcos, they were such bad haulers, rough riders, smokers, and rough on the rails, why did SP get the number of them that they did? Also the big Baldwins, as reported everywhere, were rough on the crews and plant. Was there nothing else available at the time, as in EMDs? When I worked on shortlines around Eugene, we had SD 9s by then, and I never saw any other units in my area accept some small odd ball switchers. Before my time, I guess. Just wondering why they were bought in the first place, no trial runs?