George,

George,

George







George Andrews Wrote:
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> An excerpt from Joe Strapac's Southern Pacific
> Historic Diesels - Volume Nine - ALCo PA / PB
> PAssenger Locomotives : " More importantly, by
> 1952 SP had grown weary of the poor maintenance
> record of the type # 244A engines in these units.
> Beginning in July 1952, the type #244A prime
> movers were replaced by current production #244D
> engines with water cooled, ALCo - built
> turbochargers. Then in the mid - fifties the
> complex General Electric Amplidyne control system
> received an upgrade and simplification. Every one
> of the class DP - 5 units was to receive an
> electrical upgrade between 1956 and 1960 in order
> to install more reliable components, simplify
> cabling arrangements and ease maintenance
> problems. "
> ALCo rushed the 244 series diesel into
> production; Santa Fe & T&NO's early PA's had
> issues with block flex resulting in loose main &
> rod bearings, and of course that air - cooled
> turbo was not up to the job. At least Espee stuck
> with the 244 series prime mover and its' 2000 H.P.
> rating. Santa Fe, Rock Island ( FA's ), and MoPac
> among others would re - engine their PA's with EMD
> prime movers, which had quickly become the
> industry's Energizer Bunny for running and running
> and running. Santa Fe's " Christine " set of re -
> engined PA - PB - PA were dogs, until a sharp
> diesel mechanic noticed several electrical
> circuits has been mis - wired and / or overlooked
> in the rebuild. Once repaired, they were race
> horses.


George, that's exactly my point. If the EMD PA rebuilds were successful, they shoulve lasted into the Amtrak Rainbow era at least. And im not talking about the four 251 engined DH ex Santa Fe PA rebuilds that survive to this day.