The ALCo PA was far out sold by EMD E units, but is widely viewed as the most beautiful first-generation diesel locomotive. They just looked so right leading the streamlined passenger trains during the fading glory of passenger service in the United States.

ALCo built a total of 294 PA's and PB's from 1946 to 1953. Much of the locomotive’s aesthetic look was designed by Ray Patten, the head of General Electric industrial design. GE was not building road locomotives yet and was working with ALCo in the locomotive business.

GE made the electrical equipment for all Alco diesels during this time. ALCo PA’s & PB’s had ALCo 244 16 cylinder 2000 horsepower prime movers. They were geared in accordance with railroad requirements and could operate up to 100 mile per hour.

An unfortunate characteristic of these prime movers is the turbocharger lag that resulted in these units belching black smoke until the turbocharger came up to speed. This gave the units the distinction of being “honorary steam locomotives” in the view of many railfans.

Recreate the beauty of first class passenger travel with these Walthers Mainline ALCo PA locomotives and matching Walthers Proto passenger cars in a variety of schemes for the Walthers Fallen Flag Series.

With the launch of The Eagle in 1940, the Missouri Pacific began a new era in streamliner service, laying the foundation for a fleet of Eagle streamliners following WWII.

With builders swamped with postwar orders, the MP turned to Alco for new passenger power, taking delivery of 36 PA locos by 1952. Run in matched A-A sets or leading other builder's booster and cab units, they were found on the point of Eagles large and small, and often ran solo on St. Louis-area commuter trains.

Orders for new cars were equally diverse, with Budd, Pullman and ACF-built coaches, diners, dome coaches and more joining the fleet. Since 1939 the MP's blue and gray scheme was the signature on all passenger equipment, but the new postwar fleet also included many stainless steel cars that now used these as trim colors. While some were lettered for specific trains, most carried "The Eagle" in the letterboards, a practice carried over to run-through cars from other lines, as well as heavyweight head-end cars.

The 1960s would see the arrival of a simpler solid blue paint job, and a surplus of equipment as lesser trains were combined or dropped. The PAs left the roster by 1968, and the MP would join Amtrak in 1971. Some of its passenger cars were held for special uses, eventually joining the ranks of Union Pacific in the 1982 merger.

Features:

• Fully assembled and ready to run
• Accurate paint schemes
• Same powerful drive as Walthers Proto locos featuring:
  
  • Five-pole skew-wound motor
    
  • 14:1 gear ratio
    
  • Helical-cut gears for quiet operation and easy multiple unit operation
    
  • All-wheel drive and electrical pickup
    
  • Dual machined brass flywheels
    
• Heavy die cast chassis
  
• Constant and directional lights
  
• Factory-installed handrails
  
• Molded drill starter points for grab irons (sold separately)
  
• RP-25 metal wheels
  
• Proto MAX metal knuckle couplers
  
• Painted and real metal finish to simulate stainless steel
  
• No dynamic brakes
  
• Large angled number boards
  
• Working headlight and Mars light
• Units available in DCC Ready and with factory installed SoundTraxx DCC w/Sound for DCC and DC layouts, DCC w/Sound units feature:
  
  • 16-Bit digital quality sound
    
  • Horn and short horn toot
    
  • Bell
    
  • Prime mover
    
  • Three lighting functions
• Easily handles 18" radius curves (22" or larger recommended)