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.

On a road where 2-8-4 Berkshires defined fast freight and passenger service, the arrival of the Nickel Plate's first road diesels was truly a groundbreaking event. Delivered in two orders, the fleet of 11 Alco PAs began arriving in late 1947, with the final four on the roster by the spring of 1948. Finished in a handsome scheme of blue and silver-gray, crews began referring to them as "bluebirds" - and they would be the only NKP engines, steam or diesel since 1900, to ever wear anything but basic black.

With their competitors rapidly dieselizing and streamlining, the new PAs were part of a general upgrade for the long-time passenger partnership between the NKP and Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; NKP rolled riders from St. Louis to Chicago and on to Buffalo, where the DL&W took over to Hoboken.

In 1946, NKP took advantage of Chesapeake & Ohio's cancelled orders to purchase 25 lightweight cars from Pullman-Standard, which arrived in 1950 painted and lettered to match the PAs. Along with some remodeled heavyweight cars, they were assigned to the eastbound Nickel Plate Limited and a pair of companions, the New Yorker (eastbound) and the Westerner, (westbound). The new equipment was well liked and ridership increased, so that in 1954, the Limited became the City of Cleveland (eastward) and the City of Chicago (west). The PAs typically ran in pairs to handle these heavier trains, but did solo duty on the St. Louis runs.

Passenger service began winding down by the late 1950s, and the arrival of GP9s with steam generators bumped the PAs into the freight pool for a time. All were officially retired in 1961 and traded-in for new RS-36 diesels also fitted for passenger work, however the PAs were operated under lease through May of 1962. While none were saved, a former ATSF/D&H PA has been restored as NKP #190.

Officially merged with the Norfolk & Western in 1964, some of the NKP's lightweight cars were repainted for their new owner, but many were soon sold to other eager buyers, eventually being transferred to Amtrak.

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)