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:

• Mix and match passenger cars and locomotives for realistic consists
• Prototypically accurate window tinting and printed gaskets as appropriate on passenger cars
• Available in standard non-lighted and factory installed DC/DCC LED lighted versions
  
• Car name and/or number decals as appropriate
• Factory-installed grab irons
• Turned metal wheelsets
• Proto MAX metal knuckle couplers
• Matching Walthers Mainline ALCO PA and PA-PB locmotives available in DCC Ready and DCC w/Sound versions
• PLEASE NOTE: As these cars are the correct prototype length and feature full underbody detail to match the prototypes, a minimum 24" radius is recommended for operation