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EMD
GP15-1, GP50, GP15 AC
 MoPac
Diesel Power - Second Generation
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MP 1707
- a GP15 AC on southbound UP freight on the former Missouri Pacific
Houston-Brownsville line (near Bloomington); February '86 - ©
Gary Morris Photo
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After many years
of successfully bearing the weight of the company's hopes and aspirations
on their backs, the aging MoPac Geeps were one by one beginning to fall.
In a an age of C-C power and mile-long coal trains, there was still
a need for the low horsepowered road switcher. EMD had the answer when
it introduced the GP15 as a replacement for GP7's, 9's and 18's all
over the country.
At the same time the Missouri Pacific also purchased the GP50, the successor
to the very popular GP38-2, still versitile and with more horsepower.
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Primed
with Power - the 1970's-'80's
click on the thumbnails
for a larger image
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the GP15-1 |
| MODEL |
BUILDER |
FIRST
DELIVERY |
FINAL
DELIVERY |
TOTAL |
| GP15-1 |
EMD |
6/76 |
4/82 |
160 units |
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June 1976 saw the first GP15-1's delivered to MoPac.
Instead of the normal EMD 16-cylinder engine for this model, MoPac specified
to have this group delivered with 12-cylinders rated at 1,500 hp... an
unusual move made due to the fact that these locos were specifically to
replace an aging yet indespensible fleet of GP7's, 9's and 18's throughout
the system.
These rear vents on these engines were of a different design than other
models offered by EMD which sometimes leads observers to mistakenly identified
the Geeps as having 'tunnel motors' (as they had a similar appearance
to the specialized locos used by mountain railways with many tunnels such
as the Southern Pacific).
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MP 1580 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.
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GP15-1 1582 - sitting in the CHTT Roundhouse in Chicago Heights.
April 1981. - ©JD Santucci Photo
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MP GP15-1 #1582 - is at the diesel
shop at Centennial Yard in Fort Worth, Texas in 1988. - Jay
Glenewinkel Photo. |
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MP GP15-1 #1599 - is at the Centennial
Yard diesel shop in Fort Worth, Texas in 1988. - Jay
Glenewinkel Photo. |
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MP GP15-1 #1605 - sits on a storage track at Tower 55 as a Katy
freight passes through. The track that the MOP unit is on, nor the two
railroads no longer exist today. Picture taken in 1984. - Jay
Glenewinkel Photo.
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MP GP15-1 1605 - sits on a service track at Tower 55 in Fort Worth
in March 1984. - Jay Glenewinkel
Photo.
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MP 1608 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.
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GP15-1 1619 - observes damage to L&N MP1SDC 5029 at Yard Center
Diesel Shop, December 198+ - "Tuch" Santucci Photo
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MP GP15-1 #1634 - is ready for local service in
San Antonio in 1986. - Steve Rude Photo/Jay
Glenewinkel Collection
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MP GP15-1 #1634 - This unit isn't so odd in itself, but it does
have a life-preserver (marked U.P.R.R.) stowed on the handrail; at Longview,
Texas - J.C.T. Photo. Contact
for a list Train Picture CD's for sale
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Mo-Pac GP15 #1657 - is Brand New and has yet to turn a revenue
mile in this photo. Note the lack of the firecracker antenna, the unit
awaits the installation of radio equipment in Sedalia, Missouri. - Photographer
Unknown/Jay Glenewinkel Collection
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MP 1693 and 6007 - at Sosan Yard in San Antonio, Texas in 1981 -
Jay Glenewinkel Photo
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MP 1704 - caught in Houston, TX on 8/19/85 - photo from James
Gilley collection
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7/76 - MoPac buys the EMD SD40-2c,
"c" was MoPac's designation of these units as being for coal
train pool service.
1/78 - MoPac's first GE B23-7 is built.
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the GP50 |
| MODEL |
BUILDER |
FIRST
DELIVERY |
FINAL
DELIVERY |
TOTAL |
| GP50 |
EMD |
11/80 |
1/81 |
30 units |
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MP 3500 - photographed in Fort Worth also
in January 1983 - Mike Bledsoe Photo/Jay
Glenewinkel Collection.
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MP 3514 is seen at Little Rock, Arkansas on this first day of September,
1984. - © Ronald
Estes, Rail Images/ T. Greuter Collection ·
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MP 3515 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.
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11/81 - MoPac's first GE B30-7 is arrives
on the roster.
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the GP15 AC |
| MODEL |
BUILDER |
FIRST
DELIVERY |
FINAL
DELIVERY |
TOTAL |
| GP15AC |
EMD |
11/82 |
12/83 |
30 units |
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MP GP15-AC #1716 - is in San Antonio,
Texas in 1987. - Jay Glenewinkel
Photo. |
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MP 1722 - A group of GP15-AC's (#1715-1744) delivered in November
1982, would be the road's final aquistion in MoPac blue paint. MP 1722
shown here is parked at Wichita, Kansas on March 27, 1983 - ©
Ronald
Estes, Rail Images/ T. Greuter Collection ·
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Brand new GP15AC 1724 - waiting its turn to be placed in service
at Yard Center Diesel, 12/82. - "Tuch" Santucci Photo
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MP GP15-AC 1726 - along with a GP38 works local service in Fort
Worth close to Tower 55 in March 1984. - Jay
Glenewinkel Photo.
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MP 1731 - A MoP train lead by a GP15-AC. Missouri Pacific was
just one of many railroads that crossed the Mississippi River at Kentucky
Street, into Millington, Tennessee,1983-84 - Elden Baker Photo,
Trainwatching at Kentucky Street
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Brand new GP15AC 1744 - waiting its turn to be placed into service
at Yard Center Diesel, 12/82. - "Tuch" Santucci Photo
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Featured
Photographers:
Gary Morris, Glen Beans, Paul De Luca, Jay Glenewinkel, J.C.T., Steve
Rude, J.D. Santucci, Bob Yanosey, Train Nutz, George Elwood, Railblazer,
James E. Gilley collection, Elden Baker, Ronald Estes, Chris John, and
Lee Berglund
Sources:
Missouri Pacific Diesel Power by Kevin EuDaly
Every
effort has been made to get the correct information on these pages,
but mistakes do happen. Reporting of any inaccuracies would be appreciated.
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