MoPac HH GP18's in Jenks blue????

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Just received a close out email flyer from Train World about Proto GP18’s, pictured was a MoPac version in Jenks blue…now I’m confused.

According to all of my Mopac books they never had any High Hoods in Jenks blue, they were all chop nosed, at least as far as I could determine.

Any of the MoPac guys out there have any info on this? I had bought all of the previous Proto GP18’s, HH’s and LH’s several of each and also have several undecs as well but never bothered with any HH’s in Jenks because I couldn’t verify that they ever had any.

I did find out that they ran a set of Alco FA’s in Jenks blue as well as some PA’s although neither lasted very long at that point.

Any info will be greatly appreciated…Mark

2

You mean to tell me that “nobody” has any information on this???

Mark

3

I’m a little hazy on the GP18s, but some high hood GP18s MAY have made it into Jenks blue. Like you, I can’t recall ever seeing any photos of one. So if they did make it from Eagle blue and gray to Jenks blue, they didn’t last long.

Sorry I can’t offer anything more specific. I’m more familiar with MoPac equipment from the early 1980s, by which time high hood GP18s were long gone.

4

mphs photo

gp18 hh with c&ei badge

http://www.mopac.org/photos_diesel/mp1826.jpg

only the first 24 units delivered had a high short hood which were later chopped by mopac, all the other GP18s were delivered new with short hood.

5

Ok, the one in the Train World ad is of a Proto road #527, a new one on me there. I’m wondering if Walthers is starting to just pull information out of the “air” as needed now days.

Being this is a C&EI unit did it come in the merger or was it part of the original order of HH GP18’s for MoPac?

Again, according to the books I have they never had and “MoPac” HH GP18’s in Jenks blue, of course there are such things as “errors”…

Mark

6

Mark,

MP GP18 deliveries started around 1960 - and the first order was HH in the ‘Eagle’ paint scheme(4800 series). At some point they were renumbered to the 500 series and repainted in ‘Jenks’ blue. Many also got ‘chop’ noses in the 70’s. The Walthers/P2K engine should be correct. You are going to have to do some further investigation to see when that engine was renumbered/repainted, but I suspect sometime in the late 60’s/early 70’s would be a good guess. Usually P2K paint schemes are very accurate, although there have been a few that fall between the cracks.

Jim

7

MP GP-18 #527 had a high nose for the length of it’s service life on the Missouri Pacific. Built as MP #4823 in June 1960, it was repainted original Jenks blue between 1960 & 1962. In 1962 it was renumbered in 1962 to #527. While it’s sisters were “chopped” nosed in the late 60’s to early 70’s, three High Nose GP-18s remaining that way till at least 1976. They were #524, #527 & #529. In January of 1975 #527 was wrecked and traded into EMD.

Hope that helps,

Gene S.

8

Thanks “very” much for the info Gene, that is “exactly” the information I was looking for as I couldn’t find anything on them anywhere. I realize a person can’t always be correct on this stuff but I like to at least make the attempt.

May your rewards be many…

Thanks, Mark