Steam Generator Car Question

[anonymous]

Did MP make use of steam generator cars?
If so, which routes?
Rapido is re-doing the GM steam cars, and has an undec version. Would that be prototypical for MP? (Painted Jenks or Eagle colors of course)

[David Boeschen]

The answer is yes and no.

I am not aware of any steam generator cars built by MP proper, but T&P built three. The first and most famous one is the 50, which still exists somewhere in southwest Missouri as a shell, perhaps now incorporated into a building. There were two more. These cars were built from baggage cars, so really looked nothing like the Rapido model. Their original use was for troop trains and other movements along the T&P, which had only the E units as passenger diesels equipped with steam generators. I believe the first one was converted about 1948.

MP by contrast bought several small orders of F units equipped with steam generators, and several Geeps, and some Alco FA units, so they were well equipped with power that had steam generators other than the E and PA passenger diesels. The F units eventually had the steam generators removed, while the Geeps, at least the newer ones, were well positioned to take over part of the remaining passenger service as the PAs were retired.

RG7

[Bill Pollard]

I do not think the Rapido steam generator cars are anything close to the three T&P steam generator cars, which were rebuilt from heavyweight coaches in the Marshall shops in 1951-1952. As Ron noted, there were no MP steam generator cars. A T&P diagram for these cars is below.

The former T&P 50, now in MP maintenance of way boxcar red, is located on South Joplin Avenue in Joplin, MO, as of last year. I haven’t visited the car, but it appears to be either a shop or perhaps an outbuilding to an adjacent house.

Bill Pollard

[attachment=0:3u1yvsga]TP-25.pdf[/attachment:3u1yvsga]

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