SCRANTON, Pa. — Alco PA Nickel Plate 190 has arrived at its new home.
Completing its cross-country journey from Portland, Ore., the locomotive is now in Scranton, handed over to new owner Genesee Valley Transportation by Norfolk Southern this evening.
GVT and the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad will restore the locomotive, which has an operable prime mover but needs electrical-system work, to running condition for use on office car and other special-event trains. First, it will go on temporary display at the Steamtown National Historic Site [see “Alco PA to be publicly displayed …,” Trains News Wire, May 16, 2023].
The Alco was built for Santa Fe in 1948 and was one of four sold to Delaware & Hudson in 1967. All four eventually went to Mexico in 1978; two were repatriated from there as little more wreck-damaged shells in 2000. This unit was restored by preservationist Doyle McCormack and displayed in Portland until it was acquired by GVT earlier this year. The other PA is at the Museum of the American Railroad in Texas.
— Updated at 8:35 p.m. CDT with additional photos.
Kudos to Doyle McCormick and crew for restoring this unit. I know the Nickle Plate dressing meant something to him, but I am hoping that GVT will give thought to returning her to either the Santa Fe Warbonnet scheme or the Delaware & Hudson Bluebird motif for which they were made famous. However, if they choose to leave her in Nickle Plate colors that would be okay but I think the other two would be a huge nod to history. Of course that’s only my opinion and it and four bits will get you a cup o’ Joe…
Thanks to Doyle and his work to save & preserve this historic unit. I had the luck to ride behind it when the D&H used it on Amtrak’s Montreal-New York city train. And D&H (with Amtrak) leased a VIA dome car to boot. Beautiful trip on a fantastic route behind a gorgeous loco
Try to remember that Alco’s got to be known as honorary steam locomotives, for all the black smoke they emitted.
I’m long past being annoyed at seeing diesels in Steamtown (though I’d like to see at least 3 steamers in service), and this PA is amazing and historical.
Perhaps you will be around when they start collecting retired EV motive power units and showing them here. Based just on California’s new rules they should start arriving no sooner than 2045.
I am sure that will annoy some in the audience. No Alco black soot coming out of the exhaust at top notch.