2022 RailKing O Gauge Alco PA Diesel Passenger Sets Announced

June 28, 2022 - M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing a series of RailKing O Gauge Alco PA Diesel Passenger Sets in four popular roadnames beginning this Winter. Each locomotive set in these unique paint schemes will be outfitted with Proto-Sound 3.0 and will be paired with separately sold Non-Powered B-Units and four different passenger car configurations. Each livery is available in very, very limited quantities. The passenger offerings should begin shipping to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers in December 2022 followed by the locomotives in January 2023.

The PA was Alco's glamour girl. While Electro-Motive's E-units easily beat Alco's passenger engine in terms of popularity, the PA is widely regarded as the most beautiful first-generation diesel - period. Perhaps no other locomotive looked so right at the head of the streamlined trains of the late forties and fifties that were the last hurrah of American long-distance passenger service. The 294 PA's and cabless PB's built between 1946 and 1953 powered some of the most famous name trains from coast to coast, from the Santa Fe's Super Chief to the New Haven's Merchants' Limited.

The muscular PA profile and its elegant nose with the characteristic grille around the headlight were designed by Ray Patten of General Electric. At the time, GE and Alco were partners in the locomotive business, with GE making the electrical equipment for all Alco diesels. While Alco would later fall by the wayside, GE went on to become America's largest locomotive builder by the early 1990's. Under the hood of the PA beat a 16-cylinder model 244 prime mover that developed 2000 hp. Depending on their gearing, PA's could hustle a passenger consist along at up to 100 mph.

Check out each of the offerings in the list on the left.