Group, Take a look at the Alco FA-1m with EMD engine and Alco FB-1 with EMD engine diagrams I recently posted. FYI, they are in groups 10a and 10b. Notice on the FA-1 diagram, SLSF 5200-5231, with EMD engines, there is a note that says "Units 5208 & 5209 have type B C engine". The diagram for the Alco FB-1s, SLSF 5300-5315, has a note that says "Units 5304 & 5305 have type B C engine". I had not noticed these two notes before, and am not 100% sure what it means. Does anybody in the group know for sure the meaning of the "type B C engine" reference? I do have a couple of clues and a possible explanation. FA-1s SLSF 5208 and 5209 were the first two Alco FA-1s to be re-engined by EMD. Same story with FB-1s SLSF 5304 and 5305, they were the first two FB-1s to be re-engined by EMD. Refer to the re-engine dates in Dr. Marre's Frisco Diesel Power, page 96. Second clue - the EMD FT had a 567-A engine, 1350 HP, the first 567. The EMD F2, 1350 HP, and the EMD F3, F7 and FP7, all 1500 HP, each had the 567-B engine. The EMD F9 had the 567-C engine, 1750 HP. It is stated that the FA & FB repowerings were with the 567-C, but that it was down-rated to 1500 HP from 1750 HP to mate better with the rest of the Alco components in the FA-1 and FB-1. I guess the SLSF also believed they fit in better with the rest of the cab unit fleet at 1500 HP. Now for my proposed "answer": I'm guessing the "type B C engine" is some sort of transition engine between the 567-B and the 567-C. EMD did that frequently, few transitions to new and improved locomotive components were ever sharply defined. EMD did not do locomotive models like GM did with their automobile models. There was a distinct line between the 1949 Chevy and the 1950 Chevy models, but the move from the F3 to the F7, or the F7 to the F9, was a transition over a period of months. Any comments? Any better ideas? Ken
You know I am the last person to ask, and I am not sure what you mean by "transition"? My explanation would be that it is a "B" for horsepower from a "C" model.
Well, sort of. The 567 A and B models had trouble with water leaks. As a result, EMD rebuilt them as AC and AB models, so they were much like the C models. See the link below. http://utahrails.net/loconotes/pcook-emd-567.php
Bingo! Thanks Gary! What a great information sharing group frisco.org is. I learn something new about the Frisco almost every day. Ken
