KCS KCS Engines

Good Day:

I was wondering if the KCS still rosters any GP-38-2s? The KCS picked up a number of GP-38-2s that had come off lease from the Boston & Maine Corp. These engines were originally numbered 201-212 although No 212 was soon renumbered to 200 and repainted as a Bicentennial unit in 1975. I believe the units were put in service by the B&M in 1973 or 1974.

Having grown up along the B&M these engines were my favorites as they put a fresh face on a tired old railroad that had not purchased a new engine since they acquired 6 GP-18s in the early 1960s. Although the GP-38-2s were dwarfed in number by the large fleet of GP-9s that the B&M used as their primary power on all trains they always stood out and usually held down an assignment on AP-3/AP-4 (The Apollo) which was their premier intermodal train operated with the D&H.

I'd like to hope the old girls are still around. They may be "plain Jane" and small engines but they were the biggest and most powerful of their era on the B&M. THey also had great old New England names like; Franklin Pierce, Hannah Dustin and there was even one named "John W. Barriger".

Any news on these engines would be appreciated.

Joe