I think Trains Magazine had an article on it awhile back. Interesting how nobody had the copyright on the name!
Lot of differences in the details too. Spark arrestors same on 2 of the three, side sills same mods on two, inertial filters different on all three.
The Rock Island bought eight A-B-A sets of FAs in 1948 and soon found notable flaws in Alco's 244 engine design. Starting in 1954, the Rock engaged EMD in a 567 repowering program for every unit. As seen on the 136 below, some even ended up on Blombergs.
The RI also fielded two 112 Ton Davenports, Nos. 798 and 799, bought in 1950. At 1000 HP, these odd units had muscle not seen in most Davenport products. Under the hood were two supercharged Caterpillar V-12s. Author Louis Marre wrote that they sounded like two bulldozers in m.u.! They spent most of their careers close by the Davenport plant, working assignments in the Quad Cities. Both went to EMD for trade in the mid-60s.
Southern Pacific-Rock Island pool train #22 at Amarillo, Texas in September of 1967. By then most all the head-end traffic on the RI #22 had vanished allowing a single locomotive to pull the train. Murrel E. Hogue, Jr. photo.
Yeah, the RI converted three of them to essentially RPO Rider Coaches. I posted a photo of another one back a few pages. https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/rock-island-photos.148272/page-10#post-1261733
That's really odd looking with those "Type-B" trucks on there, and the switcher spark arrestors on the roof as well!
While the Rock Island had many modern steel cabooses, these well maintained wood sided cars made it all the way to Taylor Yard in Los Angeles in pool service during 1967. Morris Abowitz photo.
Rock Island pool power at Indio, California in 1968. The Rock Island-Southern Pacific freight pool continued after the passenger pools were discontinued. James F. Hasbrouk Photo.
