Rapido HO Scale Alco PA/PB Denver and Rio Grande Western RR review

The ALCO PA was a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains. The locomotives were built in Schenectady, New York, in the United States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric (GE) between June, 1946 and December, 1953. Designed by General Electric's Ray Patten (along with their ALCO FA cousins), they were of a cab unit design; both cab-equipped lead A unit PA and cabless booster B unit PB models were built. While externally the PB models were slightly shorter than the PA model,[1] they shared many of the same characteristics, both aesthetically and mechanically. However, they were not as reliable as EMD E-units.[2]
ALCO's designation of P indicates that they were geared for higher speeds and passenger use, whereas the F designation marks these locomotives as being geared primarily for freight use. However, beyond this, their design was largely similar - aside from the PA/PB's both being larger A1A-A1A types with an even more striking nose - and many railroads used PA and FA locomotives for both freight and passenger service.
Although the majority of the PAs and PBs have been scrapped, six examples have survived. Five PAs are now preserved in railroad museums, while a converted PB still remains in service as a power car.

[@stevenseguine9447]

The Rii Grande operated their PAs as ABA sets and later as AB pairs or a single A-unit. I have never seen a picture of Rio Grande Alcoa PA's in a four unit set.

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Thanks Steven for watching the video and for the information. Good to read feedback from the viewers. All the best!

[@beefs0ck911]

These are pretty cool! Do you know if they can take 18” curves? If they can I need to get one in a Missouri Pacific livery

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Hi Thanks for watching. I have 22" curves. Not sure about 18". Maybe send an email to Rapido trains to ask about it. Good luck!

[@rottenroads1982]

One day, I will model in HO scale, and I will have a set of Alco PA & PB diesels, as well as FA & FB diesels, the Alco DL-109, and cab units from other locomotive companies (like Fairbanks Morse, Baldwin, and EMD).

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Thanks for watching and for your comment! It sounds like a great plan, you will love them!

[@scale_model_apprentice]

Eight-thousand horsepower in that ABBA set! Although what I can see from the coments, D&RGW only ran them AB or ABA. I would run all four of them together as well though!

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Thanks for watching and for your comment. Yes, they are correct those comments, but we like to have fun too! It is a hobby at the end of the day! All the best from Australia

[@martincanterospaz8894]

Nice!

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Thanks!

[@hornhospital]

At least consider going in the CVs and change the horn to the WABCO E-2, what the prototype came with and what is on the model, instead of whatever multi-chime horn the decoder comes programmed with. The PA-1s came with a pair of E-2s, one facing forward and one back. They were plumbed on separate horn valves and were never blown simultaneously.

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Excellent, thanks for your advices. We will do it asap. All the best from Australia!

[@shamaha-hazar]

Хочу такую модель.

[@UnionPacificAustralia]

Thanks