| UP FA1 1641 at Council Bluffs, Iowa on an unknown day in October 1963, Kodachrome by Dick Rumbolz, Chuck Zeiler collection. The UP acquired 44 FA1's and 44 FB1's in three batches in 1947-48, 15% of Alco's FA1 production. Unfortunately (fatally perhaps) problems developed, and every diesel block was replaced under a warranty program. The issue was a welding defect in the engine block assembly (around 600 of Alco's FA's were affected), and soured UP's opinion of locomotives from Alco. Problems continued after the replacement of the diesel blocks, as Alco continued to work on crankshaft alignment failures. The UP didn't purchase much from Alco after this experience. |