my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Texas and New Orleans GP9

TNO 400-458

59 units delivered

SP's subsidiary Texas and New Orleans (TNO) was also the first to receive GP9's for freight service, getting their first order in June of 1954 (#400-410). Because of the relatively 'flat land' TNO passed through, these had 61:16 gearing, giving a top-speed of 71 mph. In contrast to SP's GP's with 62:15 gearing (65 mph). Also like SP SD7's some units may have had the Nathan M3R24's which were later changed to Nathan P-3's.

TNO continued to receive batches:

• #411-416 in 10/54
• #417-428 in 5/55
• #429-438 in 5/56
• #439-448 in 12/56
• #449-458 in 2-3/59

#400 to 448 would have been delivered in Black Widow paint, sublettered TNO above the numberboards at each end. SP style light packages were not in vogue for TNO, they had the simpler dual headlight where the signal light was on SP units. The last order #449-458 were delivered in 'blood nose' paint.

As TNO was still being run as a separate company, all power was turned back at El Paso. Run through power to California didn't begin really until the early 1960's. It was at this time that the different gearing became a problem, so the TNO units gradually had theirs changed to the SP standard of 62:15.

The 1965 renumbering brought these into the SP roster proper, and they received 34xx series numbers.

Eventually going through the rebuilding program, to emerge as GP9E's...

see the SP GP9 Overview for Magazine/Book References and available models.