Description
PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
The EMD MP15 is a light road switcher that was built between 1974 and 1980. It came in two designs, the MP15DC and the MP15AC. It was billed as replacement for the EMD SW1500.
The MP15DC’s standard Blomberg B trucks were capable of transition and road speeds up to 60 mph (97 km/h), allowing use on road freights. Soon there was a demand for a model with an advanced AC drive system. The MP15AC replaced the MP15DC’s DC generator with an alternator producing AC power which is converted to DC for the traction motors with a silicon rectifier. The MP15AC is 1.5 ft (457 mm) longer than an MP15DC, the extra space being needed for the rectifier equipment. The alternator-rectifier combination is more reliable than a generator, and this equipment became the standard for new diesel-electric locomotive designs.
The MP15AC is easily distinguished from the DC models. Instead of the front-mounted radiator intake and belt-driven fan used on all previous EMD switchers, these have intakes on the lower forward nose sides and electric fans. Side intakes allowed the unit to take in cooler air, and the electric fans improved a serious reliability issue found in its earlier DC sisters.
In the early 1970s railroads were starting to convert to AC power, the six largest buyers, Milwaukee (64), Southern Pacific (58), Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (45), Nacionales de México (25), Long Island (23), and Louisville & Nashville (10), were all buying AC road locomotives. 36 more units were sold to 8 other customers.
Looking for heavier road switching power, SP turned to EMD in 1975 for 58 MP15AC’s to add to their roster. A small batch, #2732-2735 were used as slug mothers mated to a rebuilt EMD switcher slug for use in Roseville, California. Many of them were absorbed into the UP at the merger. After their tenure on the UP came to a close, quite a few found service on lease fleets and short lines still seen operating today.
MP15AC LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
- Full cab interior
- Wire grab irons
- Coupler cut levers
- See-through cab windows
- Flexible rubber trainline hose
- Flexible rubber MU hoses
- Lift rings
- Windshield wipers
- Blomberg-B trucks
- Sander lines
- Directional constant lighting
- Walkway Tread
- Operating ditch lights (if equipped)
- Operating ground lights
- Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
- Headlight brightness remains constant
- Separately applied photo-etched metal and injection molded detail parts
- Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, breather pipes
- DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
- Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
- McHenry® scale knuckle couplers - Kadee® compatible
- Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
- Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
- Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
- All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
- All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
- Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
- Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
- Packaging securely holds model for safe storage
- Replacement parts available
- Minimum radius: 18”
SP FEATURES:
- Ground lights
- Nathan P3 horn
- Hood-mounted bell
- Large fuel tank
- SP style cab number boards
- Full SP light package on both ends
ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:
- #1463 Ex-SP, Repaint with UP shield on the nose, cab-mounted 3-chime horn, SP style number boards, blanked SP light package, hood-mounted bell, large fuel tank, brake wheel
- #1488 Ex EMD Demo, repaint with UP “baby wings” on the nose, cab-mounted 3-chime horn, hood-mounted bell, large fuel tank, ratchet brake
