by Tony Cook/photos as noted
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT), known as “the Katy,” dieselized its roster as 1953 began, according Warren L. Calloway’s article in thw July/August 1991 edition. That article documented the roster at the time of the road’s merger into Union Pacific in August 1988. Like many roads, MKT bought from a variety of suppliers in the early days of diesel; however, the road fixed on Electro-Motive Division (EMD) for new power (with a trio of U23Bs in 1973 being odd ducks on the roster for a decade) and repowered other makers’ locomotives with EMD prime movers. MKT’s F-unit collection included F3, F7, and FP7 with some early Fs rebuilt into F9m models in the late 1950s.
ABOVE MKT 70-A at Dallas, Texas, on September 21, 1980. This survey will share a couple of views just into the 1980s; this one shows a mangled pilot, revised headlight, and more. —Bill Phillips photo, Kevin EuDaly collection
ABOVE: MKT 75-E at Parsons, Kan., on January 23, 1981. This late-phase F7B was built by EMD (20354, 3182) in March 1955 and origi-nally was rostered as 228-B. Note the road number appears on the lower left corner in this view and an “F” found on the right lower corner designates the unit’s front. —Karl C. Henkels photo, Kevin EuDaly collection
ABOVE: MKT 401B was rebuilt in late 1974 by the Parsons shop forces into this unique locomotive. Prior to receiving a 645 prime mover and officially dubbed an “F38B” by MKT, the unit was F9m 88-C, which was a 1950s rebuild of F3A 203C (4034, E749), later number 66C. MKT 401B is shown at Dallas, Texas, on March 25, 1979; this was the last F-unit on the roster and survived until the 1988 merger into Union Pacific. —Bill Phillips photo, Kevin EuDaly collection