I would selected the PA, too-based upon all the damage to customer relations AND relations with GE.
On the SP and ATSF, the PAs were quickly reduced to the secondary routes and retired as soon as possible.
Categorically incorrect. Both the ATSF and SP were the beneficiaries of a GE initiated and designed upgrade program that included:
*'new' engines and wate-cooled turbos
*upgrade to Simplified Amplidyne Control scheme including re-wiring
*general carbody overhaul, repaint, etc.
The SP did their units at Sacramento and the SF performed the surgery at San Bernardino during the mid to late 50's. Note that the first ATSF A-B-A
set (Alcos' 75,000 locomotive ?) went to EMD for a set of 16-567's.
While the SP's units began leaving the roster as trade-in fodder for new GE's and Alco's by the mid 60's, the SF's roster lasted until the late 60's until traded-in to EMD-save for the (4) D&H PA's. Doing the math-sounds like the ATSF fleet lasted almost 20 years !!!!
By 1960, the NYC, SR and certainly a few more...had given up on PA's and retired their fleets.
FYI, a fellow named William Clark did an
excellent great write-up on the PA's to be found in a magazine I can no longer remember the name of-circa 1978.
Rail Classics ?