In the late `50s, railroads were looking for units with high-horsepower output. General Electric and Alco obliged by releasing units with 2,400 and 2,500-h.p. capability. General Motor's Electro-Motive Division, at first, was reluctant to chime in. They figured that turbocharging their 567 engine would drive up maintenance costs, and that was to be avoided. Yet, in 1959, EMD outshopped the GP20, a 16-cylinder, 2,000-h.p. road switcher, with its turbocharged 567D2 engine. Union Pacific fostered EMD's change of heart. For it was only after the road experimented with and found success with turbocharging EMD's 567 engine in the GP9s on their roster, that EMD recognized the engine's potential. GP20s, closely resembled earlier Geeps, such as the GP7, GP9 and GP18. The increased power made the difference. As a result of that power, one distinguishing feature of the GP20 from prior Geeps, was its short exhaust stack, located just aft of the first fan behind the cab. These units were produced until 1962. In 2002, these popular units come alive once again, introducing M.T.H.'s new RailKing Scale division, with all new roadnames. Choose from the famed New York Central, the beloved Union Pacific, the hard-working Great Northern, the beautiful Santa Fe and the freight-hauling Arizona & California. Did You Know? New York Central's GP-20s were the only ones that didn't have dynamic brakes. Add an Unpowered Unit for Realistic Double-Heading!
