The Three Stooges in 1988.

This threesome of two GP40s (#226 and #227), separated by road slug #501, operated system wide as a single unit that was never parted except for heavy maintenance and had been christened "The Three Stooges" by train crews.

According to info from the MKT Yahoo list, the both 226 and 227 were set up as mother units, meaning that either could supply electrical current to the slug's traction motors, but it did not need both units in order to operate. The 501, having m.u. connections at either end, could still be used in any consist as long as either the 226 or 227 was with it.

MKT slug #501 was built from wrecked GP40 #222 in 1982 at the Parsons, Kansas shops.


The three stooges in St. Louis in 1988