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The all-new Genesis line MP15AC in pictures.

SO, AFTER MUCH delay, Athearn’s Genesis MP15AC is finally here, but, as the saying goes, it was worth the wait,. The Californian firm has really pushed the boat out with road specific detail, the only thing visually letting the model down being the floppy and warped delrin handrails. So far, I have purchased four of ‘em - CP ‘Beaver’, Milwaukee Road, Soo Line and UP (ex M-K-T) - although I could have easily taken more. The CP and UP versions are illustrated here.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that my main focus is towards the present day fleet operated by Canadian Pacific, with the ‘Beaver’ and SOO white/red version being applicable to current operations. The Milwaukee Road orange and black painted machine will be brought kicking and screaming into the present day by the sloshing around of some black paint and MG Decal’s transfers to create a ex SOO ‘Bandit’ loco, basically a crude paintout of the Milwaukee scheme that has somehow survived the 20 years since the Soo Line take-over.

However, there is a slight spanner in the works in that CP 1415, which I bought because I’d photographed it extensively at Bensenville Yard, is significantly different from the specification which Athearn supplies. We’re used to manufacturers short-changing us when it comes to fitting ditch lights to their models - quite why they don’t fit these I don’t know (although to be fair I guess the positioning is often different between classmates) - but worse is that CP 1415 seems to have gained a beacon, while it is missing the hood top mounted bell. The real machine also has a cab front door from what looks to be an EMD GP38-2 or similar, while the plated windows should be flush - not inserts!

Now I’m not suggesting that Athearn should have attempted all of these changes, but why choose this particular number when they could of had three in this livery which were a closer match? Looks like I have some modelling to do, after all, I like the idea of a little customisation to make my locos unique.

Canadian Pacific version (ex Soo Line/Milwaukee Road)

I don’t really have much excuse for taking a Union Pacific version, I just like these ex-M-K-T machines with their distinctive large silencer. Katy only took five of these machines, and they also featured shorter side handrails, which UP subsequently lengthened (as Athearn has modelled, although in UP 1393’s case, the stanchions don’t seem to be placed quite right). Hopefully we’ll get the characterful John Deere green and yellow liveried MP15AC locomotives released at some point in the future. I’ll certainly be having one, which will join UP 1393 in the display cabinet!

Having said that, it is tempting to bring this model into its current condition, but like its CP counterpart pictured above, it’s a few evenings work. Nowadays, the UP switcher fleet is numbered in the UPY series, and this loco is no exception, Fortunately, these MP15ACs kept their prior numbers, just gaining a UPY prefix (as well as website lettering and white/red ‘wasp’ stripes), unfortunately though, it becomes apparent that the number on the cabside is positioned too high up to fit the extra lettering.

Then of course, there’s those annoying - but very attractive - ditch lights to fit, plus new roof top mounted air conditioner unit, all-weather window (on the ECAFB side), and the various beacons associated with remote control working. It’s also unclear whether this particular loco has ever carried a UP shield on the nose front. All good clean fun.

Union Pacific (ex Missouri-Kansas-Texas) version

Some prototype images of these machines, including Canadian Pacific CP 1415 as illustrated above in model form!

All photographs by Gareth Bayer.