[Webmaster's note: The above photograph was used for my 2/7/05 Picture of the Week. I asked railfans to tell me the history behind the unit and their responses are listed below.]

Number 570 is the US Navy number on a former US ARMY MRS1 EMD unit. The USA number was 1814 built in 2/52 and came to Alaska from the Hawthorne Nevada Naval Ammo Depot in December 1977. She was civilianized with wider walk ways. The locomotive was built so the trucks can be easily converted to several different track gauges. Her sister # 1718 is at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry. There were only 13 of
these locomotives built by EMD. Five came to Alaska and only two of them 1714 and 1718 were used. The other three were still in their
yellow paint in 1983 when they were cannibalized. - From the Alaska Railroad Roster by Dan Dover published in May 1984 by
Extra 2200 North. -- Submitted by Pat Durand

According to Alaska/Yukon Railroads, this should be Alaska 1714, Ex-USN 65-00570 built as USA 1814 in 1952. C/N 15879. -- submitted by Bob Garner

Using links from your roster list I found my way to Stefan Nicolai's website. It states there that EMD MRS-1 #s 1814-1818 were renumbered to 570-574 painted yellow for navy service in 1970. Transferred to Alaska in December 1977. They kept their yellow paint scheme and numbers. -- submitted by rsday

The MRS-1 is former Navy unit 65-00570, still in Navy paint (yellow), that became on paper ARR 1714. It was one of 5 acquired in 1977. All built in 1952, and ARR retired and scrapped most of them in 1983/84 (the exception being 1718). -- Submitted by Curt Fortenberry

EMD built MRS1 in 4/52 builders #15879 to become USARMY #1814. In Sept 1970 as part of the group transfered to the Navy at Hawthorne Navy Ammo Depot she was renumbered 570 and painted yellow. In December 1977 ARR purchased 5 units. Most sat in the Anchorage Yard and were canabalized. 570 was eventually renumbered ARR 1714 and as of May 1984 was stored servicable in Anchorage. Have no idea what the disposition was after that. -- Submitted by Pat Durand

 

Photo courtesy of Stewart Sterling, Anchorage, 5-16-81