I'm not certain what the "P" stands for, except as a model designation, as in Model A Ford. Units with normal cabs are A units, units without are B units. The B units are identical to the A units, except the only manual operating controls are usually just a "hostler's station" on the forward right porthole (this porthole opens, so the hostler can look out and sorta see where he's going. Many railroads bought their locomotives as a set, permanently coupled together with a drawbar (similar to what ACG did with the 360/1 locos), and often came as an "ABBA" set. The WP numbered them (OK, so this example is an F unit) 805A, 805B, 805C, 805D, but the models were still referred to as "A B B A" The thing that made the diesel different from the steamer, is that a single crew could run multiple locomotive via MUing, so the single A unit was doubled in horsepower by adding the B unit, etc. etc. Is this clear as mud? S' David D.
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