As the U.S. entered WWII, the government decided to create a War Planning Board to direct industry in strategic areas. This was not necessarily popular amongst all the captains of industry. Particularly unpopular with GDP Lines management was the decision to concentrate on steam engines rather than diesels. The GDP had begun its dieselization in the 30's with the acquisition of E-units for its passenger trains, and NW-units for the yards. Furthermore, the GDP was talking to the various manufacturers about even more diesels and the various designs and details for freight haulers, better passenger units, and so forth.
When the War Planning Board announced the decision that only EMD would be allowed to produce diesels and those units would go primarily to AT&SF, GDP management was furious. The argument for the War Planning Board's decision was that less metal was needed for steamers, and steamers were proven technology. The GDP management sent a very sarcastic, biting letter to the Board suggesting that horses were far better as the only metal required was shoes and they were far more proven than even steam. The Board replied, the GDP would receive the next twenty locomotives, numbers 11 to 30 immediately, delivery to Great Divide stockyard. Hayburners. Adding a little salt to the fresh wound, they were deliverd via the AT&SF.
After much discussion at the GDP corporate offices, cooler heads prevailed and were dispatched to D.C. The GDP's main concern was that diesels were much easier to operate and maintain, and as such required fewer crew. The railroad was losing a lot of its experienced workforce to the military. An ALCO representative suggested that the UP's new Big Boys and second generation Challengers were much easier to operate than other steam engines and might be a good compromise.
In 1943 the GDP took delivery of its first batch of Big Boys.
