The first three (Nos 4500–4502) were built as oil-burning steam locomotives in 1942 for Frisco passenger service.

When the Meteor was dieselized, the locomotives were re-painted into Frisco's standard black with gold striping and lettering, and assigned to passenger trains such as the Will Rogers.

In 1948, Frisco 4501 still in its Meteor livery pulled President Harry S. Truman's whistle stop tour train through his home state of Missouri.

Their design was also similar to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's O-5 class of Northerns, though there were some differences.

[2] As the Frisco was dieselising, the locomotives was assigned to secondary passenger trains such as the General Wood and all were out of operation and put into storage by 1952.