Might not be a chop nose. Some of the later GP18's were delivered with a sloping low nose just like this one.
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This GP18 was originally built with a high nose as MoPac 4806, and was later renumbered 510. As with all North Little Rock "chop nose jobs," a low nose kit from EMD was used, which explains the factory look. There were many MP GP7s and GP9s done as well. MoPac also added a larger fuel tank, which explains the roof-top air reservoirs, a feature no MP GP18 had as delivered. Back when the Southern took over the original Norfolk Southern, all of the NS's low-nosed GP18s were rebuilt with high noses, to mirror Southern's practice. Perhaps MoPac and Southern should have worked out a GP18 trade and saved a lot of money and shop time.
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