After World War I, the Missouri Pacific ordered a 4-8-2 that would be faster than the MT-63, but had to be limited to an adhesive weight of 226,000 pounds. The goal was to use the heating surface as best as possible, what was accomplished by curved circulating plates and thermic syphons. They also got a large superheater with a surface of more than 1,000 square feet. With a driver diameter of 73 inches, it was designated MT-73. Numbers 5308 to 5312 were built by ALCO-Schenectady in 1921, followed by 5313 to 5316 in 1923.

Since these were still not powerful enough for some passenger services, the following two batches were heavier, had a larger boiler, a pressure of 250 instead of 210 psi and roller bearings. These were 5335 to 5339 built by ALCO-Brooks in 1927 and 5340 to 5344 built by ALCO-Schenectady in 1930. In the result these were considerably more powerful, but could only be used on lines which had been upgraded for the higher weight. While the first two batches were retired in 1955, the last two already followed in the next year.

While the first 4-6-2 locomotives still had a narrow firebox and did not bring much advantage over the 4-6-0, the later, classic Pacifics were characterized by a wide firebox above the trailing axle. This allowed a sufficiently large grate area to maintain high speeds with heavy trains, as had been the case with the Atlantic-type express locomotives a few years earlier. While the Pacific was used almost exclusively as express locomotive in Europe, there were also many engines in North America with slightly smaller drivers, which were primarily intended for the heaviest, more medium-speed passenger trains.

The first model of this type were the 21 Missouri Pacific locomotives, which were built by ALCO-Brooks in 1902 and formed the basis for the name “Pacific”. They were lighter than other Pacifics that were built in the following years and had a driver diameter of only 69 inches. Together with the abbreviation "P" for “Pacific”, this led to the class designation P-69.

Since the locomotives were partly built directly for the Missouri Pacific and partly for their subsidiary St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, they were given separate number ranges between 1115 and 1123 and between 1616 and 1623. The Stephenson valve gear was later replaced on 20 engines by a Baker valve gear and on one engine by the Walschaerts valve gear. In 1916 they were superheated, where the cylinder diameter was increased by one inch. The last examples served in this form until 1953.