Nostalgia & History > CB&Q Generator Coaches

The Q began acquiring gallery cars (double deckers as we kids called them) for suburban service originally pulled by steam engines and E-units which could only provide steam heat. The gallery cars were all electric and including air conditioning. The solution was to insert a generator in one end of a coach and couple it to a string (one or more) of gallery cars.

1. This was Coach 6100 and when the generator was added it became 7100. If you look closely at the far end is a door flush with the car sides to allow the generator to be slid in and out for maintenance and replacement. These cars were quite common until BN had the steam generators removed from the E-units and HEP put in the vacated space.

2. This was coach 7147 which was converted to generator car #7201. The generator came though the roof (note the pop-off section). I don't remember seeing any of the green and tan generator cars in service.

Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/14 13:11 by MartyBernard.

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How many cars could these generator coaches power?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

Marty, pic #1 is the 7300 one of two with a baggage compartment. Also, the 700 class
gallery cars had Waukesha a/c units and only needed the power cars for lights. If I
remember correctly, they could handle 8 cars.

Did the A/C units supply heat too? I.e., were they heat pumps?

Marty

No, any E-unit would supply steam as needed. The a/c units on the 700s were entirely
self-contained. The power cars just supplied lighting power. The older low-level coaches
had ice activated a/c units. I remember seeing ice wagons at Aurora depot in 1964.
Charlie

The 7301 is still in existence in Baldwin City, KS. It has been out of service for some truck work but hopefully will be back rolling here soon.

CBQ 7301 (Midland) is a sweet ride. My favorite, by far! wag216