Nostalgia & History > How about a GN boxcab electric? Never shot one of these!!!

Here's GN #5016 in June 1954, info I have is that its a Dick Wallin shot .... @ Skykomish, WA?

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Wow, nice! They were sold to the PRR in 1956 and numbered 1-7. Pennsy cannibalized the one rebuilt with F unit cabs (GN 5011) but the others were put into service. They were all retired by 1966.

Great find! When was the last year for GN electric operations?

Rich

PasadenaSub Wrote:
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> Great find! When was the last year for GN
> electric operations?
>
> Rich

1956

As I recall the Pennsy used these units for iron ore trains that originated at the Greenwich ore pier in South Philadelphia. In the mid-fifties much iron ore was imported from Venezuela and from Labrador. The PRR classified these freight electrics as FF-2 and ore trains were destined for steel mills in the Pittsburgh area (wires only ran as far as Enola) Some iron ore also went to Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem PA via the Bel-Del branch in New Jersey (wires only ran as far as Trenton in this situation) FF-2's were used in pusher service especially up the grade from Overbrook/Philadelphia to Paoli. I think I once read where motor overheating was an issue and may have been reason for their short life in this service.

According to Volkmer their motor generator sets were so powerful (counter intuitively) they were tricky to start on heavy tonnage, and unless you had the break release- controller notch out sequence just right you could spin the the drivers right out of their tires and drop the entire chassis onto the rails. Not an ideal career move.
I also understand they worked as east bound helpers out of Thorndale up the Trenton cut-off and on the Columbia & Port Deposit.

Great photo. Thanks for posting. Did all the PRR locomotives of this type originate with the GN?

The FF-2's were used from Phila. to Paoli. From Thorndale to both Parkesburg to the west and Glen or Dale to the east. Thorndale is in a low spot on the mainline and it's uphill to both Paoli and Parkesburg. Also uphill from Phila. to Paoli. They were in use until the E-44's showed up and the P-5's and BLW rectifiers were retired. The PRR AC motors had issues with starting heavy trains out of Thorn. ------- Ken

Thanks for posting. I got my share of seeing the entire group.
One year I was hired to aid the cab driver put on and remove
the mail from the train. It was really neat to see a car body on
a electric. a few yers later thay were all gone........
.........Swede.....Leavenworth, Wa............Albany,OR............

I Googled for images of PRR FF-2 electrics and found a bunch of interesting photos of many of the 7 operable units. In almost all of the photos of PRR FF-2s and GN Y1s in operation, it appears that both pans were used - wonder why?

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fe/62/16/fe62161fe46e5ff54f9e3631ff45c8c4--railroad-history-pennsylvania-railroad.jpg
http://i336.photobucket.com/albums/n326/landscapingwiz808/003-19.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/59/61/bb/5961bb1e30707a86d902c19eb9785d27--pennsylvania-railroad-electric-locomotive.jpg
https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/352349472087_/8D100Q-RP-1959-60s-PRR-PENNSYLVANIA-RAILROAD-FF2-LOCOMOTIVE.jpg



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/18 02:15 by JPB.