GEC's roster thread

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Some Pennsy Power today

PRR GE 44 tonner # 9337

The 44 tonners were ubiquitous industrial switchers built to be run by just one person. At the time these engines were being produced, the Transition era was well underway. In order to protect the job of the firemen on diesel locomotives, a law was made that said any locomotive weight at or over 90,000 pounds needed a fireman. The 44 tonner comes in at just about 88,000 pounds.

This particular 400 horsepower locomotive were bought by the PRR in 1948, to replace the old A-class steam locomotives on lighter assignments. At least one former PRR switcher survived Penn Central as the highest numbered locomotive, #9999. It was also the last 44 ton switcher during the Penn Central and Conrail years. This locomotive actually survived a few years into Conrail as part of the Union freight company in New Egypt, NJ, Not far from my home. It has since been disposed of. Similarly, 9337 is long gone, but it's sister, 9331, survives as one of the Strasburg railroad's diesel switchers.

As a locomotive, it is one of my earliest. I knew i would need a VERY small switcher to work in my industrial park. Very early on I realized there wasn't enough space on my industrial lead for even an SW to run more than one freight car at a time. I decided that i'd make the area run by an industrial railroad that inter changes with Conrail. This actually works pretty well, as the conrail train can just pull out the string of "out bound" cars and back in the in bound ones. The 44 tonner usually sits at the end of the industrial lead and can then sort the cars about 2 at a time.



PRR GG1 #4905

The GG1 is one of the most memorable locomotives of all time, and this is it's most memorable paint scheme. They were first painted in this fashion in the 1940s. the #4905 is one of the GG1s later re-geared for passenger service, and traveled around the system pulling passenger trains of all kinds.

the story of Raymond Loewy's industrial design and the long lasting engineering of the PRR hardly needs another telling, but if there any interesting stories about the #4905, that would be cool. I do know this unit eventually became 4913 on Amtrak. It is interesting to note that the "Original" 4913 was one of the GG1s on the Kennedy funeral train.



PRR J1 2-10-4 #6170

The J1 was one of the few steam locomotives on the PRR that wasn't a Pennsy design. Built during WWII, the government would only allow certain standard types of steam locomotives to be produced, so the pennsy had to accept C&O class T1 2-10-4s. Classed J1 by the pennsy, these units were common on pennsy's western lines, often interchanging with trains from the west. they are the longest single coupled wheel base steamer on the PRR (some duplex drives technically had a longer rigid wheel base, but they seperated with two sets of pistons and side rods). None of the J1 class survived to be preserved.

The model itself is an impressive puller, and i think it may be the strongest single engine i own.