Penn Central

[Green_Elite_Cab]

By PC days, what electric locomotives other than GG1s were they running? Gid any of the old boxcabs or (was it) P5s survive that long?
Or this little thing:

I don't think your models made it, and they don't look familiar, but they are cool.

The short list of PC Electrics-

GG1 (PRR)
B1 (PRR)
E44/E44A(PRR)
E33 (NH)
E40 (NH EP5 Jet)
S2E (NYC)
T3 (NYC)
P2(NYC)


As far as the PRR side of Penn Central goes, the E44 rectifiers pretty much put down ALL other PRR electric classes except for the GG1. Some of the B1 class boxcab yard switchers survived, but they didn't last long. Attesting to the superior engineering of the GG1, it was the only unit close to competing with an E44. All other PRR electrics (FF2s, P5A and P5A Modifieds, O1s, and the experimental GE and Baldwin/Westinghouse units) were all replaced by the E44, which didn't require helper service on the corridor, and could replace multiple P5s with just one E44. A Lone L6A (2-8-2) boxcab nearly made it to the Penn Central years, and was even renumbered in anticipation of it, but it was scrapped in 1967. (interesting note, there were more L6As, but they were all re-purposed into Boeing B29 Superfortresses for WWII while under construction)

The New Haven had only "modern" electric designs to provide. The McGinnis years saw the near demise of electric railroading north of New York City. If it weren't for New Havens extreme commuter traffic (and the fact that Electric multiple units were the only cars available in mass), the New Haven would have torn down the wire. The New Haven scrapped just about all its Electric locomotives. It was only in later years that New Haven leadership realized what a terrible idea it was to stop electric freight, but it was too late, and the 12 former Virgininan/N&W E33s were not enough to save the failing railroad. The only Electric to survive through the McGinnis years were a set of brand new EP5s (reclassed E40s by the PC), but they frequently overheated and by the end of the Penn Central, only two were in working order, and had their third rail shoes and extra pantograph removed. these last two, 4977 and 4973, were used in freight service between New Jersey and Harrisburg, PA. the rest of the E40s quite literally burnt themselves out. those two survivors were retired shortly after entering service for Conrail.

The New York Central side of the PC was the only railroad with a boxcab to actually survive all the way through penn central, as well as owned the oldest locomotives on Penn Central's (and later Conrail's) roster, the S2Es, which had been working switching passenger trains in New York since 1906. many of these units actually made it to Conrail, and were in fact the last "regular" electric engine in use on conrail, being retired in 1982, a full year after every other electric on Conrail's roster was either scrapped or in storage. The S2Es outlasted even the GG1s except for a small handful of Gs that trudged on to 1983 on NJ Transit (and even so, the S2E has been running since 1906, the Gs didn't even come to be for at least another 22 years at the oldest).

A single former NYC T3 Boxcab (B-B+B-B) made it through Penn Central to the Conrail years, but was transferred to Amtrak on the first day of Conrail. Some of New York Central's 4-6-6-4 P-Motor Boxcabs also survived long enough to receive the black paint and mating worms of the Penn Central. Both of these NYC units were regulars on NYC's former commuter lines to Grand Central station, and thats where they spent most of their time on the PC. These were purely passenger engines,