Engine Consist - acceptable combo?

Probably not, since, even if the E-7's were still running when the GP-38 was introduced (which is unlikely on most roads), the gearing was considerably different.

E's were not all that practical for freight use except on the lightest and fastest "merchandise" trains.

Don

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snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com moderator: snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com co-moderator: snipped-for-privacy@Yahoogroups.com

Although many railroads used E units in freight service, I am unaware that Southern ever did.

Having said that, it's your railroad. Unless you're trying to be a stickler for accuracy, go ahead and do it, whichever way you want to do it.

Pat,

'One off's' are not the typical - Like you mentioned, it is possible. The caveat is that it most likely did not happen very often. In the case of an E7 and a GP38, there are reasons why they did not intermix:

Most E7's were devivered with 21 and a 17 point MU receptical - the GP38's for the most part would have the by then industry standard 27 point MU receptical. Now, some railroads converted their E7's, but a lot did not. The E7 was generally geared for 98 or 117 mph. The lowest speed I can remeber is 85 mph. GP38's are normally gear for 65 mph. The E7 will 'load up' quite fast compared to a GP38. And the minumum continuous speed is very high. If someone dispatchs a GP38 with a E7 behind it, they may very well have burned up traction motors before the run is complete. The poor fool at the power desk who made the decision will be on the carpet. That said, the BAR did convert(with EMD's assistance) a pair of E7's to freight service. They were used as a pair on an onvernight run from what I understand. Other railroads did use them on TOFC trains after their passenger trains were terminated. The high speed/low tonnage TOFC assignments were the 'best fit' for them at the time. Other railroads just used them in freight service until they burned up -just getting the miles out of them. Most of the time the only ran with their own kind due to MU differences and gearing....

Jim Bernier

Pat Lawless wrote:

Jim Bernier wrote: >>> The E7 will 'load up' quite fast compared to a GP38.

I will definitely not consist the E7A and the GP38 together. But, unless I add a couple of shorter passenger trains [or an oddball passenger & freight mix], I will probably need to stretch the truth by hauling some freight with our three E's.

I was considering the idea of taking turns pulling a Santa Fe "Fast Mail Express" train with an E6AB and an F7ABA.

Do you think the "Fast Mail Express" train qualifies as having light enough tonnage for the E6AB?

Thanks!!! Matt

"Jim Bernier" <

This happened to one of the CPR's three E7/8/9, whatever it was. The story goes that it was put into a freight consist to work back east from where it had been rebuilt, or something like that. The western crews, not being used to E units, just didn't think as all "passenger" units in the west had freight gearing, account the grades through the mountains. It burnt out it's motors and, I believe had an electric fire into the bargain.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

"Pat Lawless"

I agree Pat, but personally I like to model the commonplace, not the oddballs, and get more enjoyment out of looking at models of the commonplace more than the oddballs.

While there may be "A prototype for everything", putting a diamond in the middle of a lake is not common, nor is the wye on a trestle and unless you modelling the Keddie Wye, and will thus draw comments.

But, each to his own.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Don't think it would have been a common thing to see...but quite possibly if the E7 was used in passenger service and motive power was scarce, they might throw a GP38 in as a B unit. I doubt it would have been in the lead.

Providing MU cable issues and gearing were all worked out, I would believe the GP38 would be in the lead. After all, the Head End Power for the train would come from the E unit, and the GP cannot pass HEP power through it. Chooch

Matt,

Sounds like eBay material!

Jim Bernier

Matt & Kathleen Brennan wrote:

Only problem is...E7's didn't have HEP (Head End Power).

Chooch,

The E7's came with S/G - No HEP back then. Now if the E7 was ailing, yes they would have the GP38 lead as the passenger cars needed steam from the E7. And you can bet there was a train order or special instruction about speed when using the GP38. There should really be no traction motor issue as there was enough hp unless they were runnning up a long grade. Then you would have fireman running back to check out the loadmeter to make sure the E7 was not pulling too many amps. I know some RI E7's and even at least one E6 wound up in Chicago commuter service and may have had HEP installed. The CNW did, but the CB&Q used 'power' cars to provide the electicals to teh commuter cars. The Milwaukee purchased E9's with the HEP generators just for Commuter service(IIRC, the 36A.C - 38A,C)

Jim Bernier

chooch wrote:

Use them for a commuter run. Or, backup power.

Kennedy

modeling

new

these

haulers from

passenger

Periodic "Hot Shot" long haul passenger trains that originate from a staging track, but don't make any stops on the layout before disappearing into another staging track location. Your switching crews and local passenger operations need to know the schedules, so they can get out of the way when one of these is due through. But they are not actually part of your local passenger operations.

High speed TOFC freight trains (no passenger cars though).

Power assigned to special "excursion" trains operated on an irregular basis.

First entrants into the new railroad museum being built over buy the abandoned branchline.

Maybe put one of them on a platform in the city park.

I'm sure other folks will be able to add to the list.

-- Len Head Rust Scraper KL&B Eastern Lines RR Museum

Len wrote: >>> I'm sure other folks will be able to add to the list.

No need. Your list is terrific! Lots of interesting options. Thanks!

My opinion is yes, especially considering the same creative compression used for the F7 set. Should look good. Not many of us have enough layout space for ABA sets of E's, Ps, DL109s, or Erie Builts.

Someone who had the reference book could check to see if the E6s were ever assigned to the "Fast Mail".

I do have a picture somewhere of a set of Es with a PB booster. EA-EB-PB I don't recall if they were E6's or not.

How about a 'restored' E7, pulling 15 TripleCrown roadrailers? _________________________________ Andrew Bunn Ainsley Specialized Transport (902)222-5385 bunn snipped-for-privacy@ns.sympatico.NOSPAMMERS.ca Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada

An E6 painted in BN? That is pretty anachronistic. Is it a factory paint job? Besides not making it in service to 1970, I can't even think where BN would have acquired an E6 from. The Q had E5's but then went straight to E7s, NP and SP&S never had any Es, and the GN only had a couple sets of E7s.

Swap meets or trade for something that fits better. I've got a box of 'oops' purchases. Perhaps I've got something you could use. I am definitely short one CB&Q E7, and I could probably repaint the E6 (already have a Seaboard E6B on the "to be stripped" shelf). What do you need?

Oops, that's right. Send me a Homer J. Simpson DOH! Award. I was picturing the E5 at Illinois Railway. Don't know what made me think that was Rock and not Burlington.

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

On Mon, 9 Feb 2004 15:24:20 UTC, "Daniel A. Mitchell" wrote: 2000

Not quite. The Es used 567 engines but smaller (shorter) ones. The E3 through the E7 had 2000 hp. The E8 had 2250 hp and the E9 2400 hp. Otherwise an excellent writeup.