Friday, January 14, 2011

New York Central electric locomotive


A New York Central railroad electric 110 seen near Scarsdale NY.

The New York Central railroad served most of the Northeast, including extensive trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Massachusetts, plus additional trackage in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It had three small electric divisions, which used the electrified third rail system. The New York one was the largest as it was opened in 1906 to eliminate the smoke problem when the Grand Central Terminal was built and the track put underground. In Cleveland, the trains ran through the city passenger terminal with electric locomotives operating as the Cleveland Union Terminal Co. In Detroit, the trains through the tunnel to Windsor ran originally as the Michigan Central, but later were Detroit River Terminal after the MC was merged into the NYC in 1936. The DRT locomotives were tri power.

110, Class S-2, was built by Alco-General Electric in September 1906, number 29945, 2110, as NYC&HR 3410, Class T-2. It was renumbered 3210 in September 1908 and rebuilt with 4 wheel leading trucks in 1909 as Class S-2. It was renumbered 1110 in October 1917 and renumbered 110 in August 1936. It was renumbered 4710 in 1966 and became Penn Central 4710, Class S-2, in 1968.

More info on American railway electrification is on this webpage.

No comments: