Leading Zero

[BaltACD]

Browsing through some photos from the 1940's - one thing I noticed was that the New Haven in numbering its diesel roster used engine numbers with a leading zero.  Was NH the only one to do this?  

[rcdrye]

NH did it with electrics, too.  The practice lasted until the early 1950s, with the "Jets" arriving without the leading 0.  It was definitely gone by the time the EF-5s came from the N&W. Milwaukee used numbers in the 10000 range for electrics, later went to "E-" prefix.  Denver and Intermountain used a decimal point (.06) for its narrow gauge (3' 6") interurbans to distinguish them from standard gauge.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Not to nitpick, but the EL-C's were re-classified as EF-4's when they were purchased by New Haven.  The "Jets" were classified as EP-5's.

[wjstix]

Not engines, but the Minneapolis Northfield & Southern Ry. used a leading zero in it's caboose's numbers. Back when I was a kid living by the tracks it wasn't unusual to see a train with MNS diesel 15 at one end and caboose 015 at the other end.

[NP Eddie]

It is my opinion that the NH wanted to have non steam power with a leading "0" and I don't know why. Some pictures of NH diesels show the "0" painted out, but bleeding through the paint. This is similar to early NPM (Northern Pacific) mechanical refers being stenciled as "NPMX" and having the "X" painted over with aluminum paint. I saw them when I started on the NP at Northtown in April, 1966. The SOO interchange lists showed them and newer cars as "NPMX. PFE cars were shows as "PFEX" even though the "X" was not painted on the car.

[wabash2800]

Perhaps on the New Haven there would have been a conflict with steam loco numbers?

Victor Baird

Fort Wayne, Indiana

[DS4-4-1000]

The use of a leading "0" or an "E" or a 5 digit number was the way a tower operator, station agent, or other operating person would be informed that the train coming was not powered by a steam locomotive and that the person must be extra alert to watch for its arrival since the noise and smoke associated with a steam locomotive would not be present.

[K4sPRR]

On the NH the "0" start was used until 1950 and it was to indicate the locomotive was a diesel.  In looking at the NH diesel locomotive roster a very large percentage of the locomotives purchased prior to 1950 were ALCo's.  The way those creatures blew smoke I am not surprised they needed a way to distinguish between a steamer and the bellowing diesel.   After 1950 few ALCo's were purchased and as more steam was eliminated the need for the "0" disappeared.