NYC had a pair of DRS 4-4-1500s but, NYC put 567s in them in the mid 50's at Collinwood. They finished out their days working in Chicago. The AS16 was the Baldwin model I had in mind. The failure of this model to appear on Central's or PRR's rosters hurt Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton since the Company had put a lot of effort into selling them until 1953 when BLH decided to drop locomotive production.
NYC's Centipedes would have been quite a spectacle, likewise the DR6-4-1000/2, or DR 6-4-2000 sharknose passenger units. As might be expected, NYC "misused" their DR 6-4-1500 units. They were naturals for the Harlem line north of NWP (North White Plains to those of you from Rio Linda) to Chatham and North Adams MA. So, they were put on the "New England States" in A-B-A sets, where they were supposed to match an A-B-A set of F3s. They were repowered with EMD 567s and got new trucks from GSC, which didn't help them and the discontinuance of many secondary runs ended their days prior to 1960, they were trade in material for, I think, RS32s.
As for the dual/tri power units PRR had given thought to the matter, but decided not to finish a tri-power boxcab, which would have looked like a B6, with radiators and other signs of a diesel engine inside it. But along came the depression and PRR didn't have any reason to build their home made dual power unit.
Way, way, back in the mists of time I'm told I was enchanted by a tri-power unit at work at NWP. I was two or three then. That was a long time ago needless to say!
daveklepper wrote: The three-power (battery-third rail, oil engine) locomotives were used only in frieght service, but were on occasion used to power freight trains as far north as the Harmon end of electrification and were not exclusively assigned to Manhattan, although Manhattan's West Side was their main location. They occasionally showed up on freight transfers on the Harlem Division to North White Plains yard as well.
The three-power (battery-third rail, oil engine) locomotives were used only in frieght service, but were on occasion used to power freight trains as far north as the Harmon end of electrification and were not exclusively assigned to Manhattan, although Manhattan's West Side was their main location. They occasionally showed up on freight transfers on the Harlem Division to North White Plains yard as well.
While that was generally true there were times that the tri power locomotives were used in passenger service. There is a photo in one of the old Trains All Diesel issues showing a tripower boxcab pulling a pair of coaches north of the third rail. DPM's caption stated that he hoped that the batteries did not become depleted and strand the unit. Kirkland, in "Dawn of the Diesel Era", took DPM to task over that caption and showed that the load was well within what the 300 HP IR engine could handle.
As for which roadswitcher is missing from NYC & PRR neither had a DRS4-4-1500, DRS6-4-1500, AS-16, or AS-416. For that matter neither had a DRS4-4-1000. IIRC Tennessee Central was the only one to have that model.
I way in with Jim Rice's reply. He has his facts straight.
The only New York Central electric power that regularly ran into Grand Central Terminal were mu-cars and the S and T "motors", with the P motors coming from Cleveland after that electrification was ended after WWII.
The missing BLW road switcher will remain missing if it's up to me to identify it.
The NYC had BLW "Baby Face" psgr units but no Sharks while the PRR (alone) had psgr Sharks but none of the earlier (and REALLY ugly) "Baby Face" units.
The NYC had fleet of tri-power (diesel/electric, battery electric and third rail electric) due to polution abatment requirements in Gotham. I don't know of similar units on PRR.
Answering only the tri-power question:
NYC had some truly ugly gas-electric-battery motors for service on the West Side freight line in Manhattan. They ran on third rail where it was available, used battery power where there was no third rail and ran the petroleum burner only when necessary.
GCT, with third rail (including overhead, reached by short, heavy pantographs,) didn't need tri-power locomotives.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with three forms of power, but in separate packages)
well as a unschooled youngster im venturing some guess's......
#1 BLW's DRS-4-4-15?.........I know PRR had the later AS-616 not sure about Central..........
#2 I dont think so ....I dont recall a NYC Centipede.....only Pennsy had the A1A-A1A Sharks.....and realy the B-B RF-16 was a daul-service
# way on a limb but Id guess the Central had some sorta dual power thing for Grand Central....then again Id imagine the good ol' boys at Juniata built plenty of confabulations of verious modes of combined propulsion
The New York Central and its future merger partner Pennsylvania managed to buy a lot of diesels. They tended to buy the same models from the builders. There were some notable exceptions, naturally. Now, which Baldwin road switcher is conspicuous for its absense from both roads rosters?
Next, Both NYC and PRR bought passenger cab/booster units from Baldwin, but did they both buy the same model passenger units in the Baldwin catalog?
Finally (whew!) Which railroad, Central or PRR, bought dual or tri-power units 80+ years before they returned to the marketplace in recent times (since 2000, in other words)for almost the same reason they were introduced in the 1920s. Now, if you think it was both of them, then PRR built theirs at Juniata. Or did they? Have fun, gang!
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter