I have a short question:
Which diesel locomotives have been the traction power for the 20th Century Ltd?
Hello,
Short answer— EMD E7 A & Bs then E8s right up to the last run in December of 1967.
The NYC took delivery of their first four EMD model E7 passenger locomotives on March 10, 1945 with four more following in October. Twenty eight more E7s were delivered throughout 1947, '48 and '49. (Road No.s 4000-4035)
Fourteen E7Bs (4100-4113) were delivered in groups of four, four then six beginning in October of 1945 with the other groups again in 1947 and 1948.
In June of 1951 the first E8As began to show up with several classes of E8s following in 1952 and the last being delivered in September of 1953 for a total of sixty E8s. (4036-4095)
I'm sure there were exceptions— but from the photos and information I have read the Century "always" had EMD E7 or E8s on the head-end.
The Alco PAs and the Fairbanks-Morse C-Liners and "Erie-Builts" were assigned to lesser trains. Did the NYC have reservations about the dependability of the Alcos and F-Ms? It would seem so.
I saw photos of the EMDs frequently paired with the Alcos. Almost all the F-Ms were re-engined with EMD 567-C prime movers about nine years after delivery.
Hope that helps your inquiry.
Regards, Ed
gmpullmanHello, Short answer— EMD E7 A & Bs then E8s right up to the last run in December of 1967.
Still not as handsome as a Hudson...
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstageStill not as handsome as a Hudson...
Especially the streamlined versions designed specifically for the Century!
Probably the most iconic symbol of the Art-Deco/Dreyfuss era.
Ed
gmpullman tstage Still not as handsome as a Hudson... Especially the streamlined versions designed specifically for the Century! Probably the most iconic symbol of the Art-Deco/Dreyfuss era. Ed
tstage Still not as handsome as a Hudson...
One of the earliest books I recall reading as a child was a Little Golden Book about a ride on the 20th Century Limited. The drawings of the streamlined Hudsons are still ingrained in my memory. That alone may have been responsible for my life-long love of trains!
Ray
The E-7s first came in what came to be called the "reverse" paint scheme, designed to match the 1938 20th C. cars - lighter gray body with dark gray through the windows...
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/nyc-4001.jpg
...except for one A-B set that came black, but with white striping matching the white stripes on the other engines. The engines were repainted in the better known dark gray with light gray through the windows starting in the late 1940's, and eventually wore the black "cigar band" scheme in the 1960's.
Eventually as they got more E-units and the number of passenger trains lessened, there were many NYC trains that used E-units. It appears the Central did it's best to see the 20th Century only had E-units from what I've seen.
I seen pictures of the Century, being pulled by 2 E8, E7A/B set with E8, and a trio E7A-B-A set.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Thank you all for the information.