MidlandMikeAs the other poster indicated, there may have been some incremental increase in the riding quality of A1A trucks, but apparently it was not enough to offset the added complexity and cost over a B truck, as I don't know of any further A1A trucked passenger locos actually built after the E9.
Of course :) The fact that there hasn't been any since then attest that their strengths didn't justify their inclusion when their ability to spread weight across 6 axles became unnecessary.
What I asked though in response to you was wasn't there other benefits with the A1A truck design as seen as E units beyond just spreading weight across an additional idler axle. I wasn't asking why such designs haven't reappeared since it's obvious that whatever strengths such designs offered haven't justified their inclusion on modern designs.
For specific detailed questions such as this, I like to refer to Diesel Era Magazine. About a year and a half ago Diesel Era had a fantastic article on the Illinois Central E units.
By the 1960's IC was trading in a few of the older, presumably most well used, E units on newer models, but it seems to have been a one or two units at a time process. At the same time they were upgrading other older E units, presumably the ones in the best mechanical condition, with the latest E-8 parts including new E-8 pilots and the round porthole side panels, so the remaining E-6A units took on an E-6/E-8 appearance.
The last order of IC E-9's would have been the very last units of that model ever constructed, almost a year after any others were built, but the order was cancelled as discussed above.
A. It is possible that IC determined the E unit roster they already had on hand would be "adequate" for the forseeable future.
or
B. They may have believed that rebuilding them to the E10 status was more cost effective.
and/or
C. They might have had some insight that FP45's were coming--but that is rather doubtful because the E-9 order cancellation was during 1964, which predates the SD45--so I doubt that the eventual "FP45" was even under discussion at the time the E-9's were actually cancelled.
My personal opinion, for whatever that is worth, is that the real reason is some combination of A and B, yet I was not there.
It is very interesting that E6A's number 4002 and 4004 were gone by the early 1960's, traded in on newer models (even though 4002 had been upgraded with an E-8 pilot), yet they kept 4001 and 4003 until the very end in 1971. That tells me they just didn't need more E-9's at the price point they cost or else the two survivors were just great runners.
John
One other thought...the IC announced purchased of 2 e-units for 1964 in the fall of 1963. President Kennedy was shot on November 22nd. Wayne Johnston was very, very tied to the depression and the troubles it wrought on the IC, as my dad rode the office car many times with him and that's wy the IC had 80 million dollars in the bank during that period while the MoPac purchased the C&EI right out from under the IC. I've always thought the Kennedy assisination caused WAJ to look at everything (cost wise) again for 1964 and to decide to drop the purchass of 2 e-units.
Cost may have been more of an issue. In 1968 or 1969, IC purchased 5 secondhand E9A's from FEC, which had recently discontinued a court-ordered Jacksonville-Miami day train. IC was probably able to pick up this power for a song.
IC acquired those 5 ex FEC E9's in 1969 by trading 5 retired E7's to Precision National.
Not sure what the rest of the terms were, but I imagine it was a good deal. Perhaps Paducah did some work on some of Precision's lease units as part of the deal?
CSSHEGEWISCH Cost may have been more of an issue. In 1968 or 1969, IC purchased 5 secondhand E9A's from FEC, which had recently discontinued a court-ordered Jacksonville-Miami day train. IC was probably able to pick up this power for a song.
This may be a previously discussed discussed but I am wondering in the E- line of locomotives, did each 567 power one truck or were they bussed together? If one dc motor failed, could it be isolated? I remember the PRR's E-8's had two steam generators so they had redundancy. Did all E's come with two S.G.'s or were there various options? Thanks in advance.
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