Virginian Elect., Photo 5

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Sat Mar 29 19:29:50 EDT 2008


Thanks for what sounds like an authoritative answer to the truck question. I am sure that others have wondered about these trucks inasmuch as they resemble trucks used under diesels.

Gordon
----- Original Message -----
From: NW Mailing List
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2008 7:48 AM
Subject: Re: Virginian Elect., Photo 5


Gordon et all

These definitely were not standard diesel trucks, they were a GE design. The standard AAR Type B truck would not take the GE746 traction motor used on these locomotives. (The FM "Erie-built" locos used the same motor in an A1A truck.) Among other things, the 746 required a 42 in. (new) diameter wheel. That's one of the reasons the 752 was designed, to fit a 40 in. wheel which the EMD locos used. The Alco S-series switchers and RS-1 used the smaller 731 traction motor, but it would not rate the horsepower/motor needed for road locomotives that competed with the F-3. Other earlier road locomotives with GE electrical equipment requiring more HP/axle had used a predecessor of the 752, but I don't remember (and am not sure I ever knew) its model number.

GE also used a smaller version of this B truck on its switching & industrial locomotives. The easiest distinguishing spotting feature is the absence of the elliptical springs used on the AAR Type B truck.

Dave Phelps


In a message dated 3/29/2008 10:22:23 P.M. AUS Eastern Daylight Time, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:
As stated before, the Electric Railroaders' Association of New York has produced a series of CD's with copyrighted images from the ERA's Sprague Library depicting electric streetcars, interurbans, and locomotives. The attached photo is the fifth one on the VGN that I have posted from the Deep South Traction, Part 1 CD.

The attached photo from that CD depicting an EL-2B was made in Roanoke on 5/19/54 according to the photo title. One question that should be documented about these locomotives is the linage of the trucks under these locos. Does anyone know whether these were standard diesel locomotives trucks that GE used under these giants?

Incidentally, I was fortunate to ride in the cab of an EL-2B from Roanoke to Elmore about 1960, and it was a memorable experience. The height of the cab above the rails was really impressive!

Gordon Hamilton




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