New York Central T-Motor

Last updated
NYC T Motor
NYC-278-no2-end-angle.jpg
NYC No. 278, the sole surviving T-Motor locomotive
Type and origin
Power typeElectric
Builder ALCO-GE
Build date1913-1926
Total producedT-1a: 1
T-1b: 9
T-2a: 6
T-2b: 10
T-3a: 10
Total: 36
Specifications
Configuration:
   AAR B-B+B-B
   UIC Bo'Bo+BoBo'
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.36 in (914 mm)
LengthT-1: 55 ft 2 in (16.81 m)
T-2, T-3: 56 ft 10 in (17.32 m)
Loco weightT-1: 236,000 lb (107.0 tonnes)
T-2: 265,000 lb (120.2 tonnes)
T-3: 285,000 lb (129.3 tonnes)
Electric system/s 660  V   DC
Current pickup(s) Third rail
Traction motors 8 × GE 91-A 380 hp (280 kW)
Transmission Resistance controlled DC current supplied to gearless DC traction motors mounted directly on the axles.
Performance figures
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h)
Power output3,040  hp (2,270  kW) Starting
2,500  hp (1,900  kW) Continuous
Tractive effort T-1: 59,000  lbf (260  kN)
T-2: 66,000  lbf (290  kN)
T-3: 71,000  lbf (320  kN)

T-Motor was the class designation given by the New York Central to its ALCO-GE built T-1a, T-1b, T-2a, T-2b, and T-3a electric locomotives. The T-Motors were the New York Central's second electric locomotive purchase after the original class of S-Motors. The T-motors continued on in service with the New York Central and a few continued on with the Penn Central after the 1968 merger.

Contents

History

ALCO and GE co-built T-Motors from 1913 to 1926 to take over the main line passenger duties from the earlier and somewhat less capable S-Motor classes. Like the rest of the eastern electric fleet T-Motors were only used on the third rail territory from Grand Central Terminal on to the Hudson and Harlem Divisions. Compared to the S-Motors the T's had more power and with no unpowered wheels all of the locomotive's weight could be transferred into tractive effort. The T-Motors were also faster than the S-Motors and hauled everything from commuter trains to the flagship 20th Century Limited .

The first major blow to the fleet of T's was when the Cleveland Union Terminal electrified operations shut down in the mid 1950s, freeing up the fleet of 22 P-Motors for conversion to 3rd rail power. Although reduced to secondary duties 6 T's survived into the Penn Central era when they were finally replaced by New York, New Haven and Hartford FL9s on the Penn Central roster.

One T Motor, NYC 278, survived in derelict condition near Albany, New York for years until it was recently secured for transport to the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut for preservation. During January 2024, it was safely delivered to Danbury where it awaits a cosmetic restoration. [1] [2] The remainder of the T-Motors were scrapped.

Footnotes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Locomotive Company</span> Defunct locomotive manufacturer

The American Locomotive Company was an American manufacturer that operated from 1901 to 1969, initially specializing in the production of locomotives but later diversifying and fabricating at various times diesel generators, automobiles, steel, tanks, munitions, oil-production equipment, as well as heat exchangers for nuclear power plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central Mohawk</span> Class of NYC 4-8-2 locomotives

The New York Central Railroad (NYC) called the 4-8-2 type of steam locomotive the Mohawk type. It was known as the Mountain type on other roads, but the New York Central did not see the name as fitting on its famous Water Level Route. Instead, it picked the name of one of those rivers its rails followed, the Mohawk River, to name its newest type of locomotive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central Hudson</span> American 4-6-4 steam locomotives (1927–1957)

The New York Central Hudson was a popular 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Baldwin Locomotive Works and the Lima Locomotive Works in three series from 1927 to 1938 for the New York Central Railroad. Named after the Hudson River, the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement came to be known as the "Hudson" type in the United States, as these locomotives were the first examples built and used in North America. Built for high-speed passenger train work, the Hudson locomotives were famously known for hauling the New York Central's crack passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited and the Empire State Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montreal Locomotive Works</span> Defunct Canadian locomotive manufacturer

Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer that existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For many years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company. MLW's headquarters and manufacturing facilities were in Montreal, Quebec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD FL9</span> Dual-mode electro-diesel locomotive, built for the New Haven Railroad

The EMD FL9 is a model of electro-diesel locomotive, capable of operating either as a traditional diesel-electric locomotive or as an electric locomotive powered from a third rail. Sixty units were built between October 1956 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electro-diesel locomotive</span> Railway locomotive capable of running either under electrical or diesel power

An electro-diesel locomotive is a type of locomotive that can be powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine. For the most part, these locomotives are built to serve regional, niche markets with a very specific purpose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven Line</span> Metro-North Railroad line in New York and Connecticut

The New Haven Line is a 72.7 mi (117.0 km) commuter rail line operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. states of New York and Connecticut. Running from New Haven, Connecticut, to New York City, the New Haven Line joins the Harlem Line in Mount Vernon, New York, and continues south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The New Haven Line carries 125,000 passengers every weekday and 39 million passengers a year. The busiest intermediate station is Stamford, with 8.4 million passengers, or 21% of the line's ridership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad class DD1</span> Class of 66 (33 pairs) of American 2′B+B2′ electric locomotives

The Pennsylvania Railroad DD1 was a class of boxcab electric locomotives built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The locomotives were developed as part of the railroad's New York Tunnel Extension, which built the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City and linked it to New Jersey via the North River Tunnels. The Pennsylvania built a total of 66 locomotives in its Altoona Works; they operated in semi-permanently coupled pairs. Westinghouse supplied the electrical equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad class B1</span>

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class B1 comprised 42 electric switcher locomotives built between 1926 and 1935. They were of 0-6-0 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation with 700 horsepower. As built, the first 28 locomotives in the 1926 order formed semi-permanently coupled pairs grouped in three classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad class AA1</span>

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class AA1 comprised two experimental electric locomotives constructed in 1905 by the company's own Altoona Works with the assistance of Westinghouse. Intended as testbeds as the PRR began its electrification project, both locomotives remained service into the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ALCO FA</span> American locomotive class

The ALCO FA was a family of B-B diesel locomotives designed to haul freight trains. The locomotives were built by a partnership of ALCO and General Electric in Schenectady, New York, between January 1946 and May 1959. Designed by General Electric's Ray Patten, they were of a cab unit design; both cab-equipped lead FA and cabless booster FB models were built. A dual passenger-freight version, the FPA/FPB, was also offered. It was equipped with a steam generator for heating passenger cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven EP-5</span> American electric locomotive

The New Haven EP-5 was a double-ended mercury arc rectifier electric locomotive built in 1955 by General Electric, for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It was built to haul passenger trains between Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut. The EP-5s resembled the Alco FA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ALCO RS-3m</span> Model of rebuilt diesel-electric locomotive

The ALCO RS-3m is a diesel-electric locomotive rebuilt from an ALCO RS-3 road switcher. These 98 locomotives were rebuilt to replace their original ALCO prime mover with the more reliable EMD 567B engine and fan assemblies taken from retired E8s. Many of these rebuilds were performed by the ex NYC DeWitt shop with 56 completed at the ex PRR Juniata shop. The RS3m rebuild program started in 1972 and continued until 1978 under Conrail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PRR MP54</span>

The Pennsylvania Railroad's MP54 was a class of electric multiple unit railcars. The class was initially constructed as an unpowered, locomotive hauled coach for suburban operations, but were designed to be rebuilt into self-propelled units as electrification plans were realized. The first of these self-propelled cars were placed in service with the PRR subsidiary Long Island Rail Road with DC propulsion in 1908 and soon spread to the Philadelphia-based network of low frequency AC electrified suburban lines in 1915. Eventually the cars came to be used throughout the railroad's electrified network from Washington, D.C. to New York City and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GE three-power boxcab</span>

The GE three-power boxcabs were early electro-diesel hybrid switcher locomotives. These boxcabs were termed oil battery electrics to avoid the use of the German name Diesel, unpopular after World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central S-Motor</span> Series of classes of American Electric locomotives

S-Motor was the class designation given by the New York Central to its ALCO-GE built S-1, S-2, S-2a and S-3 electric locomotives. The S-Motors hold the distinction of being the world's first mass-produced main line electric locomotives with the prototype #6000 being constructed in 1904. The S-Motors would serve alone until the more powerful T-motors began to arrive in 1913, eventually displacing them from main line passenger duties. From that point the class was assigned to shorter commuter trains and deadhead rolling stock between Grand Central Terminal and Mott Haven coach yard. Some examples, including the prototype later renumbered #100, would serve in this capacity through the Penn Central merger in 1968, only being retired in the 1970s as long distance passenger traffic to Grand Central dried up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central P Motor</span>

P-Motor was the class designation given by the New York Central a fleet of 22 ALCO-GE electric passenger locomotives. The P Motors were not only more powerful than previous New York Central electrics, but also a more advanced design using the highly successful 2-C+C-2 wheel arrangement found on the later PRR GG1 and New Haven EP-3 classes as well as nose suspended traction motors. Although originally built and owned by a consortium of railroads involved in the large scale Cleveland Union Terminal project, the New York Central was the majority owner and later acquired them outright in the 1950s when the Terminal's electrification scheme was scrapped in favor of diesel locomotives. Rebuilt and re-classified as P-2, the 21 remaining engines were sent to the New York electrified zone to supplement the aging fleet of T-Motors that had been purchased starting in 1913. There they played out the remainder of their careers pulling the Central's premier passenger trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central R-Motor</span>

R-Motor was the class designation given by the New York Central one prototype and a later fleet of 42 ALCO-GE built electric freight locomotives for use in the New York Electrified Zone. In conjunction with the P Motors, the Rs marked the second generation of electric locomotives built for the New York Central. Also like the P Motors they used advanced nose suspended traction motors and the R-2s were some of the first North American locomotives to make use of the C-C wheel arrangement, which later became the standard for diesel electric road freight.

The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization directed at supporting the preservation of New Jersey's historical railroad equipment and artifacts for the proposed New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center or in its absence, another railroad museum in New Jersey.

Maine Central Railroad began operating diesel locomotives in 1935, and had retired all steam locomotives by 1954. That time interval was a joint operating period with the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M). This article describes diesel locomotives owned by Maine Central through the period of joint operation and later independent operation prior to Guilford Rail System control in 1981.

References

  1. Cupper, Dan (December 30, 2022). "Two NYC electrics are safe, await relocation to museum". Trains . Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  2. "Rare New York Central Electrics Readied for Move to New Home". 3 November 2023.

Further reading