Pennsylvania Railroad class E2b

Pennsylvania Railroad E2b
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder General Electric Build date 1952 Total produced 6
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  AAR B-B  •  UIC Bo'Bo' Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Electric system/s 11 kV, 25 Hz AC Current pickup(s) Pantograph Transmission AC current fed via transformer tap changers to AC traction motors.
Performance figures Maximum speed 65 mph (105 km/h) Power output 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) Tractive effort 35,400 lbf (157 kN)
Career Operators Pennsylvania Railroad Class E2b Numbers 4939–4944 Scrapped 1964

Pennsylvania Railroad class E2b comprised six experimental B-B electric locomotives built for the railroad by General Electric.

In 1952 the Pennsylvania Railroad took delivery of eight experimental locomotives:

• 4 locomotives of the class E2b with the road numbers #4939–#4942 built by General Electric
• 2 locomotives of the class E2c with the road numbers #4995 and #4996 built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton & Westinghouse
• 2 locomotives of the class E3b the road numbers #4997 and #4998 built by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton & Westinghouse ^[1]

GE built two demonstrators to show the Great Northern Railway. These two were sold to the PRR in March 1953 and numbered #4943–#4944. ^[1]

The class E2b locomotives were commonly used in three pairs. Like most previous PRR electric locomotives, they were straight AC-powered, and did not use rectifiers. Because of this, they could work in multiple with existing PRR locomotives, and generally did so with class P5a. ^[1]

The locomotives were scrapped in 1964.

Notes

1. Staufer & Pennypacker 1962 , pp. 300–301

References

• Middleton, William D. (2002). The Pennsylvania Railroad - Under Wire (1st ed.). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN   978-0-89024-617-7.
• Staufer, Alvin F.; Pennypacker, Bert (1962). Pennsy Power: Steam and Electric Locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad, 1900-1957. Research by Martin Flattley. Carollton, Ohio: Alvin F. Staufer. ISBN   978-0-9445-1304-0.
• Volkmer, William D. (1991). Pennsy Electric Years. Edison, New Jersey: Morning Sun Books, Inc. pp. 30, 126. ISBN   978-1-878887-01-6.