The EMD F series was designed to haul road freight. Production of F series started with the 1250 horsepower FT model in 1939. Production ran through the 1350 horsepower F3, the 1500 horsepower F7, and ended with the 1750 horsepower F9 in 1960. In addition, dual Freight/Passenger FP7 and FP9 models were produced, along with the unique dual power FL9's for use in the New York area.
The EMD E series was built for passenger service. Production started in 1935 with the EA for the B&O. After the Second World War, The railroads purchased hundreds of E7, E8, and E9's as they modernized their trains in the postwar streamliner fever.
Both E and F Units came in A or cab units, and B or booster units. A units have the familiar EMD "bulldog" nose. B units have no engineer controls, and resemble passenger cars. Early on, 3 (A-B-A) and 4 (A-B-B-A) semi-permanently coupled configurations of units were considered a single locomotive. It was soon discovered that this was quite inefficient. If only one unit was down, why should two or three others sit idle? By the early 1960s, the drawbars were replaced with couplers and MU gear was added to all units to make them interchangeable.
The EMD F7 was THE quintessential American diesel locomotive. Conrail inherited a fleet of 111 F7 A's. 100 came from the Penn Central, all but four from the New York Central. 11 units came from the Erie Lackawanna, 5 of DL&W origin, 6 from the Erie.
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Ex-PC F7 1707 at Lehighton, Pa. July 29, 1978 |
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Ex-PC F7 1707 with brand new B23-7 1917 at Lehighton, Pa. July 29, 1978 |
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Ex-PC F7 1707 with GP9 7241 getting ready to leave Lehighton, Pa. July 29, 1978 |
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Ex-PC F7 1707 leads the train west past the site of the Lehigh Valley passenger station in East Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe), Pa. July 29, 1978. |
Conrail inherited 57 E8A units. 34 came from the Penn Central, 23 from the Erie Lackawanna. The 2400 horsepower generated by an E8 came from two 1200 hp. 567 engines,. From the time of its formation in 1976 until 1983, Conrail ran commuter passenger service in New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and other areas. Most of these locomotives were used in that service. The Erie-Lackawanna also used E units in its successful Piggyback service.
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Erie Lackawanna E8 826, originally Erie 826 (2-51), never received its Conrail number (4015) before being banished to the Altoona, Pa. Dead Line. July 7, 1979. |