In 1964, EMD's GP-35 introduced the carbody design that is still used on EMD freight locomotives. The GP-35's turbocharged 16 cylinder 567B engine produced 2500 horsepower.
Conrail's 219 GP-35s were one of the more diverse group of second generation power inherited from the predecessors. 147 units came from the Penn Central (116 from the PRR and 31 from the NYC). 37 came from the Reading Company and 36 came from the Erie Lackawanna. Like their turbocharged 567 engined brethren, the GP-20's and GP-30's, the GP-35's were inefficient and went into storage as soon as traffic dipped. Most were retired by the early 1990's, the last units seeing service in 1994 or 1995.
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Ex-RDG GP-35 3628 leads a loaded coal train east at Valley Forge, Pa. in the Spring of 1979. The Reading Main Line is still four tracks, and the cars in the background belong to commuters who ride the SEPTA RDCs into Reading Terminal. SEPTA ran RDC service to Reading and Pottsville, Pa. until early 1983. Photo by Mike Szilagyi |
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Ex-PC GP-35 2336 blasts upgrade west of the Horseshoe Curve on July 7, 1979. The cloud of smoke belching out of the locomotive gives some hint to how hard it is working, and the amount of maintenance it receives. |
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Ex-RDG GP-35 3635 at the west end of Allentown Yard on March 31, 1983 |
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GP-35 2258 (PRR 2258, 05/64) drifts through Allentown Yard in October, 1991. |
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Conrail GP-35 3662 (originally EL 2556, 9/64) is running out its last miles around Allentown, Pa. September 24, 1994 |