Steam under wire

I have seen in a few photos in books or on the net showing steam locos under the wires on the Harlem River Branch. What was main reason for this and when did the practice end? The photo in the forum NYW&B/NH West Farms Jct. reminded me of this.

Dunno about the NYNH&H, but a Swiss railroad during WWII couldn't get new electric locomotives for love nor money, and were short on fuel because of the war, so their diesels were useless. So, they put resistive heaters into the boilers of their steam engines, put a pantograph on the roof, and using water-power electricity, boiled the water to make steam under wire. More info: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/L ... coloco.htm

Russ:

Before the wire went up on Hell Gate Bridge; 1918 for the psgr tracks and 1927 for freight, I-4 Pacifics were used between New Haven and the junction with the PRR at SS-2 - Sunnyside Jct where the train was handed off to PRR DD1 3rd rail motors for the trip into NY Station. J-2 Mikes were used on the Bay Ridge freights.
After the wire went up on the NH (NY Connecting RR) to SS-2, EP-2s were used and changed power with DD1s until 1934 when the PRR installed their catenary.
When the wires went up to Bay Ridge, the J-2s were replaced with EF-1s.
Hope this helps.

Another reason for steam under wire, this time at the eastern end of the electrified zone (New York to New Haven), was the Maybrook Line (and the Waterbury Line, too). Both of these routes were nonelectrified, with trains operating over them originating and terminating well within the electrified zone. For the Maybrook Line, Maybrook freights (with L-1 2-10-2 Santa Fes) operated between Devon and Cedar Hill with steam under wire. For the Waterbury Line, passenger trains (with I-2 Pacifics) operated between Bridgeport and Devon under wire, and the freights did likewise to and from Cedar Hill. Also, local freights between Norwalk and Danbury used steam (K-class Moguls); the through freight between Harlem River and Danbury used electric. All these operations lasted to the end of steam, at which time they were replaced with diesel-electrics.

Statkowski wrote: Also, local freights between Norwalk and Danbury used steam (K-class Moguls).

Just to elaborate on this a little: neither the industrial sidings on the Danbury nor the Ridgefield Branch between Branchville and Ridgefield Center were wired-- so, if you were going to do any local switching or service the customers up on the hill, you needed a steam locomotive.

And don't forget the wire train.

In the years between the time the Woodlawn-Stamford-New Haven route was electrified and 1927 when the South Norwalk to Danbury electrification was completed, Danbury and Pittsfield trains to and from New York swapped their steam power for electrics at Stamford.

During the War years and full mobilization, there must have been more steamers under the catenary since every electric loco was probably used to capacity. Other than wire trains did any steam locos venture down to Mount Vernon?

I would think the only steam to venture towards Mt. Vernon would be the wire train.

I remember a picture taken during WW2 of the weed sprayer at New Rochelle, Jct. pulled by steam.

eddiebehr wrote:In the years between the time the Woodlawn-Stamford-New Haven route was electrified and 1927 when the South Norwalk to Danbury electrification was completed, Danbury and Pittsfield trains to and from New York swapped their steam power for electrics at Stamford.

I believe the power change took place at Norwalk, with steam and electric power deadheading between Stamford and Norwalk. Inefficient? Yes indeed it was --- which was one of the biggest reasons for electrifying to Danbury.

BTW the electrification of Danbury was inaugurated June 29, 1925 --- not 1927