What was the last new power delivered to PC?

[Otto Vondrak]

What was the last new power delivered to PC? SD45's?

-otto-

[LCJ]

My guess would not be SD45s. More likely the GP38-2s and U23Bs. After bankruptcy, PC's trustees would only approve lower-cost, low-hp units. It was during this period (post-bust, pre-Conrail) that the ill-conceived, long hood lead (pain-in-butt to operate) U23Bs were delivered in PC livery from the folks in Erie.

[Legio X]

These were low-short hood, but set up to run long-hood forward? I have PC U-23B in HO scale, #2760. Should I be running it long-hood forward?

[LCJ]

These were low-short hood, but set up to run long-hood forward?

Yes -- low short (very short) hood. The engineer's control stand was on the opposite side from where it was on previous units of this class -- and, of course, facing the other way.

I have PC U-23B in HO scale, #2760. Should I be running it long-hood forward?

Well...we usually ran them short hood leading if forced to use them as "leaders," even though technically it was going "backwards." It meant the engineer had to sit sideways, looking over the shoulder out the short hood end. If you ran them frontwards, the vision was reduced dramatically from either side of the cab -- and the brakeman in the middle (yes, we had three in the cab most often then) saw nothing but the control panel, or looked out the back.

If your model is correct (I don't recall the numbers of these beasts) it should have the little white letter "F" on the long hood end near the steps.

U23Bs really weren't much of a locomotive to begin with. This foolish long-hood-lead idea (promulgated, no doubt, by someone who had never even been on a locomotive, much less operated one) made them less than comfortable for crews. If we could, we'd bury them in the consist. I miss them about as much as any older GE unit (not at all).

[TerryC]

Too bad the Penn Central did not purchase SD40-2's. Those were too high horsepowered so Penn Central's trustees would not permit their purchase I guess. I am pretty sure the SD38's were the last new (6 axled) units delivered

keep asking keep learning
http://trainiaxindex.cjb.net/

[LCJ]

I am pretty sure the SD38's were the last new (6 axled) units delivered.

Quite so -- about the same time as the U23Cs. Both models had the same purpose: classification yard service (hump and pullout). The GE units were used in Selkirk, Buffalo, and Enola (replacing ex-PRR Alco RSD12s and RSD15s), while the SDs were put to work in the western part of the system to supplement the ex-PRR SD9s that were still in service when Conrail came to be.

No surprise the SD38s are still active (with MT-6 slugs using the trucks of the SD9s and cut-down carbodies of the RSDs), while the U-boats are but a memory.

[Allen Hazen]

The U23B set up to have the long hood forward were the second order, 2750-2776. The president of PC at the time they were ordered had previously worked for the Southern, which specified long-hood forward set-up (and high short hoods) on all or most of its roadswitcher-type locomotives.

[LCJ]

Thanks for the information, Allen. I remember now about the Southern connection (Mr. Moore?) on those units. I believe it was the losses that road experienced from trains colliding with loaded log trucks (deadly for crews on low, shorthood end) on unprotected rural crossings at grade that caused those specifications to be made.

As "they" say, generals are always fighting the previous war.

[SSW9389]

The last deliveries to PC from EMD that I can find are for GP38-2s #8154-8162 built in October 1973 and SW1500s #9560-9583 built in September and Ocotober 1973. This data is from A J Kristopans EMD Serial Number webpage.

What is the delivery date on the GEs?

[LCJ]

Withers's Conrail Motive Power Review shows PC U23B 2776 build date of 10/73.

By the way, the GP38-2s delivered in October 1973 (#8154-8162) were also set up with the long hood as the leading end.

[brokenrail]

What was the last new power delivered to PC? SD45's?

-otto-

The SD45's were early PC units. Most were PRR (130 units 6105-6234?) delivered just prior to the merger. Five (6235-6239?) were delivered after the merger (8/68?) but may have even been ordered by PRR. Any EMD after 1972 would have been a dash 2 which certainly puts the GP38-2's later than SD45's. I remember the new U23C's switching Selkirk in impressive 4500hp, 12 axle pairs trimming the bowl at the east end. Not too shabby power for a switch job.

My source for the SD45's is a little shakey but I think pretty close.

[LCJ]

I remember the new U23C's switching Selkirk in impressive 4500hp, 12 axle pairs trimming the bowl at the east end. Not too shabby power for a switch job.

Not a big deal, but the U23Cs were never used in pairs on the East end. East end "pullers" were single U23C units only, operated with the front facing West (in later years they were turned around due to engineers running them off the end of drill tracks too often -- DOH!).

Hump jobs were, however, made up of two U23Cs. 6714 and 6716 (equipped with hump signals) were the units most often used for controlling those sets -- both units in the pairs facing East, the controlling unit on the West end of the consists. Humpers sometimes did "trim the bowl," but always from the West end of the class tracks.

[RSD15]

i believe the last 6 axle units delivered would be SD-40s,6240-6284 in 12-70--01-1971. the SD-38s came in 4-70 and U-23Cs in 10,11,1970. 4 axles how about P@LE MP15s 1584-1598 in 5,6 1975,would they count? charles

[SRS125]

New Power brought into the loop for all the following railroads taken in by Conrail in 1976:

Reading Lines:
VO1000M's (AKA SW1200M's)
GP39-2's
GP40-2's
SW1001's
MP15DC's

Erie Lackawanna
U34CH's
U36C's
SDP45's
SD45-2's
F3A & F3B's

Lehigh Valley
GP18's
GP38AC's

Lehigh & Hudson River
C420's

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
AS-16's
S-8

Ironton Railroad
DS-4-4-1000

Central Of New Jersey
GP40P's

Niagara Junction
E10's

Penn Central
SD45's
RS3MOD's
GP-20M's (Deturbo Charged)
RSD-12 & RS-3 Slug Monther & Slug Set (DeWitt Shops)

Info from Conrail Motive Power Review Vol: 1
by Gordon Lioyd, Jr. and Louis A. Marre.

[brokenrail]

I remember the new U23C's switching Selkirk in impressive 4500hp, 12 axle pairs trimming the bowl at the east end. Not too shabby power for a switch job.

Not a big deal, but the U23Cs were never used in pairs on the East end. East end "pullers" were single U23C units only, operated with the front facing West (in later years they were turned around due to engineers running them off the end of drill tracks too often -- DOH!).

Hump jobs were, however, made up of two U23Cs. 6714 and 6716 (equipped with hump signals) were the units most often used for contolling those sets -- both units in the pairs facing East, the controlling unit on the West end of the consists. Humpers sometimes did "trim the bowl," but always from the West end of the class tracks.

I searched my old photos and couldn't find anything to back up my memory. Either I witnessed a fluke or my memory is shot. Likely the later.