Maine Central (MEC) F3A/B and E7A Locomotives

[RGlueck]

1966 Inside the Waterville scrapyard. This F3a was involved in the Oakland wreck. I think it might have been the last F3A on the property. Unlike the others, which were traded in on U18B's, this locomotive was stripped of parts, soaked in kerosene, burned out, and cut up. I add the image here just to help round out the discussion of MEC cab units. Picture taken with my father's Argus C3.
Them were the days!

[eustis22]

Why burn it?

[gokeefe]

I was wondering the same and the only answer I could come up with was something to do with the scrapping process. The weight of the paint and other coatings could artificially increase scrap weights. It might have been a condition of sale to their scrap metal vendor.

[Cowford]

A slight correction to Mr Glueck's post. The F-units were traded in for GP-38s. The U-18s were picked up from a cancelled SCL order in 1975, IIRC.

[RGlueck]

I stand corrected, and quite correctly so. I believe the Blomberg trucks off the F3's were reused on some Maine Central locomotives.
Burning the paint and linings of Diesel locomotive was a standard practice, but was likely halted by the EPA or other agency. In essence, burning the car body left only steel behind.

[Dick H]

Seems doubtful that burning "out" locomotives would be allowed today.
At least in NH, even local fire departments have to obtain a state
issued permit to burn old buildings for training and any and all haz-mat
materials must be removed prior to the burn. Also, the possible
negative effects on adjacent property must be taken into consideration.
Should the weather conditions direct the smoke onto adjacent property,
causing complaints from said property owners or tenants, the fire must
be immediately extinguished.

[RGlueck]

MEC E7A enroute to buyer John Egan photo
J Egan MEC E7003.jpg (181.38 KiB) Viewed 7938 times

My friend John B. Egan, was not only a GTR conductor, but a railfan as well. Here is a picture of an MEC E7a, enroute to the KCS. Picture is at Danville Junction, I believe.

[RGlueck]

Second picture of same E7A.

[gokeefe]

Worth noting this "roster" of MEC E7 engines sold to KCS at the following link:

Road No., Model, Date Built, Horsepower, Previous No., Disposition
6 (L&A), E7, 6/1946, 2000, MEC 705, Not Known
7 (L&A), E7, 6/1946, 2000, MEC 706, Traded to EMD
11 (L&A), E7, 6/1946, 2000, MEC 707, Traded to EMD
12 (L&A), E7, 6/1946, 2000, MEC 708, Not Known
20, E7, 7/1948, 2000, MEC 709, Traded to EMD

All of the above matches the wiki.

[SSW9389]

The EMD Service Department Locomotive Reference Data for January 1, 1959 is revealing. The B&M E7s #3804-3815 and MEC 705-708 were built on the same EMD order E670 in June 1946. The units had identical gearing and electrical plans. Each unit was equipped with a 2250 pound per hour steam generator.

The 1948 units for B&M and MEC were built on different orders, but had the same gearing and 3000 pound per hour steam generator. The units were built with different electrical plans.

The MEC F3s built in December 1947, 671AB-672AB each had a 1600 pound per hour steam generator installed.

Ed in Kentucky

[gokeefe]

Interesting that the F3s were passenger capable. I did not realize that.

[jaymac]

The racehorses got Boston-Troy, Boston-Portland, sometimes Boston-Montréal, and sometimes Springfield-Montréal name trains. For slower schedules, various steam-generator Fs and in warmer seasons, non-steam generator Fs -- even FTs -- would catch secondary assignments.

[jbvb]

A friend asked me for information about MEC F-3s. But I'm stumped by steam generators. The MEC roster in RR History #152 doesn't mention them. Ed and web sites and articles I found say 671A/B and 672 A/B had them. But I don't find photographic evidence. Photos of the A units in later years (green paint) show no steam generator. I can't find a photo of the B units showing the roof. If this order followed B&M practice, only the B units would have had steam generators, as they had room for a boiler water tank. It's also said that the F-3s weren't used in passenger service much after maybe 1950, so they might have had their steam generators removed.

Anyone know the facts?

[SSW921]

The F-Unit Tally in the February-March 1970 issue of Extra 2200 South shows that MEC 671AB-672AB were passenger units. The Maine Central Roster in Issue #86 of Extra 2200 South states that MEC 671AB and 672AB were steam generator equipped. The roster also notes on a photo of a pair of the old F3s that the units spent most of their time in freight service.

Ed in Kentucky

[jbvb]

I've been informed that the only F-3s with steam generators were 671B and 672B.