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E7 question

Discussion relating to the pre-1983 B&M and MEC railroads. For current operations, please see the Pan Am Railways Forum.

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E7 question

  by jscola30
 
I purchased a model of a Boston and Maine E7 13 years ago. It was my first N scale Boston and Maine loco, and my collection has since grown. I've always wondered, on what lines were these principally run? I realize that might be a huge question. I tried looking, but if this has already been posted somewhere, let me know.

Re: E7 question

  by scottychaos
 
Your question is ambiguous..
Do you mean:
"On what Boston & Maine routes (lines) were Boston & Maine E7 locomotives used?"
or
"What railroads (lines) used EMD E7 locomotives?"

Scot

Re: E7 question

  by jscola30
 
Sorry, the first one, on what B&M lines were E7s used.

Re: E7 question

  by edbear
 
The B & M E7s were pretty much used systemwide. They ran through from Boston to Bangor, ME via both routes between Boston-North Berwick-Portland and via both the Lower and Back Roads on the Maine Central. They ran through to Montreal via both Plymouth, NH and White River Jct. They ran Boston-Troy, NY and Boston-Bellows Falls-White River Jct. I even have an assignment sheet for 1952 which has one covering a Boston-Fitchburg Sunday round-trip. They also covered the State of Maine route, Worcester-Portland. They were most often seen on the 70 mph routes which were Boston-Portland via Haverhill and Boston-Troy, NY. When major cuts in service began in the mid-1950s they could also be seen on the Conn. River, Springfield-White River Jct. and even to Berlin, NH at times. The Maine Central had some E7s which ran on the B & M from time to time and the CPR had a few E units (I think E8s) that ran through to Boston. These units offset the mileage the B & M units ran up off the B & M>

Re: E7 question

  by jaymac
 
How long the assignment was for I don't know since I rode the train only once, but in the Summer of 1958 or '59 there was an E-7(number unrecorded)-hauled local out of Springfield to Greenfield that hauled onto the Loop and backed Fitchburg Division to Greenfield. Supposedly, the train was then to go local to North Station. If that's the case, then there would have been a Boston-Springfield RT loco-hauled train for at least a short period, whether it was under two numbers or four. Mebbe someone's got a public or ETT for the period for better documentation than my semi-century-plus memories.
We got off at Greenfield, explored East Deerfield, and took the afternoon Budds back to North Station. Budds could book.

Re: E7 question

  by drvmusic
 
jaymac wrote:How long the assignment was for I don't know since I rode the train only once, but in the Summer of 1958 or '59 there was an E-7(number unrecorded)-hauled local out of Springfield to Greenfield that hauled onto the Loop and backed Fitchburg Division to Greenfield. Supposedly, the train was then to go local to North Station. If that's the case, then there would have been a Boston-Springfield RT loco-hauled train for at least a short period, whether it was under two numbers or four. Mebbe someone's got a public or ETT for the period for better documentation than my semi-century-plus memories.
We got off at Greenfield, explored East Deerfield, and took the afternoon Budds back to North Station. Budds could book.
I have a video I just bought of the B&M in the 1930's-1950's and in one shot of North Station, there is an MEC E7 pulling out (too distant to see the number), so that may be the one you mentioned.

Re: E7 question

  by jscola30
 
Thank you!

Re: E7 question

  by TomNelligan
 
the CPR had a few E units (I think E8s) that ran through to Boston
Three E8s, CP 1800-1801-1802. They were Canada's only native E-units. They lasted into the 1980s VIA era and spent their later years back in New England as regular power on the Atlantic that crossed Maine in the middle of the night en route between Montreal and the Maritimes.

Re: E7 question

  by edbear
 
E7s also ran the Mountaineer on the Conway Branch from Boston through to Intervale, onto Maine Central through Crawford Notch and back to B & M to turn around at Littleton/Bethlehem, NH. This was one of the first assignments after they were delivered. The train Tom Nelligan mentioned was one of the 90 series mail/express trains between Boston and Springfield. The Post Office was anxious to control spending and worked with the B & M to end most mail transfers through Worcester. The Boston & Albany had a dedicated Springfield-Worcester mail job that connected with a B & M Worcester-Boston via Ayer mail train. The 90s sometimes carried passengers on all legs of their journeys; on some legs they sometimes did not. The 90s ran out of Springfield and over the East Deerfield Loop. Sometimes they backed to Greenfield; other times they just continued on to Boston from the East Deerfield Loop. They ran 1956-58.

Re: E7 question

  by 3rdrail
 
TomNelligan wrote:
the CPR had a few E units (I think E8s) that ran through to Boston
Three E8s, CP 1800-1801-1802. They were Canada's only native E-units. They lasted into the 1980s VIA era and spent their later years back in New England as regular power on the Atlantic that crossed Maine in the middle of the night en route between Montreal and the Maritimes.
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