The "Erie-built" units had the 10 cylinder O.P. engine, and so were rated at 2000 hp, right? Or so the railfan literature (and also contemporary trade press articles) says.
Go to the New York Central locomotive diagrams at George Elwood's marvelous "Fallen Flags" rail picture (etc) site. The New York Central rated them at 1750. (This is with the original engines: Erie-builts with EMD 16-567C are another matter.)
I think I have read somewhere that the control system on the Erie-builts made the power output dependent on ambient temperature. (Not sure which way-- my guess is that colder air is denser, so allows more fuel to be burned so gives more power.) So, did the New York Central's motive power people-- cautious professionals that they were-- just give the most conservative (mid-July?) anticipated rating? Or is there more to it?
Go to the New York Central locomotive diagrams at George Elwood's marvelous "Fallen Flags" rail picture (etc) site. The New York Central rated them at 1750. (This is with the original engines: Erie-builts with EMD 16-567C are another matter.)
I think I have read somewhere that the control system on the Erie-builts made the power output dependent on ambient temperature. (Not sure which way-- my guess is that colder air is denser, so allows more fuel to be burned so gives more power.) So, did the New York Central's motive power people-- cautious professionals that they were-- just give the most conservative (mid-July?) anticipated rating? Or is there more to it?