MU's GALORE !!

Not too many PRR MP's survived. Nor too many LIRR's and NYC's and NH's either. RDG had quite a few picked up by tourists lines. But the best answer proffered so far is that there were so many DL&W cars at the same time and at the right time and at the right price. While you can count the number of LIRR, NYC, and NH cars on your two hands, you need your feet to count the RDG's. You need much more to count the DL&W cars although you can probably count the number of places you'll find them on your hands. And feet.

That's true Henry,

Timing was everything, and the right price just made everything line up.
It's a shame we lost so many PRR, LIRR, NH, and other EMU's but the Edison cars look great behind steam or early diesels at museum. Sad but true another 2 LIRR MP class cars have been cut up.

When the cars were retired and sold off for other use was friction bearings still permitted for interchange?

What does GMRR run? Those look like former CNJ commuter cars but I'm not sure.

Former DL&W 2321, now CMRR 701, continues in service at the CMRR:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 424235.jpg


Former DL&W 2332, now CMRR 702. is nearing completion, expected to be in service this fall:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 023905.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 023830.jpg


Former DL&W 2322, now CMRR 703, will be retrieved from storage this fall and most likely be the next car to be restored:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 056021.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 146186.jpg


EH

How do you go about removing that paint? does it have led? I would believe it does if any of it is original. How is it that other MP54 class cars were left out in the open with some windows intact and still rotted to pieces and had holes in the floor, to a point where is was scrapped?
It seems that these D&LW cars were built to last.

EH, those are cool pictures, but I meant GMRR as in Green Mountain RR.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 23&nseq=28
As in, second car back.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 99&nseq=35
Or all cars in this picture.

Tadman, those are CNJ 1300-series cars, built as "steam-hauled" cars in the early 1930s. They were very similar to the RDG MUs of the same era, and the CNJ cars were designed for application of electrical gear and traction motors should the CNJ electrify their commuter operation. That never happened, and the cars ran until the early 1980s as loco-hauled, steam-heated cars. Lights were head-end powered from a generator on the locomotive (the CNJ steam locos had a genset on the tender; the diesels had an aux genset under the hood).

The 1300-series cars are good, strong passenger cars, with nice cast-frame trucks. Only real weakness in their small 5" x 5" Sharon couplers, parts for which are unavailable.

Here is a current list of surviving MU cars:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Lackawanna_MU_Cars

At least 96 of 141 trailers survive, and 59 of 141 motors.

EH

eehiv wrote:Here is a current list of surviving MU cars:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Lackawanna_MU_Cars

At least 96 of 141 trailers survive, and 59 of 141 motors.

EH

Thanks for finding this!! This is great!!

A shame that none of the motors are run under their own power anymore. Since they're 1500vDC, they could run at a place like IRM or ETER with some minor modification, as do historic CSS and IC motors.

These are all 1500vDC motors running on 600vDC museums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikjk3nE4vpI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teuv_ySVEa4

Tadman,

Yes, it is a damn shame, but NJ never had and probably never will get a Railroad and Transportation museum, so it is a long shot.. Perhaps the car up in Steamtown (DL&W 2505) could be rebuilt, but they would have to string wire, which would probably cost millions in total.

Doesn't steamtown have a nearby trolley line? Most trolley museum operators of heavy-rail cars put a trolley pole on in place of the pan, meaning the cars can run on much simpler overhead electrification. East Troy did this for their CSS cars, and IRM does this for their CTA cars which would otherwise need 3rd rail. I think the museum up in Maine has done this for subway cars, too.