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  • #1

    Question about the E8/E9

    I have a Proto 2000 E8 I bought a few years back as I was accumulating a few locos . I have both earlier diesels as well as steam for my layout . I like the way the E8 runs but came to find out it was for passenger use . I don't model passenger trains ...strictly freight .

    I realize I could " make up a story " for the layout and run the loco as I see fit , BUT ....where there instances of the E8 pulling freight ? Were there dummy units involved ? I just have an ' A ' unit .

    Any suggestions on this ?

    Thanks , Terry
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  • #2
    Terry, the E-Units were built for speed, not tractive effort, and therefore I don't recall ever seeing these used in any freight service. It is all in the gearing of the loco's, which made all the difference. Were there roads that used these for frieght? That is a good question. I'd be willing to bet there were as there are exceptions to every rule, but off hand I'm not familiar with any. Maybe someone here can offer some additional insight.

    I'm not sure what you mean by 'dummy' units, but since you say you 'just have an A unit', I presume you mean 'B' units, and yes, there were E 8 A/B units.
    Mark

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    • #3
      Actually a E8 could pull freight at speed I have seen pictures of Es on short freight trains.There is no dummy prototype units.

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      • #4
        Yeah , Mark , I meant 'B' unit . Poor choice of words on my part ....I'm thinking 'dummy' for the unpowered models we have .

        Thanks for that Larry , as I'm trying to be somewhat accurate but not rivet counting . It's like when I assigned a two truck Shay to my steel mill . About 99% of the Shays were used for logging but there was evidence of a Shay at a steel mill in Seattle area many decades ago , so I felt a little relieved .

        Terry

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        • #5
          Erie Lackawanna ran E8's in freight service when Amtrak took over. They may have run some PA's also in freight service. One picture I remember seeing was 3 E8 A units tearing across country in the snow pulling a piggy back train. Neat looking for sure.

          Greg

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          • #6
            Thanks guys . If you happen to come across any pictures pertaining to our discussion , please give me a heads up . It will be much appreciated .

            Terry

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            • #7
              Hey Terry, your comment about the shay used in a Seattle steel mill caught my attention, since I live in the Seattle area. Can you give me any more info on that? I'd like to nose around a little about that.

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              • #8
                Terry,A lot modelers don't know Shays,Climax,Heislers was also used by stone quarries,sand quarries,coal mines and shortlines.

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                • #9
                  Al , I went on a site a couple of years ago that listed info on all known Shays . You can probably Google for it under Shay or Shays as I recall . If I remember right , it was Olympia Steel in Seattle , but I'm not 100%.

                  T

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                  • #10
                    E units can be used on freight, but they are normally geared for passenger speeds so have a high continuous speed. If you lug with them the traction motors will overheat and be damaged. They have to pull relatively short, high speed trains. Intermodal or a perishable train might be appropriate. Also E units have 2000 hp spread over 6 axles but only 4 are powered, so the weight on drivers may be less than a 4 axle engine.

                    The UP used some leased Amtrak F40's on rock trains in Texas during one power crunch a decade or so ago, they were short trains in relatively flat territory on short runs.

                    Dave H.
                    Dave Husman



                    Iron Men and wooden cars

                    Visit my website : www.wnbranch.com

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                    • #11
                      I found a pic of an E8 that doesn't appear to be a passenger run but can't really tell for sure .




                      T

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                      • #12
                        That B&O is either a passenger or express/mail.

                        The last visible car is a baggage car. Mail and express trains could have lots of express box and reefers.

                        Roads that used E's in freight service more that just a special event were BAR EL UP MILW PRR PC RI FW&D IC. Most often the E's were used on higher speed lighter trains like pigs and containers. Milw used E's on #98-99 between Chicago and Twin Cities pigs. BAR used their E7 on mixed freight and even went through the trouble to regear and change wheels to better size for freight. EL used on mixed freights, many showed up at Bensenville or Galewood Milw RR yards.
                        TREBOR

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                        • #13
                          Oh yeah, at least once PRR used an E7 as a local freight loco longend first, between Indy? and points south?, a picture is in a Sweetland 4 Ways West book.
                          TREBOR

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                          • #14
                            Terry, as a side note,you say you're running both steam and diesel, the transition period, E units would be new then , probally not used for freight service. Most roads that used the e's later when they dropped passenger service(Erie-Lackawana) or double duty as high speed frieghts on short trains. The New Haven used PA's that way on their shoreline route.mike h.

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