PRR E44

The E44 was an electric, rectifier-equipped locomotive built by GE for the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) between 1960 and 1963. They survived through the PRR and its successors (Penn Central and Conrail) until Conrail abandoned its electric operations in the early 1980s. They were acquired by Amtrak and NJ Transit, where they lived short lives; all were retired by the mid-80s. Amtrak #502 (PRR & PC #4465) is preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, restored to its PRR paint (Brunswick green with the PRR's Keystone logo).

The Pennsylvania Railroad

By the late 1950s, with its P5a fleet aging, The Pennsylvania needed new electric freight locomotives. The GG1s would have done well, but the PRR needed them for passenger trains. It had looked at E2b, E3b, and E3c prototypes but was not particularly impressed. As it had years before in the development of the GG-1, it turned to its neighbor the New Haven Railroad for inspiration. The New Haven had just acquired twelve former Virginian Railroad GE E33s from Norfolk and Western (who had bought the Virginian in 1960), and were happy with them. The PRR then went to General Electric (GE), the maker of the E33s, about a similar locomotive for the Pennsylvania.

The E44 was essentially a more powerful version of the E33, with convert|4400|hp|MW|lk=on compared to the E33's convert|3300|hp|MW. Twenty-two locomotives were upgraded to E44a specification, with convert|5000|hp|MW|1. The upgrade consisted of replacing the original Ignitron rectifiers with solid state devices, technology not available when the E44s were built, and the original traction motors with 833 horsepower motors. Not surprisingly, like the E33, it was considered by many to be an ugly locomotive. "Brutish", "Beefy", and most of all "Brick", were used to describe it. Although there are subtle differences in appearances between the two locomotives, the most noticeable is the pantograph. The E33 had a double-arm pantograph, whereas the E44 had a single-arm pantograph.

The Pennsylvania used the E44s on just about any freight assignment imaginable, on all of its electrified lines. They could work both singly or in teams. They quickly proved to be very versatile and could handle just about anything. They even occasionally hauled passengers, although being geared for only 70 mph (112 km/h), they were not very adept at this.

Penn Central and Conrail

After the 1968 Penn Central merger, the E44s remained in freight service. Apart from now venturing onto former New Haven tracks, the E44s did nothing remarkable during this time. The paint scheme for most was Penn Central black with the "mating worms" logo. One wore the short-lived "red-P" logo, with the 'P' in the logo red instead of white.

In 1976, they were passed to the newly-formed Conrail. Again, the E44s did nothing remarkable. However things abruptly changed when Conrail eliminated their remaining electrification (most of it had gone to Amtrak anyway), in the early 1980s. They were painted blue with Conrail's white "wheel on rail" logo.

Amtrak and NJ Transit

Despite their versatility, the E44's were suddenly about to be used in something they were never intended for: passenger service. Amtrak and New Jersey Transit, both short of electric locomotives, saw in the E44's an opportunity to obtain some at bargain-basement prices

Amtrak painted them in its standard switcher paint (gray body with black lettering), and switching work was mostly what they ended up doing. They did this adeptly for a some years, until Amtrak decided maintaining these aging locomotives was not worth it. It is not certain what happened to most of them, although it is believed they were scrapped (except #502).

It is not certain what exactly NJ Transit was looking for, but it evidently was not the E44. All (although some may have been scrapped) were sold to Amtrak. Like many of NJ Transit's second-hand locomotives, their paint scheme was the previous owner (Conrail)'s herald being painted out, and "NJDOT" (New Jersey Department of Transportation) written below the number.

References

* [http://pc.smellycat.com/docs/equip/roster.html/ Penn Central Locomotive Roster]
* [http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/about/roster/motive.htm/ RR Museum of Pennsylvania]
* Schafer, Mike & Solomon, Brian; "Pennsylvania Railroad" (The primary source for this article.)