PRR E44
The class E44 of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR ) were procured 66 1960-1963 electric locomotives from General Electric.
History
1959 signed the PRR for 32 million U.S. dollars in a long-term lease agreement with General Electric 66 piece E44 rectifier freight locomotives.
These locomotives to replace the aging P5a locomotives. They were derived from EL -C locomotive delivered some years earlier Virginian Railway and resembled the then -built diesel locomotives very strong.
Even before the last E44 was delivered, the progress in the rectifier technology allowed an improvement of the locomotive. The Ignitron rectifier had, in fact always had problems with the ignition circuit and the water cooling. 37, the supplied E44 was therefore equipped with an air-cooled silicon diode rectifiers, which eliminated the above-mentioned disadvantages, and moreover allowed a significant increase in efficiency. The E44 with silicon rectifier was so successful that the last five units of the same order have been equipped and thus had a power output of 5000 HP ( 3728 kW). They were called E44A. Gradually add the remaining E44 were converted to E44A.
The E44 were extremely successful. The 66 locomotives were provided for the replacement of all 92 P5a locomotives. In use already showed the first E44 that they were able to provide more than one and half times the traction power P5a. In severe service before ore and coal trains even the not converted E44 capable, 20 % were to carry heavier trains than the P5a or the GG1. The availability was already during the introductory period at 92 %. During the first years of service, the cost of maintenance over the P5a were only a third as large and only a quarter of that of diesel locomotives in the same service.
The locomotives remained in the successor companies Penn Central and Conrail in use. Only with the separation of freight and passenger transport in the Northeast Corridor from the late 1970s reduced the stakes of the locomotives. After their Conrail freight trains led completely from 1981 on the non-electrified lines of the former Reading Company and the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the E44 was parked.
Eight locomotives were sold to NJ Transit. Since it was dedicated freight locomotives, they were unfit for passenger service. Why did not you come to the NJ Transit for use in 1986 and sold to Amtrak. There she received the course numbers 500-507 and were retired by 1991.
The locomotive with the number 4465 in 1991 donated to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and is now shown in its delivery condition.
Design features
Electrical Construction
The 11 kV 25 Hz AC voltage of the overhead line was fed through a main transformer and twelve Ignitron mercury - arc rectifier the six GE -752 traction motors. The traction motors were identical to those of diesel-electric locomotives.
In contrast to the former PRR locomotives, the drives were designed as a nose-suspended drive. The locomotives also had an electric brake. She had a continuous output of 4400 HP ( 3281 kW) and a maximum starting tractive effort of 89,000 lbs ( 427 kN).
Mechanical Design
The locomotive body is based on two three-axle bogies with nose-suspended drive. Achsstände the range between the outer and the central axis 1753 mm, while it is between the middle and the inner axle 2210 mm.
The cabin is located on one of the trucks and bears two pantographs. It is wider than the other assemblies, so that a good view of the track on both sides is possible. The existing structures on both sides of the vehicles are higher than the cab and extend to the buffer beam. On both sides of the superstructure on the frame a catwalk exist, the link the four ascent stairs that are located in the buffer beam. The cab has front side doors which lead onto the catwalks. Since the structures are rectangular and no tapers are present, the locomotive has a rectangular appearance. Therefore, they were also called bricks.