PRR E44
Encyclopedia
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).
fleet aging, The Pennsylvania needed new electric freight locomotives. The GG1
s would have done well, but the PRR needed them for passenger trains. It had looked at E2b
, E2c, and E3b
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 Railway
VGN EL-C
s 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 EL-Cs (now classified as E33s), about a similar locomotive for the Pennsylvania.
The E44 was essentially a more powerful version of the E33, with 4400 hp compared to the E33's 3300 hp. Twenty-two locomotives were upgraded to E44a specification, with 5000 hp. 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 hp 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 one double-arm pantograph, whereas the E44 had two single-arm pantographs.
The Pennsylvania used the E44s on just about any freight assignment imaginable, on all of its electrified lines. They could work both singly or lashed together in MU's. 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.
In 1976, they were passed to the newly-formed Conrail. However, things abruptly changed when Conrail eliminated their remaining electrification in the early 1980s. They were painted blue with Conrail's white "wheel on rail" logo.
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. Many were stored at Wilmington Shops in Wilmington, DE during the early to mid 1990 and they were eventually scrapped.
It is not certain what exactly NJ Transit was looking for, but it evidently was not the E44. All 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.
constructed 38 E44's with engine numbers 4400-4437, and an additional 6 E44's with road numbers 4460-4465. GE
subsequently upgraded some the units to an E44a designation, boasting 5,000 horsepower. The 22 E44a's were numbered 4438-4459. By the late 1960s, General Electric
constructed two upgraded 5,000 horsepower (25,000 volt, 60 cycle) units of the same E44 body style (known as E50C's) for the Muskingum Electric Railroad
, a private coal-carrying railroad owned by American Electric Power
. Until it closed in 2002, MERR shuttled coal in two automated consists from the mine to a powerplant at Relief, Ohio (across from Beverly, OH).
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(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
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
and NJ Transit, where they lived short lives; all were retired by the mid-80s. Amtrak #502 (PRR & PC #4465)
PRR 4465
Pennsylvania Railroad class E44 numbered 4465 is a preserved electric locomotive.-PRR and PC Years:The 4465 was built by General Electric in 1963. When it arrived on the Pennsylvania Railroad's roster it was pressed into freight service. It was a common site on the Northeast Corridor and the...
is preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a railroad museum in Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.The museum is located on the east side of Strasburg along Pennsylvania Route 741...
, restored to its PRR paint (Brunswick green with the PRR's Keystone logo).
The Pennsylvania Railroad
By the late 1950s, with its P5aPRR P5
The Pennsylvania Railroad's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931–1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric....
fleet aging, The Pennsylvania needed new electric freight locomotives. The GG1
PRR GG1
The PRR GG1 is a class of electric locomotives that was built for the Pennsylvania Railroad for use in the northeastern United States. A total of 140 GG1s were constructed by its designer General Electric and the Pennsylvania's Altoona Works from 1934 to 1943....
s would have done well, but the PRR needed them for passenger trains. It had looked at E2b
PRR E2b
Pennsylvania Railroad class E2b comprised six experimental B-B electric locomotives built for the railroad by General Electric.In 1952 the Pennsylvania Railroad took delivery of eight experimental locomotives, four from Westinghouse and four from General Electric. GE also built two demonstrators to...
, E2c, and E3b
PRR E3b
Pennsylvania Railroad class E3b comprised a pair of experimental B-B-B or Bo-Bo-Bo electric locomotives. The bodywork and running gear was produced by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton while the electrical equipment was provided by Westinghouse, who also acted as the main contractor.In 1952 and 1953 the...
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 Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
VGN EL-C
VGN EL-C
The Virginian EL-C was a type of electric locomotive built for the Virginian Railway by General Electric in August of 1955. They were the first successful production locomotives to use Ignitron rectifier technology...
s 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 EL-Cs (now classified as E33s), about a similar locomotive for the Pennsylvania.
The E44 was essentially a more powerful version of the E33, with 4400 hp compared to the E33's 3300 hp. Twenty-two locomotives were upgraded to E44a specification, with 5000 hp. The upgrade consisted of replacing the original Ignitron
Ignitron
An ignitron is a type of controlled rectifier dating from the 1930s. Invented by Joseph Slepian while employed by Westinghouse, Westinghouse was the original manufacturer and owned trademark rights to the name "Ignitron"....
rectifiers with solid state devices, technology not available when the E44s were built, and the original traction motors with 833 hp 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
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
. The E33 had one double-arm pantograph, whereas the E44 had two single-arm pantographs.
The Pennsylvania used the E44s on just about any freight assignment imaginable, on all of its electrified lines. They could work both singly or lashed together in MU's. 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 venturing onto former New Haven tracks, the E44s did nothing remarkable during this time. The paint scheme for most units was Penn Central black with the "worms in love" 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. However, things abruptly changed when Conrail eliminated their remaining electrification 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 needed power at bargain-basement pricesAmtrak 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. Many were stored at Wilmington Shops in Wilmington, DE during the early to mid 1990 and they were eventually scrapped.
It is not certain what exactly NJ Transit was looking for, but it evidently was not the E44. All 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.
Construction Variants
General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
constructed 38 E44's with engine numbers 4400-4437, and an additional 6 E44's with road numbers 4460-4465. GE
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
subsequently upgraded some the units to an E44a designation, boasting 5,000 horsepower. The 22 E44a's were numbered 4438-4459. By the late 1960s, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
constructed two upgraded 5,000 horsepower (25,000 volt, 60 cycle) units of the same E44 body style (known as E50C's) for the Muskingum Electric Railroad
Muskingum Electric Railroad
The Muskingum Electric Railroad was a private coal-carrying railroad owned by American Electric Power, and started operation in 1968. MERR shuttled coal in two trains from the mine to a powerplant at Relief, Ohio , a distance of 20 miles. The trains were driverless and powered by automated General...
, a private coal-carrying railroad owned by American Electric Power
American Electric Power
American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...
. Until it closed in 2002, MERR shuttled coal in two automated consists from the mine to a powerplant at Relief, Ohio (across from Beverly, OH).