PRR FF2
Encyclopedia
The Pennsylvania Railroad
's class FF2 was a group of American electric locomotives which comprised eight boxcab
units, purchased from the Great Northern Railway in 1956
following the GN's dismantling of its Cascade Tunnel
electrification
. They had been built by the American Locomotive Company
and General Electric
between 1927 and 1930. Their GN classifications had been Y-1, and numbered 5010–5017. The GN had rebuilt the 5011 in 1951 with EMD FT
cabs and a streamlined appearance, and reclassified it Y-1a. This unit was dismantled for spares by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the remaining seven were overhauled and converted to PRR standards and then placed into service, being assigned #1–#7 on the PRR. They were all scrapped between 1960 and 1966.
They were of 2-6-6-2
wheel arrangement
in the Whyte notation
, or 1-C+C-1 in the Association of American Railroads
scheme. They used motor-generator
sets to rectify the alternating current
line voltage into direct current
for their traction motor
s.
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....
's class FF2 was a group of American electric locomotives which comprised eight boxcab
Boxcab
A boxcab, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive in which the machinery and crew areas are enclosed in a box-like superstructure . It is a term mostly used in North America while in Victoria , such locomotives have been nicknamed "butterboxes"...
units, purchased from the Great Northern Railway in 1956
1956 in rail transport
- January events :* January 5 – The General Motors Electro-Motive Division “Aerotrain” makes its initial Chicago to Detroit test run.* January 11 – The Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway officially adopts its longtime nickname, Monon Railroad, as corporate title.* January 22 – Redondo...
following the GN's dismantling of its Cascade Tunnel
Cascade Tunnel
The Cascade Tunnel refers to two tunnels at Stevens Pass through the Cascade Mountains, approximately to the east of Everett, Washington. The first Cascade Tunnel was a 2.63-mile long single track railroad, built by the Great Northern Railway in 1900 to avoid problems caused by heavy winter...
electrification
Electrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
. They had been built by the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
and 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...
between 1927 and 1930. Their GN classifications had been Y-1, and numbered 5010–5017. The GN had rebuilt the 5011 in 1951 with EMD FT
EMD FT
The EMD FT was a diesel-electric locomotive produced between November 1939, and November 1945, by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division . All told 555 cab-equipped A units were built, along with 541 cabless booster B units, for a grand total of 1,096 units. The locomotives were all sold to...
cabs and a streamlined appearance, and reclassified it Y-1a. This unit was dismantled for spares by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the remaining seven were overhauled and converted to PRR standards and then placed into service, being assigned #1–#7 on the PRR. They were all scrapped between 1960 and 1966.
They were of 2-6-6-2
2-6-6-2
In Whyte notation, 2-6-6-2 refers to a railroad steam locomotive that has two leading wheels followed by six coupled driving wheels, a second set of six coupled driving wheels, and two trailing wheels...
wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
in the Whyte notation
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
, or 1-C+C-1 in the Association of American Railroads
Association of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
scheme. They used motor-generator
Motor-generator
A motor-generator is a device for converting electrical power to another form. Motor-generator sets are used to convert frequency, voltage, or phase of power. They may also be used to isolate electrical loads from the electrical power supply line...
sets to rectify the alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
line voltage into direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
for their traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s.