Re: (erielack) Erie PAs on the Northern Branch

[A Samostie <quahog_@_sprint.ca>]

Dear Group,

Now that the photos have been posted, I have a bunch of questions
related to the Northern Branch and pre-merger Erie passenger train
locomotive assignments:

1) What was the normal power assigned to Northern Branch trains (both
prior to the EL merger and afterwards)?  GP7s?  RS2/RS3s?

2) Which Erie RS2s or RS3s were equipped with steam generators?
(Lackawanna had no RS2s, and none of the Lackawanna RS3s had steam
generators).

3) Did some (or all) Northern Branch trains stop at Susquehanna
Transfer, or was that only a stop for NYSW trains?  What about North
Bergen?

My understanding is that the platform at the Transfer was actually
between the two Northern tracks... apparently the NYSW and Northern were
operated as a single 4-track railroad between Pavonia and the point
where they diverged (Granton Jct.)?

4) Were the PAs regularly assigned to Erie's long-haul passenger trains
prior to the arrival of the E8s?  Or were steam generator equipped F3s
the normal power for these trains, and the PAs assigned to secondary
trains even in the early days?

I've always found it interesting that EL's graphic designers chose to
show stylized PAs on the front cover of the post-merger passenger
timetables, even though they were mainly used on secondary passenger
trains and commuter trains by that time.

5) The photo of the PA on the Northern Branch shows the locomotive (road
number unknown) still in its original black and yellow paint.  Even
though the photo was taken in 1957, the paint is fairly shiny, and I had
assumed it was from the early 1950s.  When were the PAs repainted in the
two-tone green passenger scheme? 

6) After the E8s arrived, what were the regular assignments for the
steam generator equipped F3s?  Obviously, at least a few of them were in
commuter service.

Cheers,
Alan <quahog_@_sprint.ca>

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End of ErieLack Digest V3 #448
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