(erielack) The F5

[Kevin DeGroff <kdegroff_@_starpower.net>]

Various pieces of EL "railfan literature" have indicated that the Erie and 
EL owned the F5 model, an "unofficial" hybrid EMD model that came out during
the transition between F3 and F7.  The date these "F5" hybrids were produced 
are between August 1948 and February 1949.  A total of 619 were built in both
A-unit and B-unit configurations.

EMD technically called these units Phase IV F3s, but they differed from 
the traditional F3 by having D27 traction motors (upgraded from D17) and 
F7-style carbody features, namely Farr grilles and the large, angled nose
numberboards (as opposed to the FT and F3 style streamlined, side-mounted 
numberboards and "chicken wire" grilles), and various electrical transition 
schemes, which EMD changed (improved) 2 times between Sept 22 1948 and
Nov 1, 1950.

In issue 96 of Extra 2200 South, Larry Russell listed roads which rostered
the model, based on his research assumptions of build date, traction motor 
configuration, transition schedule, and external grille features.  I assume
most of his material about traction motor size and build date came from EMD
product reference material relevant to each of the roads in question.  He 
lists the following railroads as actually meeting the criteria and actually
rostering F5s:

Aberdeen & Rockfish
ACL
Santa Fe
B&O
B&M
GTW
C&EI 
CB&Q
CGW (to CNW)
Clinchfield
D&RGW
EMD demonstrator (lone unit to KCS)
FEC
Georgia group (to Family Lines and SBD)
GN
LV
L&N
MEC
MILW
Mopac
Nash. Chatt. & St. Louis (absorbed by L&N)
NP
Pennsy
RDG 
SOO Line
 

The article also mentions that Pennsy had a habit of taking their F3s
and upgrading the wiring, traction motors, blower ducts, fuel rack
settings, and classing them as F7s.  Externally, they looked like F3s,
with chicken wire and small numberboards.
 
No Erie, DL&W, NYO&W or EL power is listed as meeting Larry's criteria. 
The way Larry describes it, the F5 should look exactly like the F7 from 
the outside (Farr Grilles and big numberboards), and would have upgraded 
transitional Phase IV F3 gear internally.  Its odd that many of the pics 
of so-called EL F5s have a mish-mash of chicken wire (F3) grilles with 
the big F7-style number boards, or vice-versa.  

Are we positive that the F7 numberboards on the chicken wire EL units 
were not just an option or pre-production test installed on the stock 
F3?  Or that the Farr grilles on units with FT style numberboards are not 
replacements? Were these EL F5s actually F3s with a few post-delivery 
Hornell mods, making them home-made "F5s", and hence be outside of any 
GM literature?

What EL F-units were built in the 7 month timeframe between 8-48 and 
2-49?   My data lacks month descriptions.  Erie or DL&W origin?

What hard sources from company records identify them as F5s, or is this
persistant classification strictly an ignorant railfan thing, where we
see this mixture of F3 and F7 features and incorrectly call it an F5???

Would there be any corroberative EMD documentation in the EL records 
in Akron? Or are these distinctions made using EL documentation only?

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End of EL List Daily V3 #571
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