for the traction fans

[jim currie]

here are two early PRR electric locomotives.pic's are from a old magazine clipping so pic quality is not the best
the first is the FF-1 of 1917
as a side note the FF-1 was one of a kind ,too powerful clipping states.

 

[jim currie]

the next is the L-5 of 1925.

 

[Drew1125]

Very cool!

Hey that might be an interesting kitbash project!

 

[interurban]

Amazing power units Jim, I wonder what there traction ability amounted to in tonnage??

 

[jim currie]

Chris
no info on FF-1 but the L-5 developed 3'050 continuous hp at 70 mph . is there a Prr fan that knows out there ?

 

[RailRon]

Hey Jim, that's a real, genuine American Crocodile! I've never seen or heard about these L-5 locos before. Truly amazing!

Obviously they were developed shortly after our Swiss crocdiles had great success on the Swiss Gotthard mountain line in 1921.
However, if you look at the driving wheel diameter, the PRR engines were built for speed. Jim reports a speed of 70 mph for the L-5, while the Swiss crocodiles were built for a top speed of only 40 mph - but they pulled like mad on the steep Gotthard ramp (2.8%). They developed about 2400 hp and after a rebuild in the 50's even 3650 hp.

Charlie is right - a kitbash should be possible. You 'only' need two Atlantics (4-4-2) for the wheels...

Ron

PS: What are these funny, tiny pantographs for? Were they really used for regular mainline running?

A remark to my pic: Look at the smaller wheels of this Swiss crocodile - compare with the size of the respective cabs! And note the strange layout of the driving rods!

 

[jim currie]

here is one more that i managed to get to look ok not good just ok
DD-1 of 1910

 

[60103]

tiny pantographs

Railron, I hadn't seen them on PRR locos before, but the NYC had them. They were put on locos that normally used 3rd rail going into Grand central in New York. Over some of the longer turnouts, the 3rd rail might have a long gap and the loco could lose contact and stall at low speeds. They put some sort of rails on the tunnel ceiling and the small pantographs would pick up from that long enough to get through the gap.
I guess Pennsy had the same thing into Penn station.

 

[RailRon]

Thank you David! So the prototype had the same problems in turnout like we modelers do, hehehe!

Ron

 

[60103]

If you look at Lionel's old (1920s to 1930s) tinplate electric locos, you often see the small, apparently undersized, pantographs.

 

[jim currie]

Chris

LiveSteamer provided info on the FF-1 it was 7640 hp 87,200 lb te and a starting te of 140,000 lb said that it was scraped pulled out drawbars.

 

[interurban]

Shame Jim ,, all that power and the frame let her down.
The BL1 went the same way !