#gee44

A Dreary Day in Harrisburg

Here we have some interesting electric action under the catenary in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania...

First we see a General Electric E44, built for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1961, shifting about with a mate. These units boasted 4,400 horsepower and could make 70 miles-per-hour.

An intriguing unit is looking on nearby—EMD’s effort to break into the electric-freight-hauling business: a prototype designated GM6C. That number, 1975, represents the year it was built of course—in La Grange, Illinois, in collaboration with ASEA, of Sweden. This output of this unit was no less than 6,000 horsepower, far eclipsing production diesels being produced in those days.

Lastly a TOFC train trundles by in the wet snow—luckily for us the train is powered by two General Electric GG1s. The lead unit here, number 4802, was built for the Pennsylvania in 1935! I believe the styling was by Raymond Loewy, and the units were capable of continuous output of 4,620 horsepower.

I think history will eventually show that it was a sorely missed opportunity—not embracing electric locomotives to haul freight.