Since I am modeling the mid-sixties, although free-lanced, F units are a common locomotive on frieght trains. Also at this same time, passenger travel was on a steep decline. Most F units I've seen from this time period were on freight trains. (small handful on passenger) I also noticed that E units were always on passenger trains. Were E units ever used in freight service? With other types of locomotives? Did most railroads purge their rosters of E units by the time Amtrak came into being? I guess I was born 25-30 years too late.
Hey, As EL's passenger trains were disappearring,E-8's were then used on freight.Talking to the "old timers" on my RR,E-8's were the Caddys of the rails.PA-1's were used in dual service all the time.
I have seen photos of the Rock Island using E units on freights. 1970's I believe. When they had a lot of bad orders, and were hurting for power. At the advent of Amtrak, the Milwaukee Road converted their nearly new FP45 units for freight. Rather than let them go to Amtrak. Many E units went to ATK. They were well along in their service lives. It would add interest to use an E unit on freight now and then. Maybe have a "situation card" for that use in an operating session? It's your empire. So if using an E that way works for you, it's all that matters. Born too late? Hey- I'd love to roll back the clock! Get to work on that time machine! Boxcab E50
I've seen Rock Island freights using E-units on the point as early as 1968, rolling thru Des Moines, IA. I'm sure other roads pressed their Es into service as well, but some of them found out that the higher gearing of the passenger units was a bit of a drawback when it came to pulling power at low speeds. Still, they were used until newer power came along, and they were either retired to scrap or sold to Amtrak.
In 1976 Conrail was using ex EL E units on frt trains, use to see 'em on Toledo/Detroit trains on a pretty reg basis.
In the late 60's thru the early mid 70's the Rock Island regularly used a consist of commuter E's on freight on Sat-Sun. Normally two round trips would be made between Blue Island and Silvis, Il. These were the boiler equipped E-8's. An occasional E-7 would be used as well. These were normally assigned to piggy back trains. The Rock Island received second hand UP E-8's and 9's in 1969. Two of these were used in regular freight service along with several E-8 b's. The rest were equipped to handle the bi-level commuter trains and saw little or no freight service until the arrival of the Metra F-40's in the late 70's. After this time they could be seen almost any time pulling freight between Chicago and Silvis. AFN
I need to dig out my copy. But believe there is at least one photo in the Louis Marre' Rock Island Diesel book. Boxcab E50
I am partial to E's and F's myself. I had a book on the Burlington Route and there were lots of photo's of E's on freights. I like putting E A units on trains back to back for power. It just looks cool.
