Pennsylvania Erie-builts ?(RESULTS!)

Some of the FF20s were regeared and boilered for passenger service, but I don't have the numbers handy. They later reverted back to freight status.  They were always DGLE with single stripe paint. 

Jaygee's got it right. The Erie builts were tried out for passenger service and quickly relegated to freight service.

Simon

At the time the Erie-Builts were constructed, Fairbanks-Morse (like Alco-GE) had not yet begun using the familiar model numbers applied to later locomotives.  

I am relying on memory, as my old Diesel Spotter's Guide is in the attic, but I believe the Erie-Builts were designated ALT 100.3

Learned something new.  I always thought the "Eries" were freight only because they were delivered in the DGLE single strip freight paint scheme.  Per Pennsy Power III, they were originally class FP20, then FF20 when converted to freight duty.  So it looks like the Pennsy did consider using them as passenger locomotives at one time.  However, I could not find any pictures showing this.

Thanks for the info. What is DGLE? A color scheme or Pennsy color designation?

That is the "technical" group of initials for Dark Green Locomotive Enamel, generally referred to by model railroaders as "Brunswick Green".

I've always called their colors, Brunswick and Tuscan. I'll take a stab at their initials for Tuscan, RBLE (reddish brown locomotive enamel)?

The Pennsy seems to have had their own language when it comes to railroading terminology. It has made research on this railroads equipment interesting at times.

The FF20s were all delivered as freighters, it was not til a bit later that some were converted to varnish. This was most likely due to the absolute failure of the Baldwin Centipedes.

make sure you have the correct trucks for them. there were two styles. the early style is not correct the later one that looks similar to ALCo pa's is the correct one.

According to Paul Withers book on Pennsy FM locomotives, The first order of 24 Erie-builts in 1947 was for freight, and did not have steam generators.    The second order for 12 units in 1948 was ordered with steam generators and one set had high speed gearing.    One set was initially assigened to a leg of the Broadway.    In 1952, these units were reclassified to freight service as FF20.    A 3rd order of 12  units was made for helper service on the west slope but was in 2 unit sets.   This did not work out due to not enough HP in 2 units so they were reassigned to the Pitcairn-Derry helper service.   

Douglas and Weiglin in their Pennsy Diesels book agree with the Withers summary.   although it is a little harder to dig the information out of their book.   

Note all the passenger diesels in the 40s were originally delivered in DGLE.    This includes the E7s, the Baldwin Sharks, and the Alco PAs.     All except the FMs had 5 stripes however.   The Tuscan paint becames the standard for Passenger diesels in 1952.

Lots of good information here. Thanks to all for taking time to respond. I am using a pair of Kato PA/PB chassis', so the trucks won't be an issue. I haven't seen any photos of the Erie's with any other trucks. I will have to dig a little deeper for pics, not because I plan on modeling them with different trucks, but just out of curiosity.

Were the helpers used on freights or passengers or both?

From David R. Sweetland's book "Erie-buits and H10-4's," Withers Publishing c. 1999

Rusty

Thanks for setting me straight...been a looong time since I read the above two sources.

Thanks Rusty Traque, that is the first picture I have seen of them with passenger cars in tow.

As mentioned in the books, 24 units (8 A-B-A sets) were ordered first for freight, no steam generator 65mph gearing.

Next 12 units (4 sets) were ordered for passenger, steam generators and probably passenger signal connections.   However, only one of these sets had 100MPH gearing.   they did use them for about 4 years in passenger service apparently, including a stint on one leg of the Broadway as an assignment.  

the 3rd group of 12 in 2 unit sets was for helper service.    Again no passenger set up.  

I refer to the Withers and Weiglin books fairly regularly for reference.  

Thanks prrjim.

Now I just have to decide which set to model. If my shells don't have steam generator details, then I'll probably just model a couple of the units in the 3rd group. There is no 'B' unit available and I don't even want to get into a kitbash, so building a prototypically correct set is out, if I wind up modeling a couple of them from the first two groups. If they do have steam gen details then I guess I'll model a couple from the second set and live without the 'B'. At least I know how they were delivered so that will help with numbering them correctly according to set/group.

I have the road numbers as; 9456A–9491A, for the 'A' units. I guess I just have to divide them into appropriate groups.

>>The Pennsy seems to have had their own language when it comes to railroading
terminology.<<

Absolutely!  Don't you DARE call a Cabin Car a "Caboose"!. 

I finished one of the pair. Usually I would have done both at the same time, but I used different brand of stirrups on one of them and I have to mod the shell to install the Gold Medal models stirrups. Thanks to everyone that replied. I decided on modeling a couple of the last group of AA units, since my shells didn't have steam gen details and there is no B unit available. I used MicroScale Kristal Klear for the glazing and it wasn't quite dry when I took the pictures, so the glass looks white around the edges. I wanted to take the pics outside in natural light and the sun is going down quickly, so I didn't wait for it to dry.

Norms O scalehas a couple of Atlas O PRR B units for sale.

At least one set wound up on the Sandusky Line, out of Columbus.  I'd guess that most of the time this guys would likely head west to Indy or there abouts. 

I have a sand- cast roof and a pair of sand cast fabricated trucks for the Erie-Built.  Somebody, some time in the distant past, made a sand cast model in O Scale.  I always have one eye open for info on that one.  Someday I shall have sides cast.

The initial post mentioned he's modeling in N scale...