Diverted PRR Challengers

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

During WWII, the War Production Board (WPB) allocated five 4-6-6-4 to the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) to assist in moving war related tonnage across the . Based on the 1943 ALCO specifications, the WPA directed the additional locomotives from the UPS original order of 25 locomotives and additional four for the Clunckfield.

On the PRR, they were known as the GG-2 based on the fact these locomotives were 4-6-0 (G class) placed back to back. Very little were known about these five GG-2 because of the war efforts required secrecy to avoid possible enemy saboteurs from doing damage. They were reportedly used only at night, giving the PRR’s fleet of 4-8-4 Northern (R-2s) and P-6 Schuylkill (4-6-4) to undergo maintenance at night.

After the war, the PRR GG-2s were placed in storage inside a tunnel near for possible use should another national emergency take place. It is not known if they exist today. No record shows they have been dismantled.

2

Nice try. Now for the “Rest of the Story” tomorrow April 2nd.

CZ

3

Hey, not so fast, CZ! I was at a bar in Arizona a few years back and heard a guy talking to another guy about this, but thought nothing of it. Seemed too weird. The guy mentioned that the Pennsy improved them by converting them to Stevenson valve gear and boosting the boiler pressure to 400 psi. They did this by towing three consecutive tenders with through-augers carrying buffalo chips, which the firebox was enlarged to burn.

-Crandell

4

Hee hee. Actually though, thast’s well thought out, except the at-night part, and any PRR guy who liked the Challengers could have fun with that.

Actually, secrecy wouldn’t have ben a problem anyway. German Spies reported on the Big Boys lugging onver steep mountians.

Brass’s respnse was something to the effect of “HaHa. Real funny, schmot guy. That’s not possible.”

I think they forgot we were Americans, and had enginuity.

5

Yup and there’s a whole fleet of Hudsons stashed away in the Pokeyernose mountains.

6

Crandell

Those bars in Arizona are famous for stories. Must be the clean air!

I wonder if the first railroads ever used Buffalo chips in those first 4-4-0’s.

Stevenson valve gear was one of the only options the PRR did not try on the T1’s.

CZ

7

The guard told me there is a MacArthur locomotive (2-8-2) “doug in” one of the lateral tunnels.

Mark

8

Mark’s Corregidor about that story.

Andre

9

BTW

The PRR never rostered the steam locomotives with 4-8-4 and 4-6-4 wheel arrangement. Only their electrics carried those wheel arrangement.

Now since the PRR controlled the N&W, could one of the N&W “J” be on a long term lease to its parent, the PRR?

:wink:

10

Along these same lines, how about PRR versions of the venerable N&W “A” class? I think it is more believeable than a UP Challenger. Or perhaps the Y5 and Y6 locos, not just old, discarded Y3s?

11

I read the PRR did in fact test an N&W A Class prior to choosing to build the J-1.

They just plain hated articulateds.

What a shame–the mountains west of Altoona would have been ideal terrain for a high speed modern articulated.

John

12

It is well known that starting around 1900 what purported to be Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives actually had motors in the “fireboxes” and were Edison battery powered, not steam locomotives at all. Look at the “guts” of the so called D16sb.

Dave Nelson

13

Well, that’s not totally true-- the GG1 was articulated as were most of their electrics.

John

14

Oh, motors…

… I always thought those were Mech Warriers hitching a ride…

John

15

Dave

Those are not motors on that DD1 in the photo. Those were giant hamster wheels with hundreds of hamsters in each. The trick was to get them synced to run the same direction.

I was in a seedy train shop (one of those back ally type places) one day and heard that Jimmy Hoffa is buried in that tunnel with all those Mallets. He was knocked off by the rail roads for competing with them.

Pete