Does any one know if they ever made a HO scale model of a New Haven EF-1 locomotive. They were purchased By the B&M in the early 40’s to pull steam locos through the Hoosac Tunnel. I wouild appreciate any information about where I could obtain one or at least something thats close enough that it could be modified
Ron O’B
An importer in Connecticut with no ad in the April issue of MR did have these in brass. I was able to buy an EP-2 in brass from The Caboose in Wolcott, CT but they have no NH brass listed at the present time.
The EF-1 box cab had an 1-B+B-1 wheel arrangement with 63 inch drivers. The drivers were unique in that they were driven by electric traction motors though a quill drive that used shock absorbing springs between the quill and the drive wheels. The springs are very visable and I don’t know of any driver mfr that offers them.
They were utilized mainly to haul 100 car drags from the Bay Ridge car floats to the the Cedar Hill classification yard at New Haven, CT. They were mostly triple headed so I need at least 3 to duplicate that on my planned Shore Line model railroad.
When the EF- 3 came along some of them became surplus.
I was hopeful that River Point Station would produce these but so far none are planned.
I vaguely recollect that the B&M used EP-2s for the Hoosie, not the EF-1, but I could be wrong. I rode through there on a troop train from Ft. Devens in 1945, but I couldn’t see what was on the head end.
I recall that both MEW and Custom Brass imported examples of the NH EF-1 , long ago. There may also have been a more recent example.
CNJ831
http://hoosactunnel.net/images/eEast8-13-41.jpg
If I recall correctly, Boston & Maine was controlled by those who had control of New Haven. The higher ups had luck with the New Haven Electrification, and thus decided to electrify a small portion of the Boston & Maine. I believe the Boston & Maine electrics were purchased new, with 3 geared low for freight and 2 high for passenger.
Yes, as mentioned MEW did import EF-1’s back in the early 1970’s or late 1960’s. I have one, and it’s a twin vertical shaft motor drive w/o flywheels. Each truck picks up only one side, so you only have 6 points of contact for electricity. They are also prone to shorting out when the truck grounds out on the carbody (which can be cured by putting some electrical tape in strategic places).
I’m not sure about the NJ/Custom Brass version (but only because I’ve never seen one), yet it wouldn’t surprise me. NJ/CB imported several other NH electrics that I either own (EP-1’s, EF-2’s, etc.) or have seen (EP-4’s, EP-5’s, etc.). If John B. says they did, I believe him. I may not agree with him all that much, but the man knows his brass.
No NH EF-1’s were ever used by the B&M. The NH, after the EP-1’s and the hunting/nosing problems they had with them, decided to have 5 experimental electrics made that would determine the first freight electric configuration: 068, 069, 070, 071, and 072. These ranged from the conventional to the extreme, and tested out different kinds of motors, drives, trucks, and body configurations.
068: http://www.davesrailpix.com/nh/htm/nh060.htm
069: http://www.davesrailpix.com/nh/htm/nh048.htm
070: http://www.davesrailpix.com/nh/htm/nh050.htm
071: http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/nh071.jpg
072: http://www.davesrailpix.com/nh/htm/nh053.htm
Note that none of these are EF-1’s, even tho’ there are some simularities on the surface
BigRusty,
The quill drive wasn’t all that unique. It was used on most every NH electric and the GG-1, as well as on several other RR’s like the B&M. About the only electrics that didn’t use quills used siderods or were nose hung like a diesel.
Paul, They, being the first order of non experimental engines for mainline electrification service were indeed unique. They preceeded the EP-2, EP-3 and the GG-1 which was copied from the loaned 2 EP-3s to the Pennsy. How unique can you get?
BigRusty,
Unique? From m-w.com:
Unique
1**:** being the only one : sole 2 a**:** being without a like or equal : unequaled b**:** distinctively characteristic : peculiar 3**:** unusual
Quill drives were on the B&O 1895 electrics, and on the NH’s EP-1 motors of 1906. The first EF-1’s didn’t show up until 1912. That’s 17 years after the B&O and 6 years after the Pony motors. The above info is from New Haven Power, by Jack Swanberg, page 314.
As for quill drives on the NH, the 40 EP-1’s, 3 experimentals, 25 EY-2’s, 27 EP-2’s, 10 EP-3’s, 6 EP-4’s, and 10 EF-3’s make the 39 EF-1’s hardly unique in that feature. Throw in the 139 GG-1’s and who knows how many others around the USA and the world, and perhaps you can see why I think the NH’s EF-1’s quill drive was not unusual, nor was it the only one.
Oh, and I think the NYC S-motors would qualify as the first mainline non-experimental locos meant to be used in more than just a tunnel.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
