What information can you tell me about the NEC’s electrification? How long ago did the Pennsylvania Railroad electrify the NEC and other Northeastern lines? From what I see I believe most of the Caternary/steel poles and signal bridges are all original. Im guessing most of this all took place in the 1930’s in areas south of NYC.
Trains had a good article on this about 1-1/2 years ago, accurate (except for one or two photocaptions) and complete. The first part of the electrification was the New Haven’s from New Rochelle to Stamford, about 1909. (They had earlier done Woodlawn -conection with the NYC to Grand Central-- to New Rochelle about 1908, but that is pure commuter today, not really part of the Corridor) they extended to New Haven about 1912 or 1914. Steam continued to Harold Tower Queens on Penn Station trains, where Pennsy DD-1 3rd rail electrics picked them up into Penn Station until about 1918, when the Hell Gate Bridge rounte was electrified. Then at least some of the New Haven electrics started using third rail power right into Penn Station. In the 1920’s, not sure of what the dates were, Wilmington-Philadlephia-Trenton was electrified as part of the Philadelphia suburban network electrification. Then about 1935, the electrification was extended north from Trenton though Penn Station to connect with the New Haven’s electrification at Harold Tower in Queens. Wilmington tyo Washington and via the freight line to Patomic Yard in Alexandria was about 1937 or 38, and Harrisburg followed. O\I may be off on the date, but the sequnce is right, and you should check the Trains article for the accurate story. All this (dc third rail left in place around Penn Station for the Long Island Rail Road trains and the wire train in the New Jersey tunnels) was catenary 25 Hz (cylce per second) AC at 11,000 volts.
Several years ago came Amtrak’s New Haven - Boston electrication (local New Haven Station - Ceder Hill catenary being a more complicated story, removed and put back twice!) at 25,000 volts 60 Hz, and Metro North’s New Haven - Mt. Vernon electrification (Mt. Vernon between Woodlawn and New Rochelle, with third rail now past Woodlawn to Mt. Vernon) is now 12,500 volts 60Hz. I had been told that New Rochelle - Harold would be similarly converted for Amtrak, but I am not certain that has been done. Harold Tower Penn Stati
The US Gov. help the PRR electrification to give jobs to people doing the 1930’s This was from NYC to Wash.DC and from Phila. to Harrisburg,Pa. 11,000 AC volts was used.
Except that Trenton south to Wilmington had already been done, as I mentioned, by PRR before the 1929 stock market “event”.
As to being original, I believe that most (if not all) of the electrification south of New York is original. However, the section from New York to New Haven is being replaced with updated catenary as quickly as possible, as the original design, while quite adequate in its day, is not up to modern speeds and loads. It tends to sag at higher temperatures (including high temperatures caused by high currents, not just high air temperatures), which leads to the odd pantograph catching the wire, which leads to annoyed passengers…
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QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper
Trains had a good article on this about 1-1/2 years ago, accurate (except for one or two photocaptions) and complete. The first part of the electrification was the New Haven’s from New Rochelle to Stamford, about 1909. (They had earlier done Woodlawn -conection with the NYC to Grand Central-- to New Rochelle about 1908, but that is pure commuter today, not really part of the Corridor) they extended to New Haven about 1912 or 1914. Steam continued to Harold Tower Queens on Penn Station trains, where Pennsy DD-1 3rd rail electrics picked them up into Penn Station until about 1918, when the Hell Gate Bridge rounte was electrified. Then at least some of the New Haven electrics started using third rail power right into Penn Station. In the 1920’s, not sure of what the dates were, Wilmington-Philadlephia-Trenton was electrified as part of the Philadelphia suburban network electrification. Then about 1935, the electrification was extended north from Trenton though Penn Station to connect with the New Haven’s electrification at Harold Tower in Queens. Wilmington tyo Washington and via the freight line to Patomic Yard in Alexandria was about 1937 or 38, and Harrisburg followed. O\I may be off on the date, but the sequnce is right, and you should check the Trains article for the accurate story. All this (dc third rail left in place around Penn Station for the Long Island Rail Road trains and the wire train in the New Jersey tunnels) was catenary 25 Hz (cylce per second) AC at 11,000 volts.
Several years ago came Amtrak’s New Haven - Boston electrication (local New Haven Station - Ceder Hill catenary being a more complicated story, removed and put back twice!) at 25,000 volts 60 Hz, and Metro North’s New Haven - Mt. Vernon electrification (Mt. Vernon between Woodlawn and New Rochelle, with third rail now past Woodlawn to Mt. Vernon) is now 12,500 volts 60Hz. I had been told that New Rochelle - Harold would be similarly converted for Amtrak,
There are sections where the catenary structure has been rebuilt. In the BWI (Maryland) area, the lineside steel poles look more modern that in the Potomac River area, where the wire is gone but some catenary structures still stand.