I just saw a picture of an N Scale Pennsylvania observation car model with the Pennsy’s radio antenna system in a “U-shape” at the end and on top of the car.
While I have seen the radio antenna on diesel power - I had never thought of it on other PRR rolling stock, but now I recall seeing it on their cabin cars, too.
(PRR name for caboose was cabin car)
Here’s an E unit at Tunnel Hill’s west tunnel at Gallitzin…
If I remember correctly, the Pennsy Train-Phone system used some sort of induction to transmit the signal through the rails, rather then through the air. The system faded from use after reliable through the air radio became widespread.
Most first generation diesels, and cabin cars where equipped with distinctive Train Phone antenna, and I believe some late model steamers where too, with the antenna mounted on the tender deck. But don’t quote me on that.
The eng/caboose (cabin on PRR) radios are as mentioned above. From your description the U shaped antenna was of a type applied to pre-WWII psgr cars such as observation (round end on the PRR rather than the flat end post-WWII) lounges and diners for the amusment of psgrs. You wouldn’t want to miss Edgar Bergan and Charlie MacArthur on sunday night, would you?
I don’t know exactly when the Pennsy stopped putting the antennas on locomotives, but I seem to recall seeing lots of pics of GP30s with 'em but I have not seen a pic of the antenna mounted on a GP35. (By books are still in storage from my move). Now of course, since I"ve posted this someone in the next two hours will put up a pic of a antenna equipped GP35.
The Trainfone antenna was a very distinctive feature on late steam (on the tender), early diesels, and cabin cars on the Pennsy. It was, as stated above, basically an inductive system rather than what we would call today a true radio system. It was an early system that allowed voice communication between the engine, cabin car, and dispatcher’s office.
Just like in the linked picture, the antenna looks almost like a low handrail along the roof of the locomotive, and down both sides.
The antenna’s on the PRR specialty cars(mid-train sleeper-lounges & observations) were used for radio reception. And yes, the flat end observation cars had them too for a time, including Mountain View & Tower View on the Broadway Ltd. Check out the book…Pennsy Streamliners-The Blue Ribbon Fleet by Joe Welsh. This is an excellent publication for the PRR modeller with lots of great photos of all the PRR Named Trains & their respective cars. As I look through a couple of PRR books that I have, I haven’t found any dining cars(single or twin unit) with antennas and that seems a little odd given that some of the other cars had them. Oh well, the Pennsy did have their way of doing things…John
I don’t recall seeing any GP-35’s with Train Phone antennas, but now that the topic has been mentioned, I’ll have to see if I can find one.
Lest anyone think the PRR was the only road that used Train Phone, the Atlantic Coast Line also used it for a time. There’s a picture of ACL S-2 #636 on pg. 23 of Warren Calloway’s Atlantic Coast Line – The Diesel Years. Apparently the ACL used it on five S-2’s – 630, 632, 636, 638, and 643 – as well as some steam engines and cabooses.
gp30’s and U25B’s were the last to have them. The PRR then went to radios and most power after that had a decal on the cab with a white circle reading radio equipped. I suppose that one of those had to be the lead unit for awhile until all were fitted.
