[rfranzosa]

 philmoberg, on Jan 5 2009, 08:19 PM, said:

The FL-9s were equipped with a five-position third rail shoe, in order to operate on both the under-running (NYC) third rail and the more common over-running (PRR/LIRR) third rail. My impression is that they were more common in and out of GCT, but that's based only on what I saw in those days ( and those were rare occasions) and on the surviving photographs. My guess is that the railroad would have preferred to use electrics on the grades either side of the heck Gate Bridge, and in the East River Tunnels.


While I'm at it, what's the R/G/B for a reasonably fresh coat of Jade Green? :D -Phil

Like Phil said. The only two options for the New Haven passenger fleet in electrified territory following the wholesale scrapping of the EP2, 3 & 4s were the EP-5 Jets (10) and the FL9s (60). You were bound to see some FL9s to Penn Station, though, as Chuck Schneider will often say, one EP-5 could out-pull 5 FL9s.

Phil, according to Marc, you would be looking at 0/154/152 for NYC Jade Green, but I think PC green was different :o

[so, the P-I-T-A handling of the FL9s going in to NY Penn on the PRR Eastern Region is prototypical??? :o ]

[rfranzosa]

I've often found it ironic to see that the 'iconic' New Haven FL9 locomotive that has outlasted them all is also the one most reviled by the crews that were stuck running them.