Comments on: VGN Electric EL-2B Locomotive https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive Model railroads and model trains Thu, 07 Nov 2019 06:10:07 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Col Beausabre https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html#comment-33490 Thu, 07 Nov 2019 06:10:07 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=4861#comment-33490 William, What you may have ridden behind was an ex-New Haven Class EP5 “Jet”. GE built the EP4, EF3 and EP5 between about 1935 and about 1955. The EL-2B’s and Great Northern Class W-1’s were built in the late Forties. As all were built by GE, they had common styling elements and resembled each other, All except the EP5’s were gone by about 1960 or so, with only half a dozen EP5’s running into the Seventies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_EP-5

BTW, you may have the date wrong, as they were retire from passenger service in May, 1973. Also,
it would have been highly unusual for them to be in New York-Washington service at that late date – they were in Grand Central-New Haven commuter pool.

]]> By: R.C.Belcher https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html#comment-22716 Wed, 11 Jul 2018 02:27:24 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=4861#comment-22716 In reply to Sheldon Clark.

I have books on the VGN locomotives, and the EL-2B did indeed weigh a 1,000,000 lbs. Look it up on Google. Man time sure does fly.

]]> By: Sheldon Clark https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html#comment-22702 Wed, 11 Jul 2018 01:02:53 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=4861#comment-22702 In reply to R.C.Belcher.

Sounds like a lot more than 500 US tons or 446.4 UK tons. The heaviest UK electrics weren’t much over 100 tons, if at all; the heaviest diesel weighed in at about 138 tons, so your pet was still quite a hefty baby.

]]> By: R.C.Belcher https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html#comment-22405 Sun, 01 Jul 2018 01:38:43 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=4861#comment-22405 In reply to William Chance.

I’m not doubting your word, but I was raised up with the Virginian RR within 50 yards of it and I remember the EL-2B locomotive very well. They started service on the VGN in 1948 and were retired in 1960 and were sent to Roanoke Va.and were sold as scrap. I don’t believe they were used anywhere except the VGN and after the merger, the N&W RR. By the way, I am 77 yrs. old so I remember the loco very well It was ahead of its time and was very beautiful. Look it up on google for the history on it. Both units together weighed over a 1,000,000 pounds.

]]> By: William Chance https://blog.model-train-help.com/2018/06/vgn-electric-el-2b-locomotive.html#comment-22367 Fri, 29 Jun 2018 13:13:46 +0000 http://blog.model-train-help.com/?p=4861#comment-22367 I got on Amtrak from Newark, NJ (originated in NY, NY) to Washington DC pulled by this one in 1975. I am still unclear if the track was electrified past Philadelphia, PA though.

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