She's a beauty (assuming you like boxcabs) and appears largely original; she's a sort of southern dual-power loco, sporting both a huge pantagraph AND a trolley pole! Here is the Museum's postcard view (the card is available from their Gift Station):
The NCTM, a North Carolina Historic Site, is in Spencer, just off I-85 near Salisbury, and just south of Winston-Salem.
Here's a home-grown very-big (100-ton) brother (#5602?) built by the P&N shops using Westinghouse equipment:
The NCTM came through magnificently with the following description of #5103 (given verbatim):
"Piedmont and Northern Boxcab 5103 - Built by the General Electric in 1913 as an electric locomotive. Power was supplied either through a 600-volt D.C. trolley pole or a 1500-volt D.C. overhead catenary shoe. The P&N was the only mainline Class 1 railroad in the south to use electric locomotives. They also had a divided right-of-way, with part operating Charlotte to Belmont, NC and the other Spartanburg to Greenwood, SC. The 5103 worked first in SC then ended its service running old trolley tracks in downtown Charlotte in 1958. The 5103 was chosen to be restored by the P&N at their Greenville, SC shops in 1963 and donated to the Atlanta, NRHS Chapter. The NCTHC purchased the locomotive in 1995, to be placed on display in the roundhouse to interpret this unique railroad owned by James Duke."
(moved from the main electric boxcab page and amplified 21 Aug 02 and
03 Jan 03 and then amplified even more and moved/continued on a separate
New York Central boxcabs page.)
The New York Central had what I'd term an "Honorary Boxcab", their classic old
S-motor, the S-2 immortalized by Lionel in tinplate. Sure, its got a
visibility cab or something similar, but, without running boards or walkways, it's not
such a base subject. Here are two views of 1906 NYC S-2 #113 taken at the
(then) National Museum of
Transport on 03 Jul 82:
(photos 03 Jul 82 by and © 1982/2000 - S. Berliner, IIII - all rights reserved.).
It was a third-rail loco (under-running, I believe, like the NH and unlike the PRR and
LIRR); those mini-pantagraphs up topside were there to contact overhead third rail
(NOT catenary wire) at huge gaps in fancy track turnout work under Grand
Central. The over-running third-rail LIRR DD1s also had such.
I had hoped to have more on these fascinating juicers, and their successor T-motors,
here some day. Well, the day has come; see the
new
New York Central boxcabs page.
See also the
new
New Haven boxcabs page.
We haven't even scratched the surface of electric boxcabs!
Just the New Haven, alone, could take the rest of my
life to cover, but I won't let it (click on the link)! And that doesn't even
take into account the multitudinous New York Central
boxcabs, both oil-electric AND straight electric, as noted above.
A correspondent wants to model a locomotive that he believes operated on the B&O's
Fells Point car float. There were two box cab locos, #4 and #10, which ran off
overhead trolley lines (at least for a while, he doesn't know if they were straight
electric). He also doesn't know what the #4 was, but believes the #10 was a
B&O class CE-1. Can anyone direct us to more information and possibly a
photo of either of these box cabs? I referred him to the
B&O Historical Society. Can anyone give us more info on the CE-1?
Well, it took a Canadian to remind me (09 Feb 2005) that Model Railroader (to
which I subscribe!) had an article about #10 in the May 2001 issue; "therein lies a
short article on the CE-1, complete with photos and drawings". Thanks, Vince!
I was asked about a Puerto Rican boxcab. Apparently on page
69 of Railways of the Caribbean by David Rollinson, there is
a picture of an electric boxcab captioned "Electric locomotive no. 7 worked on
the Caguas Tramway part of the Porto Rico Railroad Company". It was
built by Baldwin in 1908 and it has an all metal body with "Las Dos Estrellas"
and the number 7 written on the side of the locomotive. Can anyone
shed any more light on this loco?
Chilean Boxcabs - updated.
Well, Nick Slocombe, who furnished so much information about the
Chilean boxcabs in nitrate operations (in which his family has an interest),
returned to Chile (in December 2004) and thence home to Britain and has sent more
photos and information; he writes (unedited):
"Of the original seven I think six remain in service. They've been repainted
since 1998 and now wear the green of SQM - The Chilean Chemical & Mining Company,
who own the Maria Elena and Pedro de Valdivia plants, the railway itself and the
loading terminal in Tocopilla."
"As you can see 603 wears a brand new scheme whilst 607 is in the older green
scheme that had been applied to at least some of the GE diesels back in 1998.
Both appear to be named; 607 is Alexandra whilst 603 is M Berioza (not sure of the
significance). 607 also sports larger cab windows that give it a wide eyed look,
not sure I approve."
"Quillagua is one of three passing places on the hill section from Tocopilla to Barrilles
(Reverso and Carmelita are the others). The access road is now marked off the
main highway, and there's a car park by the station and a rather attractive sign with
a map of the railroad. It would seem that SQM are becoming aware of the
tourist potential of their little railway, at least for railfans. Interestingly, whilst
looking into the yard at Tocopilla I spied what looked like a set of four tourist cars
being fitted out."
"603 and 607 were active on the first two days we were in Tocopilla (6th & 7th).
In addition, on the evening of the 7th, 601 and 604 left town with empties. On
the 8th there was a lull in traffic as it was a public holiday and on the 9th an empty
train left town behind a single unit at about 08:00. That was the only
movement of the day; at least until we left after lunch."
"In terms of the prospect for continuing electric operation it is hard to say. The
box cabs won't last forever, they're rapidly approaching their 80th birthday.
Having said that SQM have installed a new substation on the hill section, a couple of
miles west of Barrilles, so maybe they are investigating the possibility of acquiring
new (or rather, second hand) 3'6" electrics. All electric operation around the
mines and plants at Maria Elena and Pedro de Valdivia has now ceased but I've no
idea whether any of the redundant power would be suitable for the Tocopilla to
Barrilles section."
"Whatever the future holds for these relics it was a real treat to see them a second
time. And who knows, I might go again..."
So, here are Nick's latest photos, again with thumbnails of the larger images bringing
up hi-res. close-ups of the locos themselves, and separate links to bring up the entire
images in full; as before "I show both a detail of the loco - - - and the overall vista
because of the imposing (awesome and fearsome) landscape":
(This and the following SQM photos are courtesy of N. Slocombe - all rights reserved)
Click here for full hi-res. #603/607
Tocopilla coming image.
Click here for full hi-res. #603/607
Quillagua image.
(This and the preceding SQM photos are courtesy of N. Slocombe - all rights reserved)
If you look carefully at #603, you can see SQM's URL under the cab window,
http://www.sqm.cl/.
[SQM = Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A.]
Better and better! From across an even bigger pond, Ian A. Dunn
of Sydney, Australia, writes that he "visited Tocopilla, Chile, at
the end of July" {2007} and is "happy to report that at least six of
the electrics are still busily in service between Tocopilla and Barriles
(601, 603, 604, and 606 photographed). All now in (rather grubby)
SQM livery". He has "about 60 other photos and can send more if
you are interested". Hmm. Am I interested in some grubby
ol' electric boxcabs? This is an oil-electric site.
You BET I'm interested (but not at the full high-res of this first pix,
which I have already reduced drastically):
(21 Aug 07)
(Jul 2007 SQM photo by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed picture for larger image]
I had pored over the hi-res image and couldn't find evidence of road
numbers whatsoever; look carefully at the lower left corners of the
sides and there, faded almost beyond legibility, are "603" and "604".
The second unit, #604, has a definite sag in the roof and lower
edge of the body. How amazing; instead of being preserved in a
museum, reduced to hauling gaping tourists, or being ignominiously
scrapped, these 79-80 year old veterans are still slugging away daily!
(28 Aug 07)
Now, here, with Ian Dunn's captions are a selected set of other
photos of these ancient steeds plugging away daily:
(28 Aug 07)
General Electric 66-tonners 606 and 601 of the Ferrocarril de
Tocopilla al Toco ease their load gently downhill towards Quillagua
loop on 24 July 2007:
(24 Jul 2007 FCTT photo by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed picture for larger, sharper image]
(Left) General Electric B-B electrics 606 and 601 are ready to
depart Barriles yard, current terminus of the FCTT's electrification,
on the afternoon of 23 July 2007. The short train of gondolas is
conveying processed nitrate to the shipping terminal at Tocopilla,
17¼ miles and 1½ hours away, and 3,231 feet downhill.
(Right) Double-headed 603-604 swing into the 32° semicircular
curve as they power away from Quillagua loop and attack the 4% grade
again on 23 July 2007:
(23 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
Eighty years young and still going strong! The builder's
plate on 604, showing the construction date of April 1927:
(Jul 2007 FCTT photo by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed picture for larger, sharper image]
(Left) Nearing the top of their 17¼ mile climb, 603-604
heave a train of empties around a curve near the abandoned Mina
Esperanza, a couple of miles short of Barriles on 24 July 2007.
(Right) 604-603 slip gently around the S-curves approaching the
recently-built sub-station, about three miles from Barriles, with a
loaded train for Tocopilla on 24 July 2007:
(24 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
(Left) The barren hills around Quillagua echo to the squeal of
flange on railhead as 606-601 enter the 33°, semicircular curve
approaching Quillagua on 23 July 2007.
(Right) Rounding the 32° semicircular curve into Quillagua
is a loaded train for Tocopilla on 24 July 2007. Vintage
electrics 603-604 have traversed the mountainside in the background
and were visible for twenty minutes before this photo was taken:
(23 & 24 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
(Left) High above Quillagua, 601-606 exert every ounce of tractive effort as
they drag a long train of empties towards Barriles on 24 July 2007.
(Right) Rounding a curve near Mina Esperanza, 601-606 climb uphill with
empties for Pedro de Valdivia mine on 24 July 2007:
(23 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
(Left) Running solo, 606 takes a short train of empties uphill
into Barriles yard on 25 July 2007. The bogie {4-axle}
hoppers are five of a batch of fifty built in June 2007 by Amsted
Maxion in Brazil.
(Right) Late on the afternoon of 24 July 2007, a train of
empties has arrived in Barriles yard behind 606-601. The
pantograph on 606 has been dropped in readiness for another trip
downhill, at the head of the loaded gondolas on the right:
(25 & 24 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
(Left) An uphill train of empties with 606 in charge waits in
the loop at Carmelita, 7¼ miles by rail from Tocopilla yet
within sight of the town, which lies 1,327' below. A loaded,
downhill train with 603-604 cautiously runs past, as the second man
off 606 inspects the passing wagons on 24 July 2007.
(Right) Climbing from Reverso to Carmelita loop on 24 July 2007,
606 makes the valley ring to the sound of four GE electric motors at
full stretch:
(24 Jul 2007 FCTT photos by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed pictures for larger, sharper images]
Making their final descent into Tocopilla, still on 4% grade, 603-604
round another of the many 33° curves which have moderated the
speed of their 17¼ mile trip from Barriles on 24 July 2007:
(24 Jul 2007 FCTT photo by and courtesy of I. A. Dunn - all rights reserved)
[click on thumbnailed picture for larger, sharper image]
Let's hear it for Ian Dunn! We owe him quite a debt of gratitude,
eh?
There are now more than fifty-five (55) BOXCAB pages;
see the main Boxcabs page and the Boxcabs INDEX.
he lower lweft corners
THUMBS UP!
THUMBS UP! - Support your local police, fire, and emergency personnel!
S. Berliner, III
To contact S. Berliner, III, please click here.
To tour the Boxcabs pages in sequence, the arrows take you from the previous page, to the Boxcabs index, to the first boxcabs page, and on to continuation pages 3 and up, then 100-tonner LIRR #401 and her sisters, survivor boxcabs (with map) and survivor notes, survivor CNJ #1000 (the very first), Ingersoll-Rand boxcabs (with instruction manual), other (non-ALCo/GE/I-R) boxcabs, Baldwin-Westinghouse boxcabs, odd boxcabs, and finally model boxcabs.
© Copyright S. Berliner, III -
2003, 2004, 2005,
2007
- All rights reserved.
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