PRR electric locos on RDG

Sounds like the Pennsy juiced thier system to the hilt 24/7/365.

The Silverliners can, and always could operate on 60Hz AC, though it required a refit kit from GE, at least on the older ones (to compensate for stuff in the propulsion logic, and maybe the MA set?). I believe 25kv taps were standard on the SL II / III cars, but not the changeover equipment. They are on the SL IVs, in fact, a number of them have the required vacuum breakers and tap changers for 'on the fly' changeover. The IVs can run on 60hz - it's a listed operation mode in the book.

BTW, the Metroliners could run on 25kv 60hz AC, too.

There's nothing linking 60hz operation to 25kv - Metro North converted to 60hz in the 80's (in segments), yet kept the voltage at 12.5kv. No reinsulation was required, just replacement of the substations and the needed signal system changes. I think GE sugessted downrating the Silverliners on 60hz, but I'm not sure why that would be the case.

As far as keeping everything 'on' all the time, I wonder what, if any, losses would be incurred. Certainly, there's little current draw, but there are slightly losses in transformers, insulators, etc.

Oh yes, as for running a G on the Reading? I think any rivalry and such kept it from happening. They ran (mostly) fine on the new Haven in the PC days.

I got the impression that just about anything built after a while was convertible to 60 hz. in one way or another, since there was a lot of talk about just using commercial power without having to convert it to 25 hz.

The power control desk controlled power that was used on the system diverted more power where there were more trains, shutting down when there were catastrophes or maintenance, and shutting off when no trains were running on the lines, such as off-peak times, or when a train even left a power control zone. When you put that power on, you're paying for it, and the Reading was one not to pay for anything it wasn't using!

The RDG had studies to electrify for freight operation, even including locomotive design, but I guess it wasn't worth the cost. They were looking at ways to save on the expense of steam locos. I think that by the time they were ready to get around to it, diesels were coming on the scene that pretty well negated the cost of putting up catenary, and investing in more expensive locomotives.

PRR Metroliners probably ran on the Reading. There are photos of some on sidings at Jenkintown and Wayne Jct. shops with pans up. I don't know if they ran on main tracks. Other possibilities are the Pioneer IIIs and early Silverliners, also built by Budd.
During the April 1976 City S.E.P.T.A. strike, dead Reading M.U. cars were hauled by locomotives to Trenton and West Trenton. One of the Trenton trains used Conrail's freshly painted Bicentenial GG1 4800, "Old Rivets".
Did the West Trenton set use a freight GG1 or a pair of Green Reading freight Diesels? I remember the evening train being pulled into Reading Terminal by a small switch engine, it was not pushed by the road power.
Whatever pulled them, they were slow accelerating.

The ex-RDG Blueliners ran just fine on the ex-PRR side and could be found on Paoli and Media runs on a regular basis. Being that the Blueliners and GG1's were built at virtually the same time and to similar power supply specs, one has to conclude that the power supplies were the same, if not the standard for 1930. While the power supply on the Reading was not built to the same capacity as the PRR (nor did it need to be), PRR power could certainly have run on the Reading (OK, all the MU's would have to drop their pans if a GG1 was on the branch). In addition, Budd tested their PRR Silverliners on the Reading when they were being built back in the 60's. If anyone has a copy of Bob Pennisi's "Northeast Railroad Scene, Vol.3 The Reading Co.", there is a picture on page 59 of those tests at Jenkintown. Also very cool to see that JENKIN was still an Armstrong interlocking at that time.

I also remember diesels pulling MU's during the famed Wayne Junction converter failure around 1980 when emergency cables were strung from an ex-PTC trolley power station at Richmond Street.....there was just enough power for AC and lights.

The Reading's traction power set-up was 11kv 25hz same as PRR but
their transmission lines were rated at 24kv where as the PRR used
138kv for transmission lines. Signal power for the RDG was 4.4kv and
for the PRR 6.6kv.
A PRR electric loco most likely could have run under RDG lines
with the exception of the single track branches (Warminster/Doylestown/Fox Chase).
Septa at one point (maybe still) had a timetable power restriction
for the Doylestown branch that limits MU's to the P2 notch.
This because Silverliners draw more power than the old Blueliners.

I believe that's also why SEPTA can't run their push-pull trains to Doylestown either. Last I heard, the substation that the Reading built in Doylestown is still out of service, which also may be a contributing factor to how much power can be drawn on that line.

As far as I know the PRR never ran their electrics on the Reading. They never ran their MU's on the Reading and the Reading never ran theirs on the PRR. I did see photos of a GG1 hauled PRR passenger train with pans down being pulled by Lehigh Valley engines on the Lehigh Valley through Bound Brook. There was a detour on the PRR and there were several of these moves. I cannot remember where I saw them but I did.

The capacity part of this was discussed on the SEPTA forum. With the RDG substations only having 2 to 6mw capacity each, full throttle on a GG-1 likely would have pulled the voltage down too much. Unless you were willing to wait for the office to do some calculations it would be easiest to just say no.

Bill

I dont know if this counts but I believe that the PRSL had catenary through Camden. I dont know if the Reading ever ran their power over to New Jersey though.

ed290321 wrote:I dont know if this counts but I believe that the PRSL had catenary through Camden. I dont know if the Reading ever ran their power over to New Jersey though.

Steam and Diesel, yes. The wire connected to the PRR at Shore Tower, Frankford Jct. P-RSL also had some 600 volt D.C. trolley wire in Glocester, South of Camden.

My Dad worked the Metroliners on the test trains from Jenkintown to West Trenton and Return

ed290321 wrote:I dont know if this counts but I believe that the PRSL had catenary through Camden. I dont know if the Reading ever ran their power over to New Jersey though.

That was PRR, not PRSL. The line from Shore to Jersey, then splitting to Pavonia and West Haddonfield, did not become PRSL.

Bob

Budd tested the original Metroliners on the New York Branch since
the lead to the Red Lion Plant was connected to Philmont yard. Easier
than dragging them over to the PRR.

I know, my Dad caught the assignment working off the Reading Terminal Trainman's Extra Board, testing the Metroliner's from Jenkintown to West Trenton and Return. He told me they had the cars opened up in excess of 90 miles an hour from woodbourne to West Trenton. You're partialy right about it was easier to test cars on the Reading rather than hauling them over to the Pennsy, the other reason was that the New York line as it was called in Reading Days allowed for very high speeds that was electified