OK........ Here's a good one:
I've tried to find the answer, but I can't seem to find it. Apparently, a good number of Conrail's inherited GP-9's went through some sort of rebuild or modification process around 1977 and emerged as GP-9m's. The one's in particular that I'm interested in are the one's that retained their high, short hoods but received an interesting, box-shaped addition to the tops of their long hoods just forward of the dynamic brake resistor blister.
What I'm trying to deduce is what was the purpose of that box on the top of the long hood? As a case study, I offer former PRR GP-9 #7000, owned by the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey and in use on the Cape May Seashore Lines out of Tuckahoe, NJ. She began life as PRR 7000, the Pennsy's first GP-9. She retained her same number through Penn Central, Conrail, and ultimately New Jersey Transit.
In this picture from 1966, we see her in her original PRR dress without the box. In this photo from 1974, Penn Central livery and still no box. In 1978, Conrail now owns her and there's that box. In 1997, her service with NJ Transit is over and she's about to be restored to her PRR appearance, and it appears that box has been removed. Today, wearing her original PRR dress, the box is gone.
So what was in that box? Why did Conrail add it, and was it so insignificant that its possible to remove it without consequence to a still-functioning locomotive?
I've tried to find the answer, but I can't seem to find it. Apparently, a good number of Conrail's inherited GP-9's went through some sort of rebuild or modification process around 1977 and emerged as GP-9m's. The one's in particular that I'm interested in are the one's that retained their high, short hoods but received an interesting, box-shaped addition to the tops of their long hoods just forward of the dynamic brake resistor blister.
What I'm trying to deduce is what was the purpose of that box on the top of the long hood? As a case study, I offer former PRR GP-9 #7000, owned by the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey and in use on the Cape May Seashore Lines out of Tuckahoe, NJ. She began life as PRR 7000, the Pennsy's first GP-9. She retained her same number through Penn Central, Conrail, and ultimately New Jersey Transit.
In this picture from 1966, we see her in her original PRR dress without the box. In this photo from 1974, Penn Central livery and still no box. In 1978, Conrail now owns her and there's that box. In 1997, her service with NJ Transit is over and she's about to be restored to her PRR appearance, and it appears that box has been removed. Today, wearing her original PRR dress, the box is gone.
So what was in that box? Why did Conrail add it, and was it so insignificant that its possible to remove it without consequence to a still-functioning locomotive?
"I'll keep pulling on the towpath. You keep floatin' on the river. Yeah, 'til the day is done. Keep on keepin' on the low road, Chesapeake and Ohio....."
- Neil Fallon. CLUTCH. "The Elephant Riders"
- Neil Fallon. CLUTCH. "The Elephant Riders"