Absolutely, and unique. GE also built E-2b electrics for the Pennsy, though they were just B-B, not B-B+B-B (I guess the L was for Long). But the E2-b wasn't as pretty. The Virginian units look fast to me. They sure look like they ought to be geared for more than 35 mph.
Hadn't thought of that -- good point. The 0-6-6-0s were retired in the latter '40s I think, so would have had several years left if this picture was taken earlier in the decade.
These look like ALCO FAs... with pantographs.... lets me think if these were built by GE or the bodywork was contracted maybe to ALCO itself?
Western Maryland 4-6-6-4 1212, Ridgeley, WV, June 4, 1947 (Ralph H. Payne) Western Pacific 2-6-6-2 207, Keddie, CA, August 20, 1949 (A. Youell)
Such a beautiful image of modern steam. The WM's were built by Baldwin (as were the D&RGWs) in 1940 and 1941.
The two engines are similar in many ways, but quite a contrast if you know what to look for. The new one has a firebox big enough to use as a handball court; the old Mallet has low pressure cylinders still wearing slide valves.
I would love to hear that Mallet at work. The size of those low pressure cylinders.... Old timers I knew described to me their sound as a something of a bark (high pressure side), whoosh (low pressure) exhaust. Bark, whoosh, bark, whoosh.
Western Pacific 4-6-6-4 402, Wendover, UT, August 15, 1949 (A. Youell) Yosemite Valley 2-6-0 25, El Portal, CA, Early 1940s (Photographer unknown)
Impressive beast. That thing has a firebox big enough to set up housekeeping. And a boiler big enough to make a garage out of it...
Yosemite Valley Parlor-Obs. 330, Merced, CA, Early 1940s (Photographer unknown) Silver Peak McKeen 12, Westwood, CA, late 1930s (Photographer unknown)
Trivia I learned from one of my books a few months ago that McKeens had mechanical transmissions. McKeen had the right idea for equipment, but as the years went by, he refused to transition to evolving gas-electric technology used by other carbuilders. The decision brought the end of McKeen Motor Car.
Just thinking in italy we had hundreds of, and still have more than a hundred, railcars with mechanical transmission soldering on in revenue service for 50 years or more. These had the same concept of BUDD RDCs using trucks engines and (mechanical in this case) transmission. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FS_Class_ALn_668 FIAT sold these all over the world with most customers being Mexico, Sweden and many others. Here the article on the swedish ones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y1_(railcar)
Yep, 330 is privately owned and based on the Niles Canyon Railway in California. A mixed bag of Rio Grande diesels, Denver, CO, early 1950s (Photographer unknown) Ferrocarriles Argentinos 2-8-2 2, Argentina, Late 1978 (Beyer Patton)