Diagram of GE Steeplecab #6 (1921), from NYCT Revenue & Non Revenue Car Drawings.

Electric Railway Journal · Vol. 58, No. 4 · July 23, 1921 · pp. 141-142.

Freight Locomotive for New York Municipal Railway.

The New York Municipal Railway has recently placed in operation an additional 50-ton, 600-volt electric locomotive for handling freight service. At the one-hour rating the new locomotive will develop a tractive effort of 16,500 lb. running at a speed of 13.8 m.p.h., and will haul an 800-ton train on a level track at 15 m.p.h.

The locomotive is designated class 404-E-100-4GE248 and carries all of its weight on drivers. The cab is of the sloping end, steeple type of construction and extends practically the whole length of the underframe. The central portion contains the master controllers, air brake operating valves and similar equipment adjacent to the operator's positions. The underframe consists of four heavy steel channels extending the entire length of the platform and tied together by heavy end-frame box girder castings and bolster plates. Each channel is riveted to the webs of the end-frame casting and to the top and bottom bolster plates. The bolsters are built up of 1-in. steel plates, 18 in. in width, riveted to all four longitudinal sills.

The draw-head castings are bolted to the center sills, which in turn are riveted to the end frames. The draft gear consists of MCB couplers with 5 in. x 7 in. shank and standard twin springs and follower plates. The whole platform is floored and braced by heavy steel plates running the width of the locomotive and riveted to the longitudinal sills. The usual wood floor is used in the cab.

The side frames of the two four-wheel trucks are built of heavy rolled bars for top and bottom members with cast steel pedestals. The bolster or center transom is bolted rigidly to the side frames and the entire weight of the truck is supported by semi-elliptic springs hung by links to the double side equalizer bars, which in turn rest on the journal box. The journals are of standard design with MCB bearings and wedges. The wheels are solid rolled steel, 34i in. in diameter, with MCB treads and flanges.

The locomotive is driven by four 600-volt box frame ventilated railway motors of the same general design as those used on the subway cars of this company. Each motor is geared to the axle through single reduction with a gear ratio of 3.88. The control equipment is type M arranged to give three motor combinations, series, series-parallel and parallel. There are seven steps in the first position, six in the second and five in the third. The motor rheostats and various parts of the control equipment are housed under the sloping end cabs, conveniently arranged for inspection and repairs. Current may be collected either through third rail shoes or overhead pole trolleys. On account of the local conditions there are some limiting clearances which require a very low over-all height. This locomotive is arranged to operate under a minimum clearance of 12 ft. 2 in. over the trolley retracted. A change-over switch is provided to isolate the third rail shoes when the trolley is being used, thus eliminating the danger from exposed live parts. The trolleys are isolated in a like manner, when the switch is thrown to take current from the third rail.

NEW FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVE FOR BROOKLYN; OPERATING EQUIPMENT IN CAB.

Sources

Electric Railway Journal, McGraw Hill Company, Digitized by Microsoft, Americana Collection, archive.org.