PC: Re: F-7's

["Bob Rothrock" <BOBR@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
>
>My favorites are the ex-PRR units that were numbered in the 1900s.  These
>were set up w/PRR cab singnals and NYC automatic controls, alowing operaton
>over both road's trackage.  Were these based in Cleveland-Collinwood also?
>

Garrett & the list:

  I worked out of Collinwood from '73-'76 as a brakeman and actively
railfanned around there from about '71 on, and don't recall ever seeing an F
unit (assigned to Collinwood or elsewhere) with a road # higher than the
1800 series. In fact, the 1866 is an engine I saw a lot of in those days,
and I think it was the highest numbered F I encountered...not to say that
higher #'s did not exist, but I didn't see them.

  I think some of the GE's had a 1900-series assigned to them, but I'm not
situated close enough to my reference sources to verify.

  Other than the age-old gripes about visibility when passing signals in the
yard, the F's stabled at Collinwood were some of the best power I ever rode
on...very comfortable cabs in the Lake Erie winters we have around here, and
good runners despite the era of deferred maintenance so prevalent then.
Although their primary assignments were to puller jobs around Cleveland, on
many occasions the F's were pressed into road service when second generation
power died on the road and came into Collinwood isolated & had to be cut out
of the consist.

  To me, there is nothing to match the sound of a set of covered wagons
making transition when starting up a heavy train. Same with the early geeps
(ex-NYC 7's & 9's) we had for all the yard jobs back then. Not as
comfortable in winter, but had that great sound. The F's were one of the
best things about the PC...

Bob Rothrock