There has been an interesting discussion on EMD E units on a recent thread. It got me to wondering about the E's in tourist or museum service where they are used on short runs, and what the experience has been of those operators who have been running them in a service for which they were not originally intended.

Les

The only ones that jump to mind of late are the Tennessee Central/Nashville & Eastern out of Nashville; the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern (ex-PRR/BM&R 5898), and the occasional use of the Burlington E5 at the Illinois Railway Museum. There are 1-2 other purportedly operable ones out there I don' think see service often or at all, such as the Burlington one at the Gold Coast RR Museum in Florida.

Also find it very interesting. Isn't the one at NCTM operating?

as I mentioned in the other thread I remember reading a detailed post elsewhere on why E unites are a PIA to deal with, including but not limited to the 36 inch wheels. I forget the other issues.

The Juniata terminal ones "should be" in excellent condition I'd say, probably also the ex CN OCS units that were recently sold. I think one is operable at the ACWR in NC? Wasn't at least one of the Iowa pacific E units running? Maybe wisconsin Southern also?

I'd think the one being restored at TVRM is close to being runable.

I think that IRM has 5 or 6 E-units in addition to CB&Q E5 #9911A. Some of these may have been run on some of the "special days" that IRM has had from time to time, although I am not 100% sure.

Les

Lorain & West Virginia E-8 no. 101, ex-CNW.

https://www.lwvry.org/our-equipment

TVRM has Southern E-8 No. 6914 under long term restoration for future operation.

https://www.tvrail.com/equipment/southern-railway-6914/

- Alan Maples

Back in the early days at Spencer, the E was started up on one of the prime movers, fortunately the right one, and was able to be moved around under its own power, and then cosmetically restored. Not sure what if any additional work may have been done since the mid 1980s...... perhaps somebody who is working there now can chime in?

It is my understanding that 6900 (Spencer E8) is in full operating condition. I don't think they run it as much as the FP7 or GP30 however. 6901 in Duluth, GA at SERM is in operating condition as well, having been worked on by NS in Juniata a few years back.

Whatever happened to the silver & red E-unit that Dan Behr had at Joliet when he was rehabbing the Chicago Metra hilevels in the shops there? I ran that thing around the yard, only one prime mover was operable, and we held to 5mph, but it was still a hoot.

I'd have to dig in old photos, but I do know it had no identification on it.

how do they compare operationally to F unit? in terms of pulling power, maintenance, reliability etc?

Operating UP E8 at the museum in Perris, CA.

Operating SP E9 (?) at the CA museum in Sacramento, CA.

One, or both of Levin's, have been out running last fall and this past holiday season.

Doesn't Aberdeen Carolina & Western have at least one running?

Joshua

Found it, that was Indiana Railroad 100, E9A, used as a shop switcher then (as it actually was)....

Ex-Milwaukee 36A

But what happened to it? Can find no trace. Still there at Joliet?

MILW 36A has been on display in Deer Lodge, MT since 2010 or so. Some photos are available here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPi ... ?id=154188

At one time the unit was stored on Montana Rail Link and it arrived at Deer Lodge, MT with MRL reporting marks, as shown in this photograph: https://powellcountymontana.com/milw-36a-d/

This Trainorders.com thread has some additional background: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/ ... ?1,2011539

Here is listing for the unit from 2006: https://web.archive.org/web/20060327100 ... NRD100.pdf

The EJ&E's East Joliet locomotive shops are now beneath an intermodal yard, with only the car-shop building (now disused) remaining on site.

How are Mr. Behr's ex-New Jersey Transit (nee-IC and PRR) E8 units doing these days? Some background information is available here: https://web.archive.org/web/20080724114 ... ehr/E8.htm

Well, that's better than scrapped. Another unrepeatable lifetime event, running it around at low speed!
No wonder I couldn't find it, the identification track now forms a circle....

7, all are operatable, however, some are currently under cosmetic restoration (MILW 33C, MILW 37A and CB&Q 9976)

UP (WSOR/SLRG 102) E9B 967B
BN E9AU BN-3
CB&Q E5A 9911A
CNW (Iowa Pacific/SLRG 515) E8A 515
CB&Q (BN) E9A 9976
MILW E9A 33C
MILW E9A 37A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84BUNSP8v5I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOiisa602Tw
https://youtu.be/XYJjaw_L1pw?si=fIvM8xFCrjQogIHK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Tw4CzryNg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7rYfu6Lr3U

Southern No. 6900 has been mentioned at NCTM, but there is another E in Spencer!

As of 2021, Atlantic Coast Line E3 No. 501 is also in operating condition although it is rarely used. The museum made a video about its history a few years ago.