So -- I am curious. Which museums have pantographs on the equipment in their collection? What kinds of pantographs are they?

We have a Siemens - not sure the part number. It's not connected to anything, just new old stock sitting in the warehouse. For giggles one time I took it over to Dallas, set it on top of their interurban dining car under restoration and put the pan up on the over head with an insulator block between the pan and wire. Got some good laughs/reactions. It's for sale/trade if anybody needs it. I believe it matches the type used in Portland as that's where it came from.

At the Western Railway Museum we have the following Westinghouse/ General Electric pantographs on cars and locomotives: four S-204-B2, two S-514-A, one S-514-B, one S-515-C, three S-522, six S-529, one S-544-A2, one S-544-B and one Stemman of on known type. There are others not on cars that will be used in future restorations.

Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Jct. (near Fairfield, CA) has probably the largest collection of operable pantograph-equipped units. These include two Key System "Bridge Units", some Key System work cars, a Sacramento Northern GE freight motor, an SN interurban under restoration, a Central Cal Traction freight motor, an SF Muni Boeing LRV, and possibly others.
Orange Empire in Perris CA (near Riverside) has one Key System unit (out of service with a bad motor) and a Sacramento Northern freight motor (currently operable with a trolley pole while the pantograph is being repaired.)
Illinois Ry. Museum has IC Electric and South Shore cars that would have pans, not sure if they have overhead that is pantograph compatible.
All the "pans" referred to above are the "classic" type, similar to those on a GG1, except for the Muni LRV, which has the modern type.
Boone and Scenic Valley used to have a South Shore car with a pan, not sure what its status is.
National Capital has some European cars that may still use pans.
As far as "display only" pans, there are several GG1's around the country, Nevada Northern, Western Pacific (Portola CA), Western Ry/RVJ and possibly others have some Kennecott Copper mine motors (big units, not to be confused with small underground mine locos.) At least one of the Montreal Deux Montaines DC locos has been preserved; the unit I saw was at the outer terminal.

Looks like Mr. Johnston up north was replying while I was typing my reply--and he has personal knowledge of the hardware involved. Thanks! Now we'll wait for other parts of the country to "chime in".

We regularly operate HTM 1329 (Hague PCC) with a traditional diamond pantograph (model unknown). We have a Belgian single truck work car that came to us with a Favly pan that has not yet been installed. Our single truck Dusseldorf car carries a traditional diamond shape pan (model unknown). That car operated for many years on our railway with its pan. The car is now marked for display and is not planned to be used as part of the operating fleet.

Wesley Paulson
National Capital Trolley Museum

I'd imagine that in the east, the greatest population of pans will be above Insull-era South Shore cars, since at least 25 exist, times two. I'd expect GG1s and Lackawanna motors to follow. Along with Little Joes and this and that. What kind of pans do those have, anyone know?

David Johnston up above is being his usual modest self. He has been leading a major charge of pan restorations.

His Shop crew has been working on three pans for the CCT#7 and the two 65 ton SN steeple cab locomotives.

The SN 652 was used as a parts locomotive; so the only thing left of her pan was a couple of pieces of the angle iron frame. It now has now springs, new tubes etc. Lots of half inch rivets were installed in the new pan.

The repaired pantograph on the CCT 7 ran all the way through our recent "Wildflower Trains" without further problems.

Good work guys!

Ted Miles

Yeah, I'm helping with that. We're doing several pans at once to maximize the value of the learning curve and setup. Given that, it seems reasonable to write a book about the process. Also seems reasonable to make sure the book will apply to other museums. Thus my interest.

Actually the pan rivets are generally only 3/16 inch (and maybe a few quarter-inchers). A pan using half-inch rivets would be way too heavy.

Part of our learning curve has been learning how to drive them since they are so small. Now that we're almost done with pans, we finally can do them.

Chicago South shore cars seem to have s-515-C pans. They are notably smaller than the s-529 pans but of same basic construction.

Pantographs are an area of motive power technology that is quite fascinating and at the same time is relatively obscure to the general public. It is a device that would make a very interesting machinery "floor display" at a major museum to afford a closer look.

I had the very rare opportunity recently to ride the cab of a diesel roadswitcher trailing one type of electric locomotive on a ferry movement, and the same roadswitcher trailing another class of electric locomotive on the return run. It was the first time I have had the opportunity to see a pantograph function at relatively high speeds from an "over the shoulder" viewing point only about 20 feet away, and it was very interesting to watch the pantograph follow the wire geometry.

PC