Closeup on southbound one of last two E33s left , all others were scrapped years ago. On its way to Altoona to be restored for a museum.
Conrail acquired 10 PC class E33 electrics numbered 4600-4610 in 1976.
The GE model EL-C electrics led a very storied career before they made it to Conrail rails, having been born in 1956 and 1957 as 130-141 for the Virginian Railway. Originally built with dynamic braking and the latest technology Ignitron rectifiers, they became the property of the N&W upon the December 1959 merger of VGN into N&W.
When N&W deemed their electric lines surplus and shut them down in June 1962, the units were sold to the New Haven, classed EF-4, and assigned series 300-310. Upon the addition of the NH into the PRR, NYC merger, units 300 and 302-310 were classed as Penn Central E33 and assigned series 4601-4610. Unit 301 had been accident damaged and scrapped.
Upon the formation of Conrail in April 1976, the E33's served well until CR ceased electric operations in the early '80's. A few wore CR blue before being traded into GE in 1984.
Two EL-C electrics have been reported preserved as follows:
The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Roanoke, VA, lists CR 4604 (ex-VGN 135) as part of their collection.
CR 4601 (ex-Virginian 131) is reported on it's way to the Illinois Railway Museum.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
