I worked on these when I was paying my way through college as a Hostler with their original owner's, Canadian National Railways. If I recall correctly , 4 of the class were upgraded from FPA=2 to FPA-4 by having the original 244 prime movers replaced with the more reliable 252 series. They were actually built by Montreal Locomotive Works with prime movers built/assembled by Dominion Engineering of Lachine Quebec.
So, they shoved blind out the door to couple into the engine that was outside. They also didn't stretch to make sure the pin dropped. That's a dangerous thing to do.
I last saw these in regular mainline passenger use on VIA Rail in the mid-1980’s. They would be paired in kind, with FP9’s, and with LRCs before they were withdrawn. Watching and hearing them accelerate out of Bayview near Hamilton was always a treat.
The Victorian Railways here in Australia adopted the Erie style livery when we first got diesel electric locos in July 1952 EMD ML2 model B class locomotives " B60-B85"
Yes, it's the MU cable...it carries the digital information of where the 8 notch throttle is set from the master locomotive to any locomotives in trail...it also carries other information, like alarm bells from trailing units, reverse setting, and dynamic brake information. If you noticed, before hooking up the MU cable, he connected three air lines (not the main train line under the couplers), which control the sander and independent brake (for the locomotives only)
@@brentboswell1294 thank you. That’s very informative I suppose it is similar to how we do it in England. I know more about buses and DiamondT’s but have always had a fondness for Railways.
@@ddpeak1 in fact, the UK class 66's use the same MU (multiple unit) system-it's the North American AAR (Association of American Railroads) MU standard, but I believe that it's called multiple working on the other side of the pond 😉
Your thinking of the PA variant. Six axle, passenger units. These are the FA variant. Four axle, freight haulers. Very similar styling, easy mistake to make.
