My calendar for June 2021

#4001, one of the two Blue-Noses, is part of the lash-up on 22W. (Photo by Jack Hughes.)

—The June 2021 entry in my annual train-calendar is #4001, one of the Norfolk Southern’s two Blue-Noses. The other is #4000.
Norfolk Southern, together with outside sources, is rebuilding many of its aging General-Electric Dash-940Cs, converting them to AC traction.
4000 and 4001 were first, modified by General-Electric and American Motive Power.
Unlike a car or a truck, the gigantic diesel engine in a diesel-electric locomotive doesn’t actually power the railroad wheels.
That engine powers a large generator (alternator?) that generates electricity for motors that power each wheel set.
This is how trolleys worked, except their electricity came from overhead trolley wire, generated elsewhere. A diesel-electric locomotive generates its traction-motor electricity right on the locomotive.
Electric traction has always been appealing. Drive torque is constant. In a side-rod steam-locomotive it comes in pulses that can break adhesion to the rail-head (slippage).
For a while railroads considered electric traction, with the electricity generated elsewhere then delivered by overhead trolley wire.
Some railroads partially converted to electric traction via overhead wire, Pennsy for example.
Electric traction also was much cleaner than steam locomotion. Long tunnels were electrified to get smoky steamers out.
Overhead trolley-wire needs constant maintenance. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, mostly the old Pennsy mainline from Washington DC to New York City, is still electrified, as is Amtrak from Philadelphia to Harrisburg PA. That line is also ex-Pennsy.
But most of the old Pennsy electrification that’s not Amtrak was de-energized and wire removed.
Diesel-electric locomotives came into common use after about 1940.
They were called “trolley motors” at first, because like trolleys they use electric traction-motors down at the drive wheels.
But unlike trolleys, diesel-electric locomotives generate their electricity on board.
Most diesel locomotives have four or six wheel-sets on two trucks, eight or twelve wheels total. The wheels are solidly mounted on common axles, two per axle (each side), and they don't differentiate. (Which is why you hear squealing when a train negotiates a curve.)
Like trolleys, diesels used direct-current traction-motors, and remained DC for eons.
Pennsy was AC (alternating current), but only because AC transmitted better over long distances.
Diesel-electrics got more powerful as time passed, even with DC traction-motors. Engine power increased, and traction-motors were improved so they could deliver more power to the rail-head.
Locomotive manufacturers experimented with AC traction-motors. It was found that AC traction could better drag long heavy trains.
Railroads began ordering locomotives with AC traction-motors. And now Norfolk Southern is converting its aging General-Electric Dash 9-40Cs to AC traction-motors.
The “Blue-Noses” were first, plus a few more also with the flame-paint. Now more are converted and even more are scheduled.
Perhaps Norfolk Southern’s best move was getting Pennsy’s old Juniata Shops: a huge complex capable of building complete locomotives.
I toured that facility once, shortly after the Conrail break up, and it was mind-boggling.
Locomotive parts everywhere, plus complete diesel motors ready for installation.
In another gigantic room were locomotive truck after locomotive truck after locomotive truck. Plus overhead cranes on rails to move things. Complete locomotives suspended mid-air, 15 to 25 feet above the floor.
The “Blue-Noses” are only a variation. I’ve also seen yellow plus green. But most Norfolk Southern locomotives are black.

• Conrail was formed after most of this nation’s northeastern railroading tanked, mainly Penn-Central. (Penn Central was merger of the Pennsylvania railroad and New York Central.) Conrail was originally set up by the gumint, but eventually privatized as it succeeded. It was broken up in 1999, much of it sold to CSX Transportation, but a lot to Norfolk Southern.
• It’s pronounced “June-eee-AT-uh;” my mother pronounced it “Juanita,” as does one of my train videos.