| Centipedes. Here is an original photo that I took of Pennsylvania Railroad "Centipede" locomotives in Frankstown, Pennsylvania, on 16 March 1964. Shown here (L to R) are three drawbar-linked pairs of PRR engines: #5830-#5815, #5829-#5817, and #5825-#5819. All were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works during 1947 (viz., #5815, #5825, & #5817) or 1948 (viz., #5830, #5819, & #5829). They are about to be scrapped after only 16 years of service! These engines were built originally for passenger service; each unit generated 3,000 horsepower, so they were classified as BP-60's. Due to various chronic problems, however, they were all converted to helper-only units by 1952; each unit generated only 2,500 horsepower then, so they were reclassified as BH-50's. |