ACL F7 391 A+B

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In its recent catalogue, Maerklin has announced a Z-gauge ACL streamliner set (containing four ACL cars as well as both one Pennsy and RF&P car) and a F7 A+B double unit in ACL colours carrying road numbers 391A and 391B. I would like to know whether these numbers are authentic in the sense i) that F7 units with these numbers actually existed, and ii) whether there might have been a reasonable chance that they worked a (streamlined) passenger train.

Thank you very much in advance! Sincerely, yours Joerg Schimmelpfennig

-- Joerg Schimmelpfennig (Joerg.Schimmelpfennig@ruhr-uni-bochum.de), February 05, 2001

Answers

You're basically right about F units not equipped with steam generators not being assigned to passenger trains, but there's always an exception. The late Wiley Bryan (who fired on the SAL out of Raleigh during WWII) had a shot of a set of SAL FTs (AB) pulling a passenger train uphill from Raleigh past the NC State University campus. When I commented that SAL's FTs (to my knowledge) didn't have steam generators Wiley told me that during the summer (and during WWII), for lack of more suitable power, they were used on troop trains. I also had a conductor from the Tennessee Central tell me that the same held true for their [steam generator-less] Alco FAs. But you're right, normally they wouldn't have been used in passenger service.

-- Doug Riddell (railroaddoug@erols.com), February 05, 2001.

The numbers are correct, but F7s alone would not have been assigned to passenger trains - since they had no steam generators. Sometimes, however, an F7 was used at the first engine in a consist if a steam- generator-equipped unit (like an FP7, series 850-893) was in the trailing position to supply steam to the train.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), February 05, 2001.

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