Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific E2




Facts and Figures


Current NumberE2
Railway RepresentedChicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific
BuilderGeneral Electric
Built In1919
Builder's order id5479
Currently in (State)Missouri
--(Locality)Kirkwood
Totally out of svc date1962
(Initial retirement date)1960
Car Typelocomotive
-subtypeBi-polar mainline locomotive
-designationClass EP-2
Statusdisplayed inoperable
More info
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length76'0"
Width10'0"
Height16'8"
Weight521200
#Seatsn/a
#Wheels/Conf.28
Total HP3180
Trucks2-piece cast
Brakes14EL
CompressorCP-34A
ControlGE M
MotorsGE 100 (12)
Voltage (if not 600DC)3000vDC

Locomotive E2 on display at NMOT in 2019
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrpix4u/46467920064/

Locomotive E2 on display at NMOT circa 2016
EuroBricks
photo: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/139591-ep-2-bipolar-electric-locomotive-milwaukee-road-real-world-moc/

Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific E2
One of the most distinctive electric locomotives of all time is the Milwaukee Road "bipolar" design, of which this unit is the only surviving example. This design utilized traction motors with only two poles and armatures that were mounted directly on the axles; this eliminated any gearing and made the bipolars virtually silent. When built these locomotives were advertised as being among the most powerful in the world, and their towing ability compared favorably with the newest steam engines of the time. The design was extremely efficient, and the five bipolars built for the Milwaukee Road were used in passenger service for nearly 45 years. They mainly ran on the Coast Division electrification, for which they had been built, between Tacoma and Othello, Washington. In 1953, E2 and the other bipolars were heavily rebuilt with changes ranging from roller bearing axles to MU capability to carbody streamlining. After this change, the bipolars ran a few more years (they were transferred to the Mountain Division in Idaho and Montana in 1957) until retired in 1960; in 1962 E2 was donated to the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.


Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul (Wisconsin, Milwaukee)102511919 1927 NO NO
Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific (Wisconsin, Milwaukee)102511927 1939 NO NO
Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific (Wisconsin, Milwaukee)E21939 1962 NO NO
National Museum of Transportation (Missouri, Kirkwood)E21962 present YES NO


Additional Media

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Walkaround tour of locomotive E2 from 2016
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpKRj07T6qw