I had it backwards. The FT was designed, built and delivered with batteries in the A unit only; the B unit had steam generator water tanks in that space. As first presented, the FT was a 2700 HP locomotive in two pieces connected with a drawbar, like a steam locomotive and tender, with AAR couplers on each end. The draft gear available at the time necessitated an overhang from the truck center at the front of the A unit and the rear of the B unit. Some railroads wanted a three-unit locomotive in an A-B-A arrangement. With drawbars connecting all units, the overhang was eliminated, creating the distinctive "short booster." Eventually, a shorter draft gear was developed, allowing couplers on both ends of any unit. Some later FTs were delivered thus equipped; others were retrofitted. Then, some railroads asked for batteries in the B units, so they could be moved separately. Lackawanna's A-B-A scheme meant that an A unit taken out of the consist would take its coupler with it, so they fitted an ex-steamer tender to be drawbarred to the A-B set to provide a coupler. Randy Brown - -------------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 6/3/2006 12:10:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, weeb_@_centurytel.net writes: Got a question maybe for Paul or one of the DL&W guys, As I was growing up in Scranton I used to see the FT sets on a daily basis grinding up the hill past my Grandfathers house at the end of Myrtle St across from the Petersburg Silk Mill. Sometime in the 50’s the 602 set had its booster taken out and the cabs were coupled back to back with drawbars, same with the 603 set, I believe the 602 booster was put in the 601 set, and the 603 booster went to the 604 set making them both 4 unit sets with all units having drawbars between units. As the locomotive diagram for these units show that the boosters were the only units with batteries and toilets, how did the double A unit couplets get started . . . The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List Sponsored by the ELH&TS http://www.elhts.org ------------------------------
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