Matt Makens posted:Ive got some zephyr books that ill look in to get the facts correct but it was my understanding that the gearing of the F3's wasn't right for the fast acceleration required of the passenger trainor something to that effect but all three railroads did use the F3's on the zephyr.
Matt,
All three railroads, i.e. the CB&Q, the D&RGW, and the WP originally planned for, and each ordered, EMD F3 units to be "Run Through" power for the CZ. Once the CB&Q discovered that neither of the other two railroads would be "Running Through" their sets of F3 units, the CB&Q quickly ordered E7A units from EMD. As soon as the CB&Q received their new E7A units, those passenger F3 A-B-A units were replaced on the CZ (well within the very first year of operation), referred and assigned to freight service.
The CB&Q was a much faster railroad than both the D&RGW and WP, plus the CB&Q had no mountain grades to contend with, thus they used the faster "E Units" on pretty much all the various passenger trains.
