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There was no Pennsylvania Power & Light railroad per se. Someone decided that it was dangerous to have coal-burning locomotives in power plants, so they used "fireless locomotives" powered by compressed air or compressed super-heated water. They were safer and actually cheaper to operate if you were near a large stationary boiler to keep supplying compressed air or water to the switchyard.

The largest fireless locomotive ever built, this magnificent machine served for thirty years before being retired in 1969.

Although replaced by diesel or electric locomotives, fireless locomotives are making a small comeback. Diesel switchers are idle 90% of the time, but must keep their engines running, so sometimes a fireless locomotive is cheaper to operate.Pa484

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  • Pa484

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