Was this a paint scheme used by the Central? The only photos I can find (of 1608) are in the black with sliver grills (like my Lionel model)
Attachments
Images (2)
Original Post
NYC purchased six passenger F3's, which were indeed grey with short (later full-length) lightning stripe. They were numbered differently than the 1600-series Freight F3's, and classed as "combination" (freight/passenger) units. Cab units were 3500-3503; B units were 3600-3601. They were built in 1947 with high top cooling fans, and at least one later received pan-top fans. These F3's had no dynamic brake, as they had steam generators and the boiler water tanks took up the space that could otherwise have housed the Dynamic Brake resistors.
They were operated for a few years, in A-B-A 4500-horsepower consists, on the Boston & Albany, which was definitely not "water level" through the Berkshires. With 12% more horsepower than a pair of E7's, the F3's could make a little bit better speed on ascending grades, and the bigger advantage is that the minimum continuous speed (for traction motor amperage) was lower. In other words, they were not "running in the red" on the hills. There was also a single A-B-A consist of Baldwin Babyface DR4-4-15 in grey lightning stripe, later given EMD engines.
I don't have any data as to the tonnage of B&A passenger trains of the 1947-1950 era. Maybe a true New York Central expert knows something specific about actual performance of E7's with trains of that era. I know that, if I were the Engineer, I would rather have 3 F3's instead of 2 E7's on any passenger train. But the Accounting Department might see it differently.
The passenger F3's were painted black and used in freight service and renumbered into the 1800's after their passenger careers ended. There were only three F3A's in the renumbering. Something happened to one, perhaps a wreck or a major mechanical/electrical failure. It was traded to EMD without being renumbered.
