E-60 locomotive illustration, 1970s.
Pen and ink illustration depicting E-60 locomotive No. 966 pulling a consist of Amfleet cars; image likely dates to the late 1970s.
- Artwork Details
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- Date Archived:
- February 24, 2015
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
By the mid-1970s, the GG-1 electric locomotives Amtrak had purchased from the Pennsylvania Railroad were nearing the end of their useful lives. Amtrak began the search for a replacement, eventually deciding on the General Electric E-60. Based on existing freight locomotives, the boxy design gave the 70 foot long unit a solid, heavy appearance. Each of the 26 locomotives ordered weighed in at 193.5 tons and could achieve approximately 6000 horsepower. Like the GG-1, the E-60 was also a dual cab design, meaning that it could be operated in either direction for a quick turn-around.
The E-60s were later joined by the AEM-7s, which became the new "workhorse" of the Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor. Some of the heavy E-60s were sold to other railroads at that time while the remaining units operated primarily on long-distance trains between New York and Washington until the last E-60s were retired in 2003. This illustration was likely commissioned for use in promotional materials.
Artist: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Ann Owens Collection.