System Operations / Motive Power / Freight / Passenger / Signals / Structures / Track
Motive Power much
more to come soon - in the meantime, here are XL versions of the MP229
from November, 1944 (compiled from an original document scanned by
Wayne S. Betty) and July, 1949 (compiled from an original document scanned by Jerry Britton): 1944 MP229
1949 MP229
What is an MP229?
Every month, a statement of
locomotive assignments by division would be prepared for the Motive
Power Department. Locomotives were listed by number and class,
and distinctive appliances that affected their respective abilities to
perform certain tasks were noted. Each division would have
several Assistant Road Foremen who would split administrative
responsibilities for that divsion's locomotives. Each Assistant
Road Foreman (or ARF) had a desk number in Philadelphia, which was also
noted on the MP229 for administrative purposes. Note that this
desk number did not indicate specific roundhouses for maintenance or
specific road duties for the locomotives. What can this document tell you? As noted
above, specific locomotive duties were not noted on the MP229 - the
document was intended to give a broad overview of power assignments.
Another set of documents, listing assignments for each
locomotive, existed but are much more elusive. With a bit of
detective work, however, one can
speculate reasonably on a few things. For example, B8a
locomotives were roundhouse goats and lived at major backshops.
Backshop photos can place them at a particular shop; locomotives
grouped with the B8a stood a good chance of working out of that shop as
well. For example, ARF 354 (in 1944) on the Monongahela Division contains a
B8a. Shire Oaks was the major divisional backshop which serviced
most of the Mon Division road freight and commuter locos. Sure
enough, the majority of the locos here are also under ARF 354.
The only other choice is ARF 373, and, since the closure of 30th
St., our only other choice for locomotive service is Youngwood, which
collected lighter branchline locos. Another
clue is likely service. Pittsburgh division ARF 355, in 1944,
consists entirely of I1s and I1sa locos - probably a helper pool.
Whether they worked out of Pitcairn, Derry, Conemaugh, or Altoona
is not clear, but chances are they were all spending their time at the
rear. And so on. The Files
The XL files combine all of the original divisional
sheets into a sortable database. You can now survey the entire
fleet by whatever criterion takes your fancy. Please note that in
order for the divisional counts to come out correctly, you must have
the locos sorted by division (but not necessarily in numerical or class
order). The 'Notes' column indicates appliances - 'X' =
cab signal whistle and acknowledger, 'B' = equipped for cab signals to function in reverse or 'backup' service
(Thanks to Dick Jacobs for clarification), '#' = mechanical stoker
equipped, 'I' = intermittent inductive train stop device (a New
York Central gadget found on locos exercising PRR traffic rights over
the Central into Erie, PA). Division names in the 'Notes' column
indicate that the locomotive was borrowed or leased from that division.
top Signals
Below are a few photos of a standard
PRR two track signal bridge installation. This particular bridge
is out of service but still standing on the former Columbus Division,
Bradford line (currently the Ohio Central), midway between Grandview
Ave. and Marble Cliff. Note the chopped face on the lower
position light - a typical feature of PRR signal heads that did not
have a horizontal arm.
a distant overall view
upper portion closeup
a detail view of the deck, and the signal mast connection
a distant overall view 
upper portion closeup
a detail view of the deck, and the signal mast connection
side view of the signal head