Erie Lackawanna MU Cars

Erie Lackawanna MU Cars
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Founded	1929–1930
Headquarters	United States
Products	Electric multiple unit commuter rail vehicles

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Erie Lackawanna MU Cars, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 2025

Erie Lackawanna MU Cars

The Erie Lackawanna MU Cars were electric multiple unit commuter rail vehicles operated by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (D&LW) and its successor companies in New Jersey. After the Morristown Line and its branches were electrified between 1929 and 1930, the D&LW purchased 141 motorized cars from Pullman to service these lines. These motor units were paired with 141 unpowered trailer cars, which were converted from pre-existing rolling stock. Constructed by Pullman, General Electric, Bethlehem Steel, and Barney and Smith, the fleet featured carbon steel bodies and operated on a 3000 V DC overhead power supply collected via pantographs.

Each unit was equipped with four GE DC traction motors rated at 255 hp each, delivering a combined output of 1020 hp that enabled a top speed of 63 mph on flat terrain. The motor cars weighed approximately 134,000 pounds, while the trailers weighed around 109,500 pounds. Passenger amenities included electric heating and windows that could be opened for ventilation. This reliable fleet remained in operation until August 1984, representing a long-lasting investment in regional commuter rail service.

History

Service with these MUs commenced on September 3, 1930, marked by inventor Thomas A. Edison, an early proponent of DC power, who piloted the inaugural train over its initial 13-mile stretch from Hoboken to Montclair. The network expanded to include stops at key locations such as South Orange, Summit, Gladstone, Morristown, and Dover. Plans to extend electrified freight service westward to Scranton, PA were ultimately canceled due to prohibitive costs during the Great Depression. In the post-World War II period, shortages of equipment sometimes required unpowered MUs to be hauled by steam locomotives beyond the limits of electrification—for instance, along the Sussex Branch to Branchville, New Jersey.

The Pullman green-painted cars gained a reputation for their dependability; Thomas T. Taber praised them as "...probably the finest multiple unit electric cars ever constructed." Their performance remained robust well into their fourth decade but deteriorated somewhat during their final years.

Over a span of more than five decades, these MUs served under four different railroad companies: Lackawanna Railroad (1930–1960), Erie Lackawanna Railroad (1960–1976), Conrail (1976–1982), and finally NJ Transit (1983–1984). Their retirement on August 24, 1984 coincided with the phase-out of the DC power system in favor of a new 25 kV 60 Hz AC system installed during re-electrification efforts. Initially replaced by Arrow III units operating out of Hoboken, the introduction of Midtown Direct service to New York City in 1996 faced compatibility issues due to differing voltage requirements on the Northeast Corridor Line. This challenge led NJ Transit to procure ALP-44 locomotives capable of handling multiple electrical systems.

Description

The Lackawanna MUs consisted of newly built motorized cars by General Electric and Pullman paired with converted trailer coaches; these pairs were semi-permanently coupled with trailers generally positioned westbound toward Dover. Most trailers were manufactured by Pullman. Typical train consists included six pairs (12 cars), although a unique 13-car set existed during rush hours due to the loss of a trailer car in a 1962 accident. State regulations limited commuter trains to a maximum length of 13 cars. Off-peak trains commonly ran with two or four cars, while rush hour services operated with six or eight cars. Occasionally, three-car sets composed of two motorized units plus one coach were deployed for shuttle runs east of Newark; these sets offered quicker acceleration and higher maximum speeds. Although matched sets did not have excess power capacity, MUs could haul an additional freight car—often milk cars—attached behind them. In later years, off-peak service shifted from two-car to four-car sets for enhanced operational reliability.

From Hoboken outbound, passengers traveled up to 38.3 miles along the Morristown Line mainline reaching Dover. The Montclair Branch and Gladstone Branch diverged at Roseville Avenue Station in Newark and Summit respectively. The MUs drew power from overhead catenary wires energized at 3000 volts DC through pantographs. Variations in overhead wire height—ranging from standard clearances down to lower heights at Roseville Avenue due to bridge constraints—limited other types of trains but suited these MUs well. Each motor car was equipped with two pantographs: one standard type located at the Dover end and a higher-tension pantograph at the Hoboken end designed for ice conditions. Although lacking speedometers, these trains could reach speeds up to 63 mph on level track and higher velocities on descending grades.

Low-roof trailers

In 1925, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad purchased fifty suburban coaches from Pullman. These cars measured 70 ft 6 in in length and featured vestibules on both ends, accommodating 82 passengers. Initially numbered 300–349, they were converted into multiple unit (MU) trailers in 1930 and received new numbers ranging from 2200 to 2249. These units, referred to as "low roof" trailers to distinguish them from earlier models with taller roofs, stood 13 ft tall and had a weight of 109,400 lb. Their numbers were updated to 3200–3249 in 1961. Following their withdrawal from service, the cars were stored in Mahwah, New Jersey, and offered for sale in 1984.

High-roof trailers

Between 1917 and 1920, Pullman manufactured seventy-five suburban coaches with roofs higher than those of subsequent models for Lackawanna. Out of these, sixty-eight (numbers 648–715) underwent conversion into MU trailers in 1930 by the American Car and Foundry Company. This rebuild included the addition of vestibules and electric heating systems. These cars were 70 ft 1 in long, seated 78 passengers, stood at a height of 14 ft 3¾ in, and weighed approximately 109,500 lb. Upon conversion, their numbers changed to 2300–2367; in 1961 they were renumbered again to 3300–3367 and later by NJT to the range of 4300–4367.

Combine trailers

Eighteen combine cars—comprising fifteen baggage/express units and three railway post office (RPO) cars—were modified by Lackawanna for MU operation. These vehicles were originally constructed between 1917 and 1925. After their conversion in 1930 (with the exception of car 426 which was converted later), baggage express cars were assigned numbers 2400–2414 while RPOs received numbers 2440–2442. The RPO cars operated on the Gladstone and Dover Branches; notably, the Gladstone RPO ran the shortest such route in the United States at just 22 miles. In the renumbering of 1961, these combines were assigned numbers between 3400–3415 and 3440–3441.

Club trailers

Lackawanna’s club cars included units numbered 480–484 built by Barney and Smith Car Company in 1912, along with car number 647 constructed by Pullman in 1917. These six cars were converted into MU trailers in 1930 and renumbered as 2450–2455. They received another renumbering in 1961 to become numbers 3450–3455. Designed exclusively for subscribers, these club cars were usually placed at the westbound end of trains heading toward Dover.

Motor units

During the period from 1929 to 1930, Pullman together with General Electric produced a fleet of 141 electric multiple unit motor cars intended for suburban routes. These units bore numbers from 2500 through 2640. Each motor unit had seating capacity for eighty-four passengers, measured approximately long, stood high, and weighed . Powered by four traction motors delivering acceleration at , they could reach a maximum speed of , achieving speeds up to downhill.

Preservation

A number of these historic cars have been preserved and are displayed or operated on various tourist railways and museums across the country, including:

References

Lowenthal, Larry; Greenberg, William. The Lackawanna Railroad in Northwest New Jersey. Tri-State Railway Historical Society, 1987. ISBN 978-0-9607444-2-8.
Randall, W. David. Railway Passenger Car Annual, Volume I, 1973–1974. RPC Publications, 1974.

External links