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THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE, St PAUL & PACIFIC RAILROADS CLASS

EP - 2 "BI-POLAR" ELECTRIC.

ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST IMPRESSIVE LOCOMOTIVES OF ANY FORM OF TRACTION TO HAVE EVER BEEN BUILT.

THE LEGENDARY "BI-POLARS". WERE CREATED BY GENERAL ELECTRIC. THE NAME CAME AROSE FROM USING TWO-POLE MOTORS. THESE HUGE LOCOMOTIVES COULD HAUL 900 TON ( 1,000 ) US TONS TRAINS UP THE LONG 1 - IN - 45 (2.2 PER CENT) GRADES AT 25 MPH (40 Km/h) AS WELL HAS HOLD THEM BACK COMING DOWN THE GRADE.

SOME RATHER FINE PUBLICITY STUNTS WERE ARRANGED

CONSISTING OF A "BI-POLAR" No 10253 HAVING A TUG OF WAR WITH TWO LARGE STEAM ENGINES ( 2-6-6-2 & 2-8-0 ). THESE ENGINES WERE PRODUCING OVER 110,000 POUNDS OF STEAM TRACTIVE EFFORT ON TOP OF A HUGE TRESTLE BRIDGE. THE BIG ELECTRIC HAD LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN PULLING THE TWO STEAM ENGINES BACKWARDS WITH THE TWO STEAM LOCOMOTIVES SET TO PULL FULL STEAM AHEAD.

TYPE: EXPRESS PASSENGER LOCOMOTIVE.

GAUGE: 4 ft. 81/2 in. ( 1.435 mm).

PROPULSION: DIRECT CURRENT AT 3,000V

FED VIA OVERHEAD CATENARY TO TWELVE 370 HP ( 275kW ) GEARLESS MOTORS.

WEIGHT: 457.000lb ( 207t ).

ADHESIVE, 530,000lb ( 240t ).

MAX. AXLELOAD: 38,500lb ( 17.5t ).

OVERALL LENGTH: 76ft 0in ( 23,165mm ).

TRACTIVE EFFORT: 123,500lb ( 549kN ).

MAX. SPEED: 70mph ( 112km/h ).

HORSE POWER: 4,020 hp.