Y-1 #5012

GN Y-1 #5012

In 1926, GN began construction of the new 7.79 mile Cascade Tunnel and the building of the Chumstick Cut-off on the east side of the Stevens Pass. The four 1909 box cab electrics of the original line were to be replaced by two new designs the Z-1 a Baldwin-Westinghouse built 1+D+1 boxcab intended for freight and the Y-1 a General Electric 1+C-C+1 intended for passenger trains. In practice both types were soon used for passenger and freight trains.

In 1927 and 28 General Electric built four Y-1 units numbers 5010-5013, which were the largest single unit motor-generator built to that date. They were 74 feet long, had 55" drivers, had an hourly rating of 3300 H.P. and developed a maximum tractive effort of 130,000 pounds. Four identical units, numbers 5014-5017 came from GE in 1931. Initially, the headlight and bell were on the roof. In later years all were modified by moving the headlight down to a stand on the deck and adding a bus-bar to permit multi-unit operations.

This PFM/Tenshodo model has a lot of detail and comes factory painted as #5012 with white lettering instead of yellow. The engine has good electric pick up and can easily be rigged to pick up from catenary since the pantographs are insulated. The unit runs very well and has had some running but the wheel plating is intact. Like all Tenshodo products, this engine pulls very well. I bought this model new.

Original box and foam