Locomotive Wiki


The Milwaukee Road EP-2's (or Bipolar) comprised of 5 locomotives built by General Electric in 1919 for use on the roads Pacific Extension.

History[]

In 1919 only a year after the electrification of the Milwaukee Road’s Pacific Extension they ordered 5 EP-2's from General Electric for use on the system. The name Bipolar comes from the engines use of bipolar electric motors. The engine had 12 motors giving them the look of a Baldwin Centipede. The locomotives rated for 70 mph performed well on passenger service carrying many of the roads name trains such as the Olympian Hiawatha.

Builders Blueprint

Builders Blueprint

In 1953 the 35 year old locomotives were sent to be rebuilt. E1-4 were sent to the roads work shop were workers unaccustomed to working on electrics did a horrible job. Afterwards the engines became prone to electrical fires and were moved from the Coast portion to the Montana portion and continued to pull passenger trains. From 1958-1960 all but 2 were sent to the scrappers.

Survivors[]

E2 currently resides on static display at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation as she would've looked just after her rebuild.

Stock list[]

Image 1st No. 2nd No. Build date Notes
Milwaukee Road Class EP-2 No. 10250 10250 E1
ChicagoMilwaukeeStPaulandPacificClassEP-2NoE2 10251 E2
Milwaukee Road No. E3 10252 E3
Bipolar oly hiawatha in puyallup valley 1953 fbt 10253 E4
Milwaukee Road Class EP-2 No. 10254 10254 E5

Trivia[]

  • By the time of their retirement all 5 engines were painted in a Union Pacific inspired yellow and gray paint scheme.
  • Locomotive E2 was donated to the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri in 1962 and moved there that year.

Gallery[]

List of Electric locomotives that were built by General Electric.
Direct Current (DC) Electrics (Bipolar motors): New York Central S-MotorNew York Central T-MotorMILW EP-2 “Bi-polar”
Direct Current (DC) Electrics: Canadian National Class Z-1-aJNR ED11 [ja]JNR ED14 [ja]MILW EF-1 / EP-1MILW ES-1MILW ES-2GE 289A BoxcabMexican Railway BoxcabsNew York Central P-MotorNew York Central Q-MotorNew York Central R-MotorCUT P1-aTri-power boxcabNew York Central R-2Paulista Railway 2-C+C-2“Little Joe”CN Centercab ElectricNew Jersy Transit E-10
Alternating Current (AC) Electrics: New Haven EP3Pennsylvania Railroad Class P5aPennsylvania Railroad Class GG1New Haven EP4New Haven EF3aPennsylvania Railroad Class E2b
Alternating Current (AC) Electrics (3 phase): Great Northern Railway boxcab
Alternating Current (AC) Electrics (motor generator): New Haven EF2New Haven EY3Great Northern Y-1/Pennsylvania Railroad Class FF2Great Northern W-1Virginian EL-2B
Alternating Current (AC) Electrics (Ignitron Rectifier): New Haven EP-5Virginian EL-C/New Haven EF-4/Penn Central E33Pennsylvania Railroad Class E44Virginian Railway EL-2B
Alternating Current (AC) Electrics (Ignitron Rectifier): E50CE60CE60CH/E60CP/E60MAE25BE60C-2