9 years after the class 42 mallets were delivered, the PV&T went back to MLW for some simple articulateds to handle passenger traffic on trains to and from Canada, and then to Alco for similar units for freight service.

The two classes were very similar – the freight units had smaller wheels (but still enough to get up and move a train if needed) and were ballasted to increase tractive effort – but both classes were shoved around the system as electrification progressed. Most of the freight units were off the roster by 1935 (sold to the D&H & Lehigh Valley), but the passenger engines ended up going to the LT&L and serving until almost 1950.

Class 81 #85 (sold to the (coal hauling) Newark, Allentown, & Harrisburg) is the only surviver, thanks to being dumped in their Allentown yard after dieselisation, and then going to Steamtown after it was relocated to Scranton.