In the early 70s, GE tried a hail mary to keep the Milwaukee Road’s Pacific Coast electrification from being switched off. The hail mary was a 3kvdc version of the E60CP (w/o a steam generator or HEP, because freight only) which was warmly greeted by the staff that was maintaining the electrification, but not so much by the main offices back east.

The other 3kvdc electrification in town – the PV&T – also got a chance to check it out, and was happy enough with the unit to purchase it with an option for more if extended operation didn’t find any surprises.

Ha Ha.

The startup shimmy was known, as was the annoying tendency to stress-test the trackage as the thing pushed itself up to speed, but the “let’s derail at high speed” thing was a new and unhappy surprise, particularly when it happened on the LT&L’s north shore electrification and forced Montréal to Québec freight to detour along the slower south shore diesel line while the rerailing crew put the offending locomotive back onto the rails and hauled it back to the TdM shops for repairs.

It didn’t take long before the machine was banned from mainline freights, regeared, and put into service as a Montréal interchange yard switcher, where it languished for about 25 years before being scrapped and sent to St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu (frame) and Portland (electrical system) as parts for new diesel and electric locomotives.