Drawing # steeplecab

Steeple Cab Electric Motor

Electric railways hauled a lot of commuters to and from work during the day, but at night many of their rail lines became the city's freight arteries.  Electric locomotives, such as this "steeple cab," were called "motors" (sometimes commonly known as "juice jacks").  They picked up and delivered freight cars to businesses and industries within the city.  The short wheelbase of these locomotives was well suited to the sharp curves of the interurban rail lines.  This particular example was used on the Sacramento Northern Railway and is currently living at the OERM in Perris, California (below).  Note that not only is it equipped with a trolley pole, but it also has a pantograph for electricity collection from the overhead lines.  This allowed the switcher to navigate sidings and crossovers without risking the loss of electrical power.

Photo # sn653

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