PRR MP54

MP54
A Pennsylvania Railroad MP54 trailer in New Jersey in 1967.
Interior of an MP54 in 1967.
Manufacturer	Pennsylvania Railroad, American Car and Foundry Company, Pressed Steel Car Company, Standard Steel Car Company
Family name	P54
Replaced	1958-1981
Constructed	1908-1937
Entered service	1908-1972(LIRR) 1915-1981(PRR)
Refurbishment	PRR: 1950
Number built	PRR 481 LIRR 923 PRSL 18
Formation	Single car, 41 "civil union" (motor-trailer)
Fleet numbers	MP54E1 497-499, 504-617, 4546-4551, 4553-4557, 5296-5297, 5969-5970 MP54E2 618-819, 4561, 4567, 5287-5292, 5298 MP54E3 459-496, 4568-4575 MP54T 1-43, 5416-5419 MP54E6 409-458
Operator(s)	Pennsylvania Railroad Long Island Rail Road Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Penn Central Railroad Conrail New Jersey Department of Transportation SEPTA
Specifications
Car body construction	carbon steel
Car length	64 ft 5 3⁄4 in (19.653 m)
Width	9 ft 11 1⁄2 in (3.035 m)
Height	14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Floor height	4 ft 0 in (1.22 m)
Doors	2, end vestibule
Maximum speed	65mph
Traction system	2 × W-412-D 200 hp (150 kW) MP54E1 2 × W-426-A 225 hp (168 kW) MP54E2 2 × GEA-626 370 hp (280 kW) MP54E3 2 × W-431-A 225 hp (168 kW) MP54E5 2 × GEA-630 254 hp (189 kW) MP54E6
Power output	400 hp (300 kW) (MP54E1/2) 740 hp (550 kW) (MP54E3) 450 hp (340 kW) (MP54E5) 508 hp (379 kW) (MP54E6)
Train heating	Electric heat
Electric system(s)	650 V DC third rail 11,000V 25 Hz AC catenary
Current collection method	contact shoe, pantograph
AAR wheel arrangement	B-B
Braking system(s)	Pneumatic
Safety system(s)	Cab signaling, Automatic Train Control
Coupling system	AAR
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Pennsylvania Railroad's MP54 was a class of electric multiple unit railcars. The class was initially constructed as an unpowered, locomotive hauled coach for suburban operations, but were designed with the capacity to be rebuilt into self-propelled MU as electrification plans were realized. The first of these self-propelled cars were placed in service with the PRR subsidiary Long Island Rail Road with DC propulsion in 1908 and soon spread to the Philadelphia-based network of low frequency AC electrified suburban lines in 1915. Eventually the cars came to be used throughout the railroad's electrified network from Washington, DC to New York City and Harrisburg, PA. The ubiquitous cars became a commuting tradition during their long years of service in several major cities. and were known as "red cars" or "red rattlers". The cars ran in service with the PRR until the Penn Central merger in 1968 at which point they were already being marked for replacement by new technology railcars such as the Budd M1 and Pioneer III. After the bankruptcy of the Penn Central the remaining MP54's found themselves being operated by Conrail under contract with local commuter rail authorities. The last MP54 cars were retired in 1980-81 while engaged in Philadelphia suburban service with SEPTA.

In 1906, during the PRR construction project to build tunnels under the Hudson and East Rivers and build Penn Station, the PRR announced that all new passenger cars would be made of steel and that wooden cars would not be allowed in the tunnels due to the hazard of fire. A design for a steel suburban car with a 54 ft (16.46 m) passenger compartment, 64 ft (19.51 m) overall length, and 72 seats was already under development, along with one for a corresponding passenger-baggage combination car. Anticipating that many of the cars would eventually be used in electrically powered multiple-unit (MU) services, the cars were designed to accommodate electrical equipment and were designated MP54 where the M is for motor and the P is for passenger.

Additional types of these cars were developed, all with the same overall length, body shape, and characteristic round end windows often referred to as porthole or owl-eyed windows and large roof-level headlights. The passenger-baggage combination cars (52 seats) were designated MPB54. In 1911, baggage cars with 62 ft. baggage compartments were added and designated MB62. In 1913, baggage-mail cars with the same dimensions were added and designated MBM62. In 1914, passenger-baggage combination cars with longer baggage compartments and 40 seats were added and designated MPB54B. In 1915, passenger-baggage-mail combination cars with 24 seats were added and designated MPBM54.