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In electrical engineering, Joe is a term used to refer to the Little Joe, a type of railroad electric locomotive built by General Electric. The Little Joe had twelve axles, eight of which were powered, in a 2-D+D-2 arrangement. They were originally intended for export to the Soviet Union but due to rising political tensions, only 15 were sold to domestic operators and 5 were exported to Brazil. The Little Joes were used on the railroad's electrified Rocky Mountain Division in Montana and Idaho, replacing older GE boxcab electrics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Little Joe |
| Type | Electric locomotive |
| Builder | General Electric |
| Number of axles | 12 |
| Number of axles powered | 8 |
| Arrangement | 2-D+D-2 |
| Factory classification | GE 2-D+D-2 406/546 8-GE 750-3300V |
| Soviet Union classification | A-series locomotive |
| Number built | 20 |
| Number sold to domestic operators | 15 |
| Number exported to Brazil | 5 |
| Use on the Milwaukee Road | Passenger service, freight service |
| Milwaukee Road classification | Class EF-4, class EP-4 |
| Use | Replaced older GE boxcab electrics operating on the railroad's electrified Rocky Mountain Division in Montana and Idaho |
| Modifications | Removal of driving controls and windows at one end, replacement of operating controls in the "B" end with a steam generator, provision of multiple unit controls for trailing diesel-electric locomotives |
| Accidents | E78 rebuilt after an accident in 1996, with replacement of original GE cabs with EMD “Bulldog Nose” cabs and addition of stainless steel side ventilation grilles |
| End of use | June 15, 1974 |
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What You'll Learn
Little Joe is a type of electric locomotive
The name "Little Joe" is derived from Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union at the time. The locomotives were initially referred to as "Little Joseph Stalin's locomotives" by the Milwaukee's operating employees, which was eventually shortened to simply "Little Joe". The Milwaukee Road bought the remaining 12 locomotives for $1 million, and they were used in regular service from the early 1950s until the Milwaukee Road's western electrified operations were shut down in 1974.
The Little Joes were used to pull both passenger and freight trains, although this ended in early 1961 when the railroad stopped running its transcontinental Olympian Hiawatha to Puget Sound. They were known for their excellent performance and reliability, especially after modifications were made to increase weight, raise the maximum height of the pantographs, and provide adequate power. The Little Joes were the last electric locomotives purchased by the Milwaukee Road, and they became the most revered motors ever operated on the line.
The Little Joes continued to operate until 1999, becoming the last units of their class in revenue service. Several of the locomotives have been preserved and are on display at various museums, including the Montana Auto Museum in Deer Lodge, Montana, the Illinois Railway Museum, and the Lake Shore Railway Historical Museum in North East, Pennsylvania.
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They were built by General Electric
The Little Joe electric locomotive was built by General Electric. Only 20 of these locomotives were ever built, with 15 sold to domestic operators and five exported to Brazil. The Little Joe was originally intended for export to the Soviet Union to operate on the Soviet Railways (SZhD) 3,300-volt DC overhead line system. However, due to rising political tensions, they were never sent to the Soviet Union. Instead, they were designated for use on the railroad's electrified Rocky Mountain Division in Montana and Idaho, replacing older GE boxcab electrics that had been in operation since the 1920s.
General Electric designed the Little Joe with twelve axles, eight of which were powered, in a 2-D+D-2 arrangement. They underwent several modifications before delivery, including the removal of driving controls and windows at one end to accommodate new main circuit breakers. The Milwaukee Shops also replaced the operating controls in the "B" end with a steam generator. These modifications improved the performance and reliability of the locomotives, addressing initial issues such as wheelslip and power supply limitations.
The railroad designated the locomotives as ""class EF-4" for electric freight engines, with two units modified for passenger service and designated "class EP-4". The Milwaukee's operating employees referred to them as "Little Joseph Stalin's locomotives," which was eventually shortened to "Little Joe." Despite initial impressions, the EF-4s performed well, and the Little Joes became the Milwaukee's only electric road locomotives by the end of their electric operation in 1974.
The Little Joes were occasionally involved in accidents, and in 1966, one unit, the E78, was rebuilt and given a slightly different appearance with EMD "Bulldog Nose" cabs and stainless steel side ventilation grilles. While they were replaced by diesel-electric locomotives in the 1960s and 1970s, the Little Joes played a significant role in the railroad's operations during their service life.
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They were originally intended for export to the Soviet Union
The Little Joe is a type of electric locomotive built by General Electric. With twelve axles, eight of which are powered, they are arranged in a 2-D+D-2 configuration. These locomotives were initially intended for export to the Soviet Union to be operated on the Soviet Railways (SZhD) 3,300-volt DC overhead line system.
The Soviet government, then led by Joseph Stalin, ordered 20 of these locomotives as part of their electrification program for the Kropachyovo-Zlatoust-Chelyabinsk line of the South Urals Railway. However, due to rising political tensions, the locomotives were never sent to the Soviet Union. Instead, 15 were sold to domestic operators, and the remaining 5 were exported to Brazil.
The Little Joes were designated as "class EF-4" by the railroad, indicating they were the line's fourth model of electric freight engine. Two units were modified for passenger service and classified as "class EP-4". The Milwaukee's operating employees referred to these locomotives as "Little Joseph Stalin's locomotives," which was eventually shortened to "Little Joe."
Despite initial challenges with wheelslip and power supply, modifications were made to improve their performance, and they became excellent and reliable performers. The Little Joes were used on the railroad's electrified Rocky Mountain Division in Montana and Idaho, replacing older GE boxcab electrics. They remained in operation until June 15, 1974, when electric operation on the Milwaukee line ended.
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They were nicknamed after Joseph Stalin
The "Little Joe" is a type of electric locomotive built by General Electric. These locomotives were originally intended to be exported to the Soviet Union and designed to operate on the Soviet Railways' 3,300-volt DC overhead line system. However, due to rising political tensions, they were never sent to the Soviet Union. Only 20 of these locomotives were built, with 15 sold to domestic operators and five exported to Brazil.
After World War II, the Soviet government, then led by Joseph Stalin, ordered 20 of these locomotives as part of its electrification program for the Kropachyovo-Zlatoust-Chelyabinsk line of the South Urals Railway. In the Soviet Union, they would have been classified as A-series locomotives, with the "A" standing for "Amerikanskiy".
The Milwaukee's operating employees referred to these locomotives as "Little Joseph Stalin's locomotives", which was eventually shortened to simply "Little Joe". This nickname may have been given due to the locomotives' original intended destination or because they were ordered by Joseph Stalin's government.
The Little Joe locomotives had twelve axles, eight of them powered, in a 2-D+D-2 arrangement. They were designated as "class EF-4" by the railroad, indicating that they were the line's fourth model of electric freight engine. Two units were modified for passenger service and designated "class EP-4". While the Little Joes initially underperformed, modifications were made to improve their performance, and they eventually became excellent performers and very reliable.
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![Joe [DVD + Digital]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71jXfiBLWEL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
They were in service until 1974
The Little Joe electric locomotive was in service until 1974. The locomotives were built by General Electric and were originally intended for export to the Soviet Union. The Soviet government, then led by Joseph Stalin, ordered 20 of these locomotives. However, due to rising political tensions, they were never exported to the Soviet Union. Instead, 15 were sold to domestic operators and five were exported to Brazil.
The Little Joe locomotives had twelve axles, eight of them powered, in a 2-D+D-2 arrangement. They were designed to operate on the Soviet Railways (SZhD) 3,300-volt DC overhead line system. The Milwaukee Road used two for passenger service, designated class EP-4 (2-D+D-2), and the remaining ten for freight, designated class EF-4.
Before delivery, the locomotives were modified to remove driving controls and windows at one end to allow for the installation of new, improved main circuit breakers. The Milwaukee Shops also replaced the operating controls in the "B" end with a steam generator. These modifications improved the performance and reliability of the locomotives.
The Little Joe locomotives were in service on the railroad's electrified Rocky Mountain Division in Montana and Idaho, replacing older GE boxcab electrics that had been in use since the 1920s. They were not used on the road's electrically disjunct Coast Division in Washington as the substations there were not upgraded to accommodate them. The Little Joes remained in service until the end of electric operation on the Milwaukee Road on June 15, 1974.
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Frequently asked questions
In electrical, Joe refers to Little Joe, a type of railroad electric locomotive.
Little Joe is a type of electric locomotive built by General Electric.
Little Joe has twelve axles, eight of which are powered, in a 2-D+D-2 arrangement.
No, Little Joes were never exported to the Soviet Union due to rising political tensions.
Only 20 Little Joes were built, with 15 sold to domestic operators and five exported to Brazil.
![Joe [Blu-ray + Digital HD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51IKrcdWgHL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
