09/24/2026
The First General Electric Motor Car
Delaware & Hudson #1000 was built in 1906 by General Electric, after the first few McKeen cars, General Electric's Plan was to utilize a Wood Combine Coach, convert most of the baggage area to an engine room, and produce the first Gasoline -Electric Motor Car in North America.
#1000 was 65’ long, weighed 68 tons and seated 40, with a 140hp engine. In contrast, Union Pacific’s #2 McKeen Car came in at 56’ long with 38 seats, and weighing only 28 tons in comparison.
GE’s first railcar was a more ambitious than McKeen’s #1 which only sat 25 at 31’ long. #1 was better powered than #1000, with its 100 hp motor only hauling 20 tons. #1000 had to move 68 tons with 140HP. McKeen's U.P. #2, closer in length to the #1000, was also equipped with a 100HP Motor and still only had to move 28 tons.
In spite of being relatively underpowered, #1000 could make a respectable 40 mph easily, and was estimated to have been capable of 75 mph. This was due to two design features - the Wolsely gasoline V-6 140hp engine {specially imported from Britain,} and both trucks being powered through a linked gas-electric system.
One feature unique to this engine was a shotgun-shell starter. Later models used a magneto spark and possibly electric start to turn over.
The internal layout, too, was similar to a McKeen- seats in the back, toilet facilities and a smoking area ahead of that, and the engine and driver at the very front. Overall, the body was identical to a combination coach, down to the flat nose that would later become popular in the 1920s. The Barney & Smith built wooden body did not prove popular, as Wason built all other G.E. motorcar bodies out of steel, shaving 23 tons off the weight.
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We came across a new photo from the Luce Line from around 1914- which purchased other G.E. Gas Electric cars- that appears to show #1000 later in life, after being rebuilt with a new motor. The old one having issues with burnt valves and distorted cylinders. Presumably, #1000 (or #303 in Luce Line service) was scrapped at a later date.
Article written by G. Anderson.
