A locomotive or engine change is a location where a locomotive

Locomotive

A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...

 is exchanged for another locomotive.

History

For as long as there have been railroads, locomotive changes have been very essential to the officials of the railroads, so that a locomotive could be exchanged for the rest of the trip to the next locomotive changing facility or the destination of the train. Without these facilities, locomotives will suffer from wear and tear or in the era of the steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

, the locomotive will not only suffer from wear and tear, but also a lack, of fuel and water. Many of the original locations where steam was exchanged for another steam locomotive for the remainder of the trip, have been closed since diesel locomotive

Diesel locomotive

A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...

s replaced steam locomotives on the point of both freight and passenger trains.
In some cases, an electric locomotive

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

 would be replaced by a steam or diesel locomotive for the remainder of the trip. Railroads like, the Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

, New York Central Railroad

New York Central Railroad

The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...

 and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...

 had locations where the electric locomotive was exchanged for a steam or diesel locomotive.

Notable Locations

There are many locations where locomotives were exchanged for another locomotive. Some are still in use today, while others are gone.
South Amboy, New Jersey

South Amboy, New Jersey

South Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 7,913.South Amboy, and Perth Amboy across the Raritan River, are collectively referred to as The Amboys...

: Before electrification to Long Branch, New Jersey

Long Branch, New Jersey

Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...

 in the 80s, diesels for the Pennsylvania Railroad (steam as well), Penn Central, Conrail and New Jersey Transit

New Jersey Transit

The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

 were exchanged for electrics, for the trip to Penn Station in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

.
Bellefontaine, Ohio

Bellefontaine, Ohio

Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...

: The New York Central exchanged locomotives on all trains where two main lines crossed each other.
Manhattan Transfer (PRR) station: Where Pennsylvania Railroad DD1 third rail electrics were exchanged or replaced steam locomotives on trains.
Enola Yard

Enola Yard

Enola Yard is a large rail yard located in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, along the western shore of the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was the world's largest freight yard through 1956. The yard continues to operate today at lower traffic levels.-History:The yard was...

: A Pennsylvania Railroad where prior to the 1980s, Conrail, Penn Central and Pennsylvania Railroad electric locomotives replaced or cut off to allow diesel or steam locomotives to take over.
There are many more locations where locomotives were exchanged for another. These are just to name a few.

Today

Today, locomotive changes are still used, although not as much as in yesteryear. But, there are still locations such as at Harrisburg Transportation Center

Harrisburg Transportation Center

The Harrisburg Transportation Center is a large railway station and transportation hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is located on the eastern edge of Downtown Harrisburg between the intersections of Aberdeen and Market Streets and 4th and Chestnut Streets...

 where Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

 electrics are replaced by diesels. Other very busy stations where such changes take place include Philadelphia's 30th Street Station

30th Street Station

30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...

, Washington, D.C.'s Union Station

Union Station (Washington, D.C.)

Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...

, New Haven's Union Station

Union Station (New Haven)

Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was...

Category:Rail transport, and Albany-Rensselaer

Albany-Rensselaer (Amtrak station)

The Albany – Rensselaer Rail Station is a long-distance rail terminal in Rensselaer, New York, located 1.5 miles from downtown Albany across the Hudson River. , the station was Amtrak's tenth-busiest station and by 2010 it had become the ninth-busiest...

 (In the past, locomotives were changed at Croton-Harmon

Croton-Harmon (Metro-North station)

The Croton–Harmon Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Croton-on-Hudson, New York via the Hudson Line. It is the main transfer point between the Hudson Line's local and express service, and it is also served by almost all Amtrak trains on the line. Metro-North trains leave for New...

, but today it is only the end of electrification, much of which Amtrak does not use.).