The PV&T electrified from Merrimack, NH to Brattleboro, VT in 1912 with a fleet of 12 motors from ALCO & GE. These units went into service hauling freight, pushing the entire class 33 locomotive fleet elsewhere on the system (thus driving an entire class of ten-wheelers into retirement.) The success of these locomotives resulted in the decision to electrify the rest of the railway in 1920.

The class A (1200 hp/unit as delivered) were delivered as 2400VDC engines, but were rebuilt in 1919 to run under 3000VDC, for the PV&T decided to follow the lead of the CMStP&P with higher-voltage DC when the wires were run all the way from Portland to Montréal.

After the great depression started dying down in the late 1930s, the PV&T rebuilt the class As to 1800hp (1940) to help handle increases in traffic.

The surviving members of class A are used on the few surviving low-traffic branchlines, for industrial switching, and for work trains. They are liked by the crews and, after the 1940 rebuilding, are very good performers.