I have an Atlas n scale model of a Norfolk and Western high hood SD35. I don't even know if this is a prototypical Norfolk and Wester locomotive, but if it is, it has an F on the long hood, designating that the long hood is the front of the locomotive. Why is this? Is it a Norfolk and western prototype or is it a mistake on Atlas's part? I just don't know. Additionally, if it helps, the road numder on the model is 1521.
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-Dennis
N&W had some different tastes. They liked the long hoods front, including the 35s.
Oops! Double post.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
N&W had 80 SD35s numbers 1500-1579 and had bi directional controls so,they could be operated long or short hood forward. The bell was mounted on the short hood.
Reference photos:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=254900&nseq=18
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=412424&nseq=3
Many railways bought their early diesels long hood forward...GN, Southern, NYC, N&W, Pennsy, etc. Most shifted to short nose forward when low nose diesels came along c.1960. N&W and Southern kept ordering engines long hood 1st long after that, with high short hoods.
wjstixN&W and Southern kept ordering engines long hood 1st long after that, with high short hoods.
That I could never understand because N&W and Southern ran their engines either short or long hood forward as photos will attest. Come to think of it the majority of the photos I seen over the years the short hood was lead.
The excuse I heard was that N&W enginemen were more comfortable with the bulk of the prime mover between them and the (fillintheblanks) dodging around he gates at grade crossings. Visibility was at least as good as that along a steamer's boiler.
Then, too, N&W ran a lot of steam miles in reverse, backing into or out of coal-originating branches, so running in reverse was hardly unusual for the throttle jockeys.
N&W finally changed over from long hood front when the high short hood became an extra-cost option.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with center-cab diesels)
tomikawaTTN&W finally changed over from long hood front when the high short hood became an extra-cost option.
Actually N&W had several low hood engines those was exNKP and Wabash GP30/35s. The N&W had one SD45 that was rebuilt with a low hood after it was involved in a wreck.
While the F may have been on the front N&W ran them either way,
According to my information long hood forward was for grade crossing protection for the crew especially in the coal fields due to the coal buckets- those are dump trucks and 18 wheelers with dump trailers that haul coal to a non rail served industry or road to barge loading dock..
I checked my photos and could not find #1521, but here's a photo of sister SD35 1518 leading the way westbound at Narrows, Virginia in October, 1984 running long hood forward.
This is an image scanned into the computer and I can't see for certain if the "F" is on that long hood, but I suspect that it was. Finding that original print in the box might be a difficult project. I was living in Roanoke in those years. In the late '70s and early '80s, it was most common to see N&W running long hood forward. In about the mid-80s, we started seeing some N&W units delivered with low short hood and also seeing more trains with engines short-hood forward. After the merger to form NS, short-hood forward became the norm. Hope this helps. Bill
This is an image scanned into the computer and I can't see for certain if the "F" is on that long hood, but I suspect that it was. Finding that original print in the box might be a difficult project. I was living in Roanoke in those years. In the late '70s and early '80s, it was most common to see N&W running long hood forward. In about the mid-80s, we started seeing some N&W units delivered with low short hood and also seeing more trains with engines short-hood forward. After the merger to form NS, short-hood forward became the norm. Hope this helps.
Bill
Biil,You can't see it in the photo but,the bell is mounted on the short hood.
As far as photos we could match photos for weeks showing N&W engines being ran in either direction including GP9s starting in the 60s.. I studied and modeled the N&W for several years and before the flood in 07 I had over 1000 photos of locomotives,cabooses and freight cars taken in Portsmouth,Columbus and Kenova. I had photos of 611 and 1218 on their first trip into Portsmouth.
BTW. All of my engines was either in the black "hamburger scheme" with Norfolk & Western or the plan "NW" on the hood.
I had HH GP30s and GP35s. The GP30s HH was made with Bachmann shells,Cannon short HH and fitted with a Athearn GP35 shell. Three GP35s was Athearn with Cannon short HH and the 4th was #1300 (ex-P&WV GP35 #70)..
I still have my N&W First and Second Generation Diesel books..
ndbprrI have a theory that is unprovable but I think early diesels with the exception of f, fa and rf units replicated the fact that visibility of early hood units was equal to or better than the steam engines they replaced all of which had the boiler out front so it was normal.
C&O favored short hood forward from the start as did several other roads. B&O opt for long hood forward until their GP30s. After C&O took control of the B&O the B&O received several C&O Geeps that kept their C&O looks and numbers and was operated short hood forward. I been told that all B&O did was replace the C with a B and had B&O in Enchantment Blue.
Thanks everyone. Very cool and helpful information!