Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Favorite Electric locomotive(s)

1852 views
28 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 109 posts
Favorite Electric locomotive(s)
Posted by NHRRJET on Monday, January 12, 2004 8:28 PM
What is your favorite electric locomotive(s)?

Mine are as follows:

NH EP-5
NH EP-4
NH EP-3
NH EP-2
GN Y-1
GN Z-1
GN W-1
PRR GG1
PRR R1
PRR DD1
CUT P1a
AMTK E60
Little Joes (MILW and CSS&SB)
MILW EP-2
Richard L. Abramson
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 6:59 AM
Here's the top 3:

1:GG1
2:E44
3:HHP-8
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: San Jose, California
  • 3,154 posts
Posted by nfmisso on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 7:43 AM
N&W LC1
VGN EL-C
Nigel N&W in HO scale, 1950 - 1955 (..and some a bit newer too) Now in San Jose, California
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
  • 3,340 posts
Posted by Jetrock on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 12:02 PM
1. Sacramento Northern 1010 82-ton boxcab (homebuilt)
2. GE steeplecabs, 60-ton
3. Niles passenger motors
4. Birney single-truck "bobber" streetcar
5. CCT's American Car Co. box motors
  • Member since
    May 2002
  • From: New Jersey
  • 318 posts
Posted by joecool1212 on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 12:02 PM
I like the AEM7. I see them on the noetheast corroder alot there kinda cool and very fast. The ALP46 is cool very sleek almost like a very long volkswagen Streeeeeeeeeeeeeetch. also very quiet even while accelerating. I like diesels much better. Much more variety. Joe
  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Germany
  • 357 posts
Posted by Supermicha on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 1:28 PM
I think nearly every american electric is my favourite, expect the ugly nyc engines. Most beautiful i think are the E33, E60, (especially the Black Mesa Version), AEM-7, HHP-8.

MY Grand favourite are the BCR GF6C electrics. Very wonderful. Anyone build a few HO models for me? Athearn? Bachmann? [8D]
Michael Kreiser www.modelrailroadworks.de
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 2:14 PM
E2B, E40, E44, P5A, B1

Kind of heavy on the PRR with just a hint of NH thrown in.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 2:14 PM
GG1 hands down. Then the E44.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 3:02 PM
My favourite electric loco is the Swiss Krokodil (crocodile).

It certainly K.O.'s that comment about not enough varitey in electrics.

http://www.baerlin-online.de/cards/krokodil.jpg

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: California
  • 3,722 posts
Posted by AggroJones on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 3:21 PM
GG-1 and the E60CP

"Being misunderstood is the fate of all true geniuses"

EXPERIMENTATION TO BRING INNOVATION

http://community.webshots.com/album/288541251nntnEK?start=588

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 109 posts
Posted by NHRRJET on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 8:01 PM
What a wonderful response to my post! I never expected such a large following of "sparkers".
Richard L. Abramson
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 8:08 PM
what's an electric loco? just kidding E33
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
  • 3,340 posts
Posted by Jetrock on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 12:30 AM
Am I the only fan of box motors and smaller electrics here? I suppose my preference for small engines is a rarity even among fellow juice jacks--GG1's are nice but it just won't pull that 7" radius curve the way a nice wood-side Niles box motor will! Not to mention those adorable little single-truck Birneys...of course, they do have a rough ride (having ridden in one, it's a bit like being in a dinghy in a storm) but they're SO CUTE!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: US
  • 1,522 posts
Posted by AltonFan on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:28 AM
QUOTE: Am I the only fan of box motors and smaller electrics here?

No.

I have a soft spot in my heart for such critters, and steeple cab switchers, and such. And the old North Shore Line had some interesting freight engines.

But GG-1s and Little Joes are still pretty cool. So was the Electroliner. And so was the Swiss Krokodil.

However, one of my favorites was a Swiss steam locomotive that had an electric heating element installed in the boiler and a pantograph installed on the cab roof during World War II. The best of both worlds!

Dan

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 12:10 PM
A bit prejudiced, but here goes...all engines were B & O, used in the Belt Line Tunnels under Baltimore :
General Electric units, run as permanent pairs:( 0-4-0+0-4-0)
LE-1 from 1895-1916
LE-2, 1903\6 - 1927
OE-1, 2 , 3, built between 1910-1927, quite a few ran until 1952 when diesels took over.
There were a few other later, than 1927, but the above "old girls" are my favorites.
regards
Mike
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Good ol' USA
  • 9,642 posts
Posted by AntonioFP45 on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:28 PM
[1] GG1 is all around tops. Too bad America can't build engines that can run 50 years anymore!
[2] NH EP5s had beauty & style despite being plagued by electrical fires. Would love to see this in plastic HO by Kato or Atlas!

[3] E60CP - Clean,smooth body style.

[4] New York Central P, S, and T Boxcab electric locomotives in the well respected by "hommmely" looking category. Not great on looks, but as tough and durable as the graceful GG1s!

Sidebar:
At one time the General Electric E60 was offered in Amtrak colors by American GK in HO scale back in the late-70s early-80s. Had an Athearn drive that was on the noisy side but looked sharp!. Any of you have one? May be a collector's item. Was also offered in the New Haven color scheme. Though NH never had any, looked nice. I'm hoping to find a used one in decent condition. I'd repower it with the A-Line motor kit and install DCC/Sound.[:D][tup]

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 109 posts
Posted by NHRRJET on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:43 PM
I have about 7 of the American GK E60s. It is a beautiful model, even by today's
standards. I ran E60s on occasion when I was a hostler on Amtrak. Seems as though they were the last BIG motor built in the US. It would take 2 AEM-7s to do what one E60 could.
Richard L. Abramson
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 18, 2004 8:51 PM
Milwaukie electrics-all types-
DM3 from swedish railway and it's new replacement,an 6.6+6.6 doble locomotive.
every old boxcab,whatever the country-US,Europe,Russia-
anyting that smell "ozone",make sparkle's on night.
read the book about milwaukie electrics,a must have for riveted box-cab fan.
regards,
nicolas Dublin,Ireland[bow][:P][yeah]
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
  • 3,340 posts
Posted by Jetrock on Sunday, January 18, 2004 8:59 PM
Admittedly, I watched a show on the History Channel on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and the modern Russian electrics running on it are amazingly neat-looking. That chunky Russian design is nice...I wonder if they build model railroads?
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 655 posts
Posted by Mikeygaw on Monday, January 19, 2004 1:20 PM
by far the GG1's... hey, they speak for themselves
Conrail Forever!
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: USA
  • 165 posts
Posted by rf16a on Monday, January 19, 2004 3:13 PM
Pennsy's GG-1 is my favorite electric.
I wi***hey were still running.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 19, 2004 4:37 PM
GG1 is soon in usa train in G scale.and LGB also
[:D]
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: France
  • 240 posts
Posted by ddechamp71 on Monday, January 19, 2004 4:39 PM
Little Joes
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: France
  • 240 posts
Posted by ddechamp71 on Monday, January 19, 2004 4:42 PM
Little Joes
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 10:16 PM
GG1 will be manufactured by USA-Train and LGB this year!
time to get this ugly basket full of dead flowers on to of the chimeny and replace it by this new item.

[tup]
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 7:51 AM
I own an old Rivarossi HO GG1 and a couple of AHM "replicas" of the same model, but I don't intend to put catenary on my future layout, sounds too complicated...

Besides all the American electrics, I really love those old German, Austrian, Swiss and Italian electric locos from the 1920's on (DB E60, E44, crocodiles - both Swiss & Austrian, FS (Italiy) E626 with B-B-B trucks, etc, etc... - check out the Roco, Fleischmann & Rivarossi catalogs).

But in modelling I'll stick with steam and diesel.

Best regards,
Oliver.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 9:38 AM
I'd guess Metroliner's don't count..
That said, I'd say the AEM-7, NdeM's E60C,and SBB's Re460 (ugly, sure, but man can it pull).

-Tom
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 9:39 AM
Probably the FL9 - not pure electric I know, but I'd really like to see a Proto 1000 model of one. The FL9 (for those who didn't know) was a special variant of the F9 with a 3-axle truck under the non-cab end. This carried 3rd rail pickups to allow the loco to run from either the diesel power unit or the third rail - a requirement for working in part of New York where local laws prohibited locos from making smoke. Given that Bachmann has made the E33, of which only 12 were built in real life, surely the FL9 would be a viable commercial proposition? - there were almost four times as many FL9s built compared to E33s.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
  • 3,340 posts
Posted by Jetrock on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 10:23 AM
If single truck Birneys count (and I say they do) then the Metroliners most certainly count! Nobody said anything about excluding passenger equipment, and the Metroliners were pretty sharp!

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!