Favorite 2nd generation Diesel locomotive

[Anonymous]

Opinion time again! What is your favorite 2nd generation diesel locomotive and why? Mine is the GP40-2. It got a bad rap during the formative years but latter became a very usable machine. I also liked the SD45 for the same reason.

[favuprailroadfan]

Hey Dan,

Good question. Its tough to tell between the 2nd generation. Mine is probably the SD40-2. EMD took something that was good in the SD40, and made it better in the -2. Excellent locomotive, its been around forever and it will probably be around for awhile. I'm glad that you asked this question, because I would like to see what others have to say also.

Dru

[Anonymous]

My favorite is the GP38-2. BNSF has a lot of them up here in the Northwest. Great little freight and switching train. I like Amtrak's Cascades F59PHI as passenger train. Starting to bring back that older F series look a bit.

[Soo2610]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a SD40-2 go by with a picnic table bolted to the porch. There is definitely enough room!

[Anonymous]

Alco C636. They created there own atmosphere of sight, sound and sensation that will never be equalled.

[Anonymous]

The SD40-2 is the best. Why, just think of 4 or 5 screaming by at 70 mph, wow that is why. 645s sound good in any run.

[Anonymous]

looks like so far it's pretty much consensus EMD other than the ALCO (that's one you don't hear about much anymore). I'd have to say SD40-2 also. It's a workhorse, reliable, cost effective, pleasing to the eye (you have to love a porch) and very long lived (there's hardly any of anything built during it's rein that is even still around, much less still in everyday mainline service). 45's aren't bad either.

[dandreas]

I totally agree. The growl of the SD40-2 is second to none! Here in Texas I've seen the entire spectrum of SD40-2's roll by--BN,ATSF,BNSF,MKT,UP,SP,MP,RI,NS...they're just great looking locomotives. And of course the tunnel motors were always a sight to see!

[Anonymous]

Speaking as a limie who has never had to work and live with these locos day to day, I like the look of an SP SD40 or 45T-2 in the SP three tone colours; Black, primer and rust. My favourite looking in good condition is the version of the SD60M with three front windows.

[Anonymous]

Well, the SD40-2 is an awesome locomotive. But, as a very young child, I remember ALCO C420's pulling fast freights for the D&H. Something about the long, low short hood added with the black plumes of smoke that I just loved.

[Anonymous]

The SD-45, of course. Easily identified and owned by NP and GN.

[Anonymous]

I'm with Dru on this one: SD40-2 rules !

[Anonymous]

Funny thing about the SD45's of the NP. NP actually liked the GE U25C and U28C better cause they would out pull the EMD's in the mountains and the NP was not impressed with the wheel slip problems the SD45 had over the same rails. I understand that the NP went to EMD and told them they would purchase the unit in quantity if they would copy the GE wheel slip design. EMD got the hint and the rest is history.

[favuprailroadfan]

i TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT.
IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE THE 40-2 RULES THE ROOST



DRU

[Anonymous]

I would also have to agree that the 40-2's are one of the best 2ng generation locos. mainly beacause so many of them are still in use all over the country. you just cant beat their ease to work with and their longevity. but i cant ignore all the good ol` GE U boats. they might not have been too popular, but i always liked their cute in an ugly kinda way looks.

[Anonymous]

I cannot agree with you more on the GE's, Alex. I always liked the looks of the later U's, especially the U33C/U36C and the C30-7. I can still see in my memory the U boats throttling up at dusk, belching fire, and sounding like they were going to explode! Come to think of it, I wonder if any of them did.

[favuprailroadfan]

I was in Liberal Kansas one time watching a train leaving from its 1000 mile inspection and refueling. It had 3 SP AC44-9W's, and 3 UP SD40-2's, but when it was leaving town, holy cow, one of the AC's, blew a turbo. It was so funny, it was blowing out fire, and smoke. It looked like a coal-fired steam engine. But I don't know if somebody knew it or not, the train just kept right on going. But I guess that is a GE for ya. Always blowing up. I am glad them good ol EMD's were there, because I don't know if them other GE's made it or not! So I have seen one GE blow its lid.

Dru

[Anonymous]

more than likely it wasn't a turbo, rather it was probably a cracked injector, a notorious problem on these units. It doesn't generally affect the units performace but boy does it throw out smoke and fire, especially as you go to notch 3, 5, and 8 (these are the throttle positions that the engine revs up in, the others it stays at the same rpms as previous throttle) and the turbo is lagging behind. I've been on these units when they throw flames about 8 feet above the stack, and black smoke goes everywhere. I got tested once by the superintendent and a road foreman and I had two of those SP8100's (dash9-44cw's) and both of them had this problem. anyway, we stopped they did their little test, and as I was pulling away I went to #5 throttle, well the wind was blowing just right, and before you knew it you couldn't even see either the super or the road forman, it was hillarious!

[Anonymous]

Good story, Derek. I liked that.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised (and pleased) at the popularity of the SD-40-2. Remember when we were supposed to hate them because they were everywhere? I never did. If GN and NP had lasted long enough to have ordered them, perhaps I would favor the SD-40-2 over the SD-45, although that canted radiator is nice. Thanks to all for responding to these posts.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised (and pleased) at the popularity of the SD-40-2. Remember when we were supposed to hate them because they were everywhere? I never did. If GN and NP had lasted long enough to have ordered them, perhaps I would favor the SD-40-2 over the SD-45, although that canted radiator is nice. Thanks to all for responding to these posts.

[Anonymous]

Jay, I wonder if the NP would have bought the SD40-2 too. They were leaning toward GE when the BN thing happened but they did like the SD45, it just couldn't pull like the lesser horse power GE's over the mountains.

[Anonymous]

I sincerely hope I'm not breaking a rule by doing what I'm about to do. If I am in error, I'm sorry. Dan, in Boulder City, NV, please e-mail me at [e-mail]. Thank You.

[Anonymous]

Mine would have to be the SD40-2. They just seemed to pull really well. It seemed like you put a pair of them together and they could move just about anything. They definitely had strength in terms of numbers.

[Anonymous]

Really interested to read this story. I was in the US in '99 and saw an intermodal coming up Tehachapi with four GE units. One of them had ferrocious flames coming from the stack but cycling between flames and clear exhaust every couple of seconds. It got held at Woodford and when it re-started, it cycled between chucking out thick black smoke and clear exhaust all the way to the summit. It made some spectacular pictures. Once over the summit, it got up to speed and the exhaust was clear. Nice to find out why.

[Anonymous]

The SD40-2 in Conrail blue(Cyan and black and white, very simple paint job). These EMD products were so ubiquitous in the 80's, and all but gone in 2001. It was so cool watching 2 of these racehorses mu'd with 2 ex-EL SD45's hauling the SE-PW out of pittsfield on a sunday morning with mixed freight, auto racks and intermodel. I was lucky to have taken still pictures and video in the early eighties as the longest of the Boston line freights made a fast entry into Worcester beside the location of the Worst Fire in Worcester history where many firefighters died.

By the late 80's these SDs moved West replaced by the very unique C-30-7As. In a strange way I sort of liked thses units as well.

During the last days of Conrail the SD80 MACS were in control of the Boston Line and became my 2nd favorite 2nd generation power. A railfain friend observed a lone SD 80 MAC haul over 80 cars Westbound through the Berkshire Mountains.

[Anonymous]

I already committed my self on the SD40-2 as my all time favorite 2nd gen. But the ALCO C636 would also be included on my favorite Loco list. Especially the Big D&H C-C Alco's on a heavy manifest freight southbound at Lanesboro. PA. This line is a bikepath now but at one time it featured the biggest train show in the Binghamton Scranton area. Starting at Starucca Viaduct to Ararat summit three D&H Century's had to face a steep steady grade and severe curvature with long consists taxing the continuous amp rating to the MAX. I was glad I was there at the start of the Apex of the D&H railfan era.