this is for the engineers and Conductors out there

[FThunder11]

Do you like riding or Driving(or whatever you call it), GE's or GM's? I know that the system used to control it is different, so I was just wondering.

[wabash1]

well its like this i prefer running the emd units ( gm) over the ge units. but then again i like bourbon and dont like gin or vodka.

[Anonymous]

When I was a conductor, I preferred the EMD, less rattles, pulled better..

The SD-40's were the best. Open the throttle, and they responded..

Then again, Jim Beam Black rules too

[csxengineer98]

what do you mean by the system to controll it is differnt? im confused ...please clarify?
as far as which one i like to run better.....as long as its running and stays running to get me over the road or though my shift...it dont matter to me.... but on unit coal drags..i did like the cw44-9ac's over the 70 and 80macs...but that is just me
csx engineer

[jabrown1971]

I was always told that the old U-Boats were horrible-all the way around-thus giving EMD it's huge advantage in the market. I can only assume that the quality of equipment has come way up, since the two builders share repectable sums of the market. Now with my opinion out of the way, I am not in train service, but know folks who are and the few that I know prefer the new GE's to the new EMD's, but they all prefer the older EMD's that quickly are going to the dead line.

[Anonymous]

I like the ride in a EMD better than the GE's, but I love the sound of a GE loading up; they have a guttural kind of sound to them that just says POWER. The EMD's have a little more whine to them. Just my strange point of view.

[wabash1]

GE has a gutteral sound of power..LOL LOL LOL that sound you hear is struggle. not power. i will say this for ge. if i want overtime give me a ge lash up. I have seen many GE units going to mexico fresh paint and all. even they know what to buy for sleeping on as it takes for ever to get there with ge.

[daveklepper]

Regarding loading, it takes power to actually accelerate the diesel engine from idle speed to max RPM for No. 8 throttle, and how much of the available power at the instant is used to accelerate the diesel engine and how much to accelerate the train is determined by the nature of the load regulator. If my memory is correct, EMD decided to split the difference with the GP-9 and continued with this, giving what was felt to be an ideal combination of a smooth and still rapid start. Other manufacturers had different ideas, often with a different proportion on switchers as compared with road power and with passenger vs, freight power.