Personally, I think the PA, as well as the FA are beautiful engines; far better looking than the E series engines. Unfortunately, the only ones I ever saw live were perhaps the best of the best though. The D&H PA's (all 4) at Whitehall, N.Y. while I was there one day. The blue and silver plated warbonnets were just striking in appearance.
Shock Control I have read some things online claiming that the Alco PA is the most beautiful diesel locomotive ever. Personally, I find them ugly. They look to me like a Bizarro World E7, or like the hellspawn of Satan and an E7. Or like an E7 that took steroids and showed up at a monster truck rally. On the positive side, I do like the top curve over the driver's side window. What sayest thou?
I have read some things online claiming that the Alco PA is the most beautiful diesel locomotive ever.
Personally, I find them ugly. They look to me like a Bizarro World E7, or like the hellspawn of Satan and an E7. Or like an E7 that took steroids and showed up at a monster truck rally.
On the positive side, I do like the top curve over the driver's side window.
What sayest thou?
I like the smoke they put out, some people call them the "steam engine of diesels". First experience with them was riding A&M
Favorite first generation road switcher based purely on aesthetics: RS11.
Why? I like the little "pinches" at the tops of the hoods.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
RS11's are certainly very muscular-looking, kind of like an RS3 that's spent a couple of months in the gym.
Thank You.
In my dim and distant high school days, I remember shooting what may be the last pictures of ATSF 51 and 51A in the scrap line at Pielet Bros. in April of 1969.
The passenger locomotive market was a moot point by the late 1950's. Nobody made a locomotive with fins like a '59 Cadillac.
I actually think the modern-day Suburban XL resembles an Alco PA.
Hold up broadside pictures of the two next to each other.
http://www.museumoftheamericanrailroad.org/collection/restorationprojects/projectalcopa.aspx
http://newcarreleasenews.com/2018-chevrolet-suburban/2018-chevrolet-suburban-exterior-wallpapers/
Now we just need someone to paint one with the Santa Fe Warbonnet.
I don't think ALCo PA had anything to do with "ugliness", but two of my favorite early diesel (in terms of aesthetics) in the States are MILW Erie-Built with flute steel sheet around the headlight and M-10005/M-10006 ( City of Denver of 1940)
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
I really doubt GM hired Cesar Vergara to style their Cadillacs. But maybe they did, they've sure been getting ugly in recent years.
Leo_Ames I really doubt GM hired Cesar Vergara to style their Cadillacs. But maybe they did, they've sure been getting ugly in recent years.
And older gent I worked with years ago who was a car guy used to say as far as cars go "There's nothing uglier than an old Cadillac!"
"I don't know why that is, they always look good new!" he said.
He owned a '37 Cord at one time, but that's another story.
PAs and FAs are very attractive engines. But to me, nothing beats EMD Es and Fs.
As for first generation Geeps, I also admire the Alco RS-11; I love the nose treatment on those.
Still in training.
Aesthetically my favourite early diesel locomotives were the high-nose GE U25Bs.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2310621
I like pretty much all high-hood road-switchers compared to their low-hood counterparts.
Lithonia Operator I like pretty much all high-hood road-switchers compared to their low-hood counterparts.
Well, art's in the eye of the beholder. I definitely prefer the high-hood versions of those models, and all other road-switchers where both versions were built.
I just like high hoods. YMMV.
By the way, anyone know anything about Doyle McCormack's Alco PA restoration? He's come an amazingly long way, but things seem to have gone quiet.
Flintlock76By the way, anyone know anything about Doyle McCormack's Alco PA restoration? He's come an amazingly long way, but things seem to have gone quiet.
To be honest I lost interest when they put the visibly FM trucks on there (and not made the attempt to salvage some sort of Erie-built out of the old rail-grinding train). To me that's as glaring as putting Little Joe underframes on a GG1.
It'll run, and be kept safe. It was fun to watch them work on it. Why ask for more?
Oh, the FM trucks don't bother me in the least, Amazon doesn't sell old Alco trucks, and ol' Doyle had to use something.
I was curious because I haven't seen any video of the PA running anywhere, or even photos in "Trains" or other publications, unless I missed them somehow.
Hence the question.
Flintlock76I was curious because I haven't seen any video of the PA running anywhere, or even photos in "Trains" or other publications, unless I missed them somehow. Hence the question.
Mr. McCormack retired as president of the museum in March of this year, I think in part to address much of the 'finishing' of this labor of love.
See this clip from Rapido, November 19th, that discusses some of their new PA project. Asked in the comments whether some of the revenue from PA projects would go toward the restoration, they replied
'We are looking into that right now. Watch our newsletter for an announcement.
Someone who gets the Rapido newsletter might tell us if there's been an announcement.
The engine was visually complete years ago, and was said to be runnable at the time of the Streamliners in Spencer event. My guess is that the remaining work is all relatively small but significant detailing, similar to what needed doing (and to an extent still does) with CSRM's 'rebuilt camera car' Krauss-Maffei.
How many operable PAs are there? And how many that operate regularly?
The most recent newsletter (Dec 25) does not contain anything regarding the PA.
I suspect this is the video you are referring to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erdozXTWrXw
I do not subscribe to Rapido's newsletter, but I do check their website on a regular basis:
https://rapidotrains.com/content/rapido-newsletters
Has anyone ever made a Turboliner model before?
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Lithonia Operator How many operable PAs are there? And how many that operate regularly?
I believe this is currently the only fully operational one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1--v014k50
The EMD FT ahead of it is also operational. I believe it was rebuilt some years ago with a newer version of the 567 engine.
I had no idea that operable PAs were that scarce. For some reason, I was thinking there were one or two in use on dinner trains in the US.
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