I personaly like E.M.D. better. I've always been a E.M.D. fan but there new Cab design for the new SD70/90's looks really sharp and G.E.'s has that same old cab style since the Dash 8-40CW (I think it's time for a change). Although I think EMD has better looking locomotives GE does have it's own perks that beat EMD in efficiency and in other aspects. What about the rest of you guys?
While I just love the power of any locomotive, if I had to pick a favorite it would be EMD. This is really just based on what I saw most growing up and what my fondest memories are of. I think each company has some great technology though and it would be interesting to combine some aspect of each company into one unit. My favorite looking modern locomotive right now is the SD-70ACe. At first I thought it was ugly and awkward looking but it's really grown on me and now I actually like them. I think the GE engines look much more sleek though. I definitely think the current EMD's sound nicer than the GE's. The EMD engines have a nice rumble to them with some good turbocharger whine. It's pretty smooth. The GE engines sound like someone left a wrench inside it somewhere. Lots more mechanical noise.
Of the current builders, my tastes run to new power from MPI, Railpower and NRE.
I've never run a locomotive. But I here that GE's brake down a lot. So I would say EMD. But GE's look stylish.
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
EMD's look and sound better, at least the ACe's. If you go back 10 years to the original 70's and Dash 9's, the EMD's still looked better but the GE's sounded better.
I like the EMD`s up to the 40-2 series. 50`s are junk, 60`s and 70I`s are ok. Not a big fan of the SD70M-2. I`ll take any modern GE over a modern EMD any day.
They all look about the same nowadays...and since I don't operate locomotives I really have no preferences.
Probably EMD these days, their cabs and other styling look a little better to me. From the past its close, I am used to EMD units but grew up watching big GEs on commuter trains. I actually like most anything pre-wide cab.
Of those two I prefer GE. I still hold EMD accountable for the shady business practices GM used to force railroads to purchase EMD locomotives. If you want your eyes opened read some of the testimony in the antitrust action against GM in the early '60s.
JonathanSIf you want your eyes opened read some of the testimony in the antitrust action against GM in the early '60s
JonathanS Of those two I prefer GE. I still hold EMD accountable for the shady business practices GM used to force railroads to purchase EMD locomotives. If you want your eyes opened read some of the testimony in the antitrust action against GM in the early '60s.
Wouldn't it make more sense to hold General Motors accountable for GM's actions (a half century ago)?
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
At least with Gm you had a LEGIT choice in Ford Chrylser and AMC at the time. When it came to the locomotive side of things your other choices were Alco that was having major issues with their 244 or BLH which was not compatible with anything else. Untuil GE came into the Diesel Electric Market EMD had NO TRUE CONTENDER. Remember that EMD refused to allow any old EMD's to be resold they all had to be SCRAPPED instead of being used to repower Shortlines or the older Regionals. Also if you refused to deal with EMD and later came to them you would pay a HIGHER PRICE than a usual customer of them would. EMD also suffered from the GOD complex and did not Turbocharge anything til UP rammed it up an orifice that hurt creating the GP20. The GP 30 was a crash program to combat the U-25 series directly along with its improvements since the Engineers at EMD believed that GE could not come up with anything that could be better than their current offering.
Anyone that worked in the shops remember that Copper line that EMD tired to use as a PRESSURE line on the 50 series on the OUTSIDE OF THE BLOCK. Those right there were there were the last straw for the Santa Fe on EMD for a while Yes they ordered the GP60 both spartans and wides however compare the numbers ordered of Dash 8's all types by them almost 3 to one by the time you put in the C-40-8w not to mention the Dash9's Versus the SD70-75's they got. Even on the BNSF GE is the king of power anymore EMD is scond fiddle.
While GM may have had some shady business practices in the past they are still better than dealing with GE in modern times, GE is going through the EXACT same god-like mentality that EMD went through. you HAVE to have a GE rep. in the shop if you want to have any hope of warranty paybacks, or even get a engine download on the C45's. These locomotives are failing at an incredible rate, much like the 50 and 90 series did to EMD the evo's are doing the same thing to GE. The advertised relaibility and maintance reductions are not actually happening. in many cases these I can count on a SD9043AC staying running on a train instead of a C45 coming out of the shop and staying out. I will concede the C44AC's have been a really decent locomotive, and the new ACE's are very very ugly and have air starters for some stupid reason. (do all ACE's have that or just UP's?)
The locomotive world has gone in a steady decline since the SD40-2's. Hard to beat a locomotive that will just run. it really doesn't care if it has oil or even a complete crankshaft. just a few months ago i had one come in with a engine runs rough complaint, the crankshaft was in 3 peices 3!! and it just kept running, we drove it in the shop on it's own power. why can't we make a locomotive like that now??
The SD40-2 was a great locomotive. Back in the 80s GM had the locomotive market by the tail...yet they let it slide and slide. They got ridof the locomotives...then they got rid of their heavy truck division..and now they are in free fall in the automotive market as well.
Why would GM get out of a market it had dominated for so long? They should have kept their SD40-2 model..upgraded it maybe a little bit...without going into all of this other modles..the 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 series...
Canadian Pacific even wanted to buy more SD40-2s afte that model was discontinued...GM should have maybe listened to the customer (who is now predominantly GE)
UlrichThe SD40-2 was a great locomotive. Back in the 80s GM had the locomotive market by the tail...yet they let it slide and slide. They got ridof the locomotives...then they got rid of their heavy truck division..and now they are in free fall in the automotive market as well. Why would GM get out of a market it had dominated for so long? They should have kept their SD40-2 model..upgraded it maybe a little bit...without going into all of this other modles..the 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 series... Canadian Pacific even wanted to buy more SD40-2s afte that model was discontinued...GM should have maybe listened to the customer (who is now predominantly GE)
emd the 60 series then the 70 series. some of the best engines ever produced.
Keeping with modern trends, an SD40-3CW sounds kind of goofy. Although I could honestly see someone rebuilding an SD40-2 and putting in a 710 engine. I don't think EMD would have derated engines, I mean as the different series came out they power incresed. 90's, 70's, and 60's all stuck around 4000 hp, 4400-3800hp. I'm sure tractive efforts were different but only being a railfan don't see much of those type ratings. Plus even if EMD did just upgrade the 40-2's I'm sure after so long they would be so different from the original 40-2's that they would have needed a new designation and all the 50-90 moniquere would have been used anyways.
That being said the GP30 was my favorite 4 axle and the 8-40C may be my favorite 6 axle. Not really sure why but they are. Part of the GP30 is coming from being by one, actually being able to stand on the foot wells, open a hood door, handle the uncoupling bar wlthough some of those things I'm sure would have gotten me in trouble with the museum staff. They also have an Alco C430 but that's it for 2nd gen diesels. Also influenced by former local RR's. GB&W running all Alco and MILW although they ran a mix of everything. I mean that too literally everything. Badlwin, Alco, EMD, GE. I'm sure if they stuck around they would have bad MLW's, MPI's, and a mix of the newer items.
ge
I prefer EMD's myself, but I also have to be in the consensus on the 40 and 40-2 series engines being about the best there are. I like the 70's, 70M, 70M-2, and 70ACe, but overall, my favorite is the 40-series.
In my point of view, I'd say EMD locomotives are a better choice. Not only were their designs simple to maintain, but the reliability since the 30's has kept them as an 'always to trust'...except then the SD50/GP50 came and that went straight to the trash (GE got the lead in October 1982 with it's first microprocesscer-equipped B36-8). However, my interest is the EMD Export locomotives outside the U.S. The only exceptions are the SD40-2, SD70, SD70MAC, SD60MAC, and GP38-2. It is also interesting to see a licenced builder of GM (not EMD) to build their version of a SD40-2 or SD38-2 and see how theirs are different than ours (besides the height and width).
I'd say the SD40-2 is like the Ford Mustang. (Fill in the blank here)
And in my opinion, the sale of EMD by GM was a good idea, so it wouldn't have to face Chpt-11 bankruptcy and lose profits.
"Look away...look south"
EMD already has an option for 40-series locos with their 710ECO, which replaces a 16-645 and brings a rebuild up to modern emissions standards. Several SD40-2s have been recently rebuilt for KCS, though these use an 8 cylinder 710 of 2,200hp. EMD calls these rebuilds SD22ECOs. IIRC, EMD also has a 3,200hp 12-710ECO too, though I haven’t heard of any rebuilt locos using this as of it.
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GENERAL ELECTRIC
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
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