Dan
My favorite old EMD is the BL-2. Kinda grows on you!
Roger
The good old GP7. The first locomotive that GM finally got right. That is what the railroads really needed rather than a fancy painted billboard.
SD40-2
Like the Energizer bunny.....they kept going and going and going......AND they were comfortable.
My favorite "old" EMD is definitly the F3. Mainly because out of all CGWs covered wagons, most were F3s. Also, they were durable as CGW would use every last ounce of tractive effort and then some. Plus, who can forget the chug of a 567 prime mover?
My second favorite is a tie between the NW2 and GP7.
I'll second the FL-9 vote!!!!
Steve L.
SD-9 then the SD-45 and 45X.
Hello P. I love all the E's, but did not remember the slant noses as well as the so called "bulldog" noses of the E-7s through 9s. I was born in 1952, and the Southern in Winnsboro and Columbia SC (where I saw most passenger trains) probably had them replaced there by E-7s and 8's by the late 1950s. That probably had to do w/ the Augusta Special being combined w/ the Crescent north of Charlotte, as they probably wanted newer power on the Special so as not to hold up the Crescent w/ any power problems due to breakdowns from older units. But I do remember hearing first what probably were E-6's notching out through Winnsboro and the sound was wonderful. I could not imagine anyone in Winnsboro concentrating on anything else until it passed, as it sounded so significant. And it did seem they were a little louder than the 7s and 8s later, but they all had the best locomotive sound I've ever heard. It had to do w/ the twin motor sound of the 567s, which no F or GP unit could duplicate w/ the single 567. And the Nathan M-5 horn was a great compliment. I believe you are right on the louder sound due to more carbody openings.
I also saw the Seaboard Es in Columbia on the Palmland and sometimes the Silver Metor. As you probably know, they always ran "elephant style" and I don't remember anything but E-7s. I know they had some 4s, 6s, 8s and one 9, but I either didn't see them or didn't notice the difference. The bottom line is I loved them all and wish they still made them today. Anyway, if we talk again I'd like to tell you about the time the Palmland sprinted by us under a bridge in North Columbia in 1963/about blew me off of it (later!).
Hi from South Africa.
The spread is so large. Having only been able to view video / DVD, read and view photo, and model EMD in US railroading, SD9, F7 in SP my favourite old oldies.
SD40T my favourite later model.
The whine of the turbo, the grimmy SP loco, and heavy duty mountain railroading make this a sight I would love to have witnessed.
In South Africa we have a number of EMD export versions that perform as expected, and are also proud vesions of the EMD heritage.
I have to agree with Mopac about the low nosed GP20s. I also prefer its C-C running mate the SD24.
Otherwise any tunnel motor on a mountain grade will do.
MopacBarrettTunnel wrote:Freight - GP9, 18, or 20, provided it has a factory STANDARD low nose;
Well the A1A-A1A light rail GMD1's are a sure fav, and from what i've heard the sole A1A GMD1 is 1063, which was the last CN locomotive to wear the green and gold Glory days scheme.
SSW9389 wrote:I have to agree with Mopac about the low nosed GP20s. I also prefer its C-C running mate the SD24. Otherwise any tunnel motor on a mountain grade will do. MopacBarrettTunnel wrote:Freight - GP9, 18, or 20, provided it has a factory STANDARD low nose;
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