Diesel Direction

[TrainFreak409]

I'm just curious. To me it seems that most modelers run diesels short nose forward. I'm one of the ones that like to run them long nose first, as it is something different. Norfolk Southern has a tendency to run long nose forward, if you want a prototype to refer to, often on the head of a RoadRailer train.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

[Darth Santa Fe]

I posted short nose forward because long hood forward doesn't look right to me. And where did Sideways?! come from?

[IRONROOSTER]

My only diesels are an SW1 and a SW9. They just don't look right unless they are long nose forward - actually they don't have a short nose since the cab is at the end.
Enjoy
Paul

[cheese3]

No preference, I run um both ways...what ever I am in the mood for.

[johncolley]

I think a little research would clarify it for anyone who wants to take a little time to do it. A lot depends on the era you are modelling. When the road units and special duty units came out railroads ordered them set up for their standard or preference. For instance I am modelling Great Northern in the timeframe of '47 to '50 and they ran long hood forward. On some photos of different lines locos you may see a stencilled 'F' on the units sideframe near the steps. This told how the engine was set up so switchmen knew what side(the engineer's was preferred) they had to be on to signal for movements. Also when setting up multiple units you had to know if a unit had to be set for reverse control.

[Martin4]

Many locos I own in CN colors are GP7s, GP9s. GP18s, RS10s and RS18s; I usually run those locos short nose forward, unless I find an "F" letter on the side sill at the end of the long hood ; that would mean this end was meant to be the "Front" end. Some of my engines have an engineer and a brakeman inside. I try not to have them riding backwards !

Martin
Québec City

[tstage]

I'm with Ironrooster. My only diesel is an S1. But - I'll be getting a Stewart VO-660 in another week or two. In either case, the nose is forward...as it should be.

Tom

[simon1966]

I run my road diesels short hood forward. My switchers will run either way.

[BRAKIE]

My C&HV operated the GP7/9 and RS1 and RS3s long end foward..The newer GP38-2,40-2 and GP50s is operates short hood foward.[:D]

[trolleyboy]

I don't have much of a preferance.The GP7/9's at RS10's/18's that I have are as Martin stated run the way they are stenciled.In most cases CN/CP set their GP"s up with duel controls so either is correct.CN and CP generally prefered to run short hood first but this was not always an option so the control stands were set up for both.My own personal preference is to run the High Hood units long first I think it looks better but that's just me.

[Jetrock]

My layout is a shelf switching layout with no turning facilities, so by necessity my diesels with short/long hoods run half the time short hood forward, half the time long hood forward! My main motive power are 44 tonners which have a centered hood, so there is less of an issue there--but even diesels with a "hood at one end" (like my S1) look fine to me running hood-forward--it seems that they would have the best visibility, and I have plenty of shots of S1s and 70 tonners running hood-forward at the head of trains.

[aloco]

It depends on the railway and the type of locomotive. CN ran virtually all their high hood diesels long hood forward, so I run my CN GP7s long hood forward. CP ran most of their hood units short hood forward, with notable exceptions being the RS-2, RS-3 and RS-10 which were set up to run long hood forward. I have a Trainmaster and some GP7s for CP and I run them short hood forward. I also have a couple of Atlas RS-3s in CN and CP colours, and I run them long hood forward. Most of my locos are yard switchers (S-2, S-3, S-4, SW9, SW900, etc.) and I usually run them cab forward.

[Anonymous]

As Aloco and others have said, this is not a matter of personal taste if you are modeling a real railroad - you run them like the road does/did !!!

To add to the poll response:

Prototypically !!!!

[Anonymous]

i really dont have a preference.
any way looks realilistic to me[8D]

[Anonymous]

high hoods, or alco RS's can go either way, but low-nosed engines should run short nose forward. I usually run RS's and high hoods long-nose forward because i think it looks cool.

[Anonymous]

oh, and by the way, what does sideways mean?

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trolleyboy
In most cases CN/CP set their GP"s up with duel controls so either is correct.CN and CP generally prefered to run short hood first but this was not always an option so the control stands were set up for both.

Close, but not quite.

CN's GP7s, GP9s, RS10's and RS18's were all set up for long-hood-forward running. Later locomotives were set up short-hood-forward. The last I heard CN's remaining chopnosed GP9s are still set up for LHF operation, since the chopped nose is mainly for improved reverse visibility when switching.

CN used bidirectional controls - the control stand is/was set up for comfortable operation in either direction, from the same seat. True dual controls are much less common, consisting of a full second control stand on the other side of the cab so the engineer can stay on the "correct" side of the cab by switching seats.

CP did much the same except they went to short-hood-forward operation a little earlier, with their RS18's and (I think) GP9's.

[Anonymous]

I've got two GP7s in CN colors and as stated earlier, they're running long nose forward.