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The worlds ugliest locomotive

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Posted by tatans on Thursday, August 4, 2011 5:21 PM

blownout cylinder

Speaking of unique specimens ....I present to you a one off....

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/freshcylinder/sslvD500.jpg

I suspect that this should win some kind of a prize....Whistling

THIS surely must win the top prize, and that RFFSA GEU23c  looks just like every other diesel locomotive (I'm a steam fan,by the way)

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Thursday, August 4, 2011 8:11 AM

The world's first locomotive was called the "Penydarren", and it was invented by Richard Trevethick in 1804. It was an ugly critter.

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by ChadLRyan on Thursday, August 4, 2011 6:52 AM

Actually I found it by following the the clues left by other posters on the GMDH-1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMD_GMDH-3

Then near the bottom of the Wiki page there is a link to (1 of) the units current home in MI, they have a  couple more pix on there too. And another link.

http://www.railroadmichigan.com/smrsgmdh.html

Hope that helps.

Chad L Ryan
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Thursday, August 4, 2011 4:43 AM

Speaking of unique specimens ....I present to you a one off....

I suspect that this should win some kind of a prize....Whistling

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Thursday, August 4, 2011 4:39 AM

ChadLRyan

And how about it's little brother, the GMDH-3 ???

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Clinton_DH1.jpeg/750px-Clinton_DH1.jpeg

 

Hmmm, Wonder if a 0-6-0 Tank chassis with new wheels would work??

 

Where did you find this ...erm..."unique" specimen?Huh?

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

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Posted by citylimits on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 11:34 PM

[quote user="andrechapelon"

It's RFFSA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFFSA

Here's a pic of one of their U-23C's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GE_U23C_RFFSA_3920.jpg

Andre

[/quote]

Thank you Mike, for the correction. I was reading off of the side of the locomotive – obviously its time for new spectacles.

 

I Googled the tag on the picture of the RFFSA engine and came up with an interesting page relating to this old dear: DH GMD 6031 VFRGS-RF Guido Mota.

The Google search revealed some interesting information that can best be accessed using this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMD_GMDH-1.

It was very interesting to read that these engines were built in Canada and that one of them still resides in Pakistan of all places.

BruceSmile

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Posted by Matt Florack on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 9:14 PM

I'm going to catch all kinds of you-know-what for this one, but here goes-

EMD GP30...

Yeah that's right, I said it... Stick out tongue

My little 4x10' HO layout may be small, and I may not have enough money to make it a masterpiece, but that doesn't make me any less of a modeler!

Geeked

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 9:52 AM

Rick,

does not strike me as ugly!

How´s this one:

JNR class C53 No. 43, a somewhat derailed attempt of streamlining a loco that did not even top 60 mph!

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Posted by dti406 on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 9:07 AM

This was the winner in a Trains article back in the 70's for a Rolling Mud Fence, the N&W E Class Pacific.OopsWowThumbs Down

http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns579.jpeg

It beat out a number of locmotives like the Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 and the jointed boiler Santa Fe 2-6-6-2's.

RickMy 2 Cents

 

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

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Posted by ChadLRyan on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 8:57 AM

And how about it's little brother, the GMDH-3 ???

 

Hmmm, Wonder if a 0-6-0 Tank chassis with new wheels would work??

Chad L Ryan
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Posted by mobilman44 on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 8:52 AM

OK guys, its my turn.................

I've never seen a loco that was truly ugly.   However, some are much closer to that descriptive term than others.  In that regard, I do think the question has a potential for two groups of answers.

The first would be the "one off" examples, of which there are several.

The second would be for a series of the same type of locos (i.e. BL2).

My entry for the second group - and it truly hurts me to write this for I am an avid fan - is the Illinois Central steamers with that huge square sand box on top.  These locos, particularly the mountains, are massive examples of no nonsense power and strength, but those sandboxes just are downright ugly.  Ha, no wonder there are no true to proto examples of them in the modeling world (ex brass special runs).

ENJOY!

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

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Posted by andrechapelon on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 8:29 AM

citylimits

I like this one - it's very different from most other locomotives - I'd buy one if it was made in plastic and place it into a display case for curiosities sake.

Is there any further information on this engine? It looks like something you might find buzzing about Fords, Rouge Plant, sometime in the 1950's/1960’s 

I've googled the letters on the hood - V.R.R.S.A - assuming that I've gotten them right, but nothing there.

 

I’m with you, Ken – I like the BL-2 as well especially in FEC paint and the Proto2000 version.

BruceSmile

It's RFFSA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFFSA

Here's a pic of one of their U-23C's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GE_U23C_RFFSA_3920.jpg

Andre

It's really kind of hard to support your local hobby shop when the nearest hobby shop that's worth the name is a 150 mile roundtrip.
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 5:39 AM

Sir Madog

 

Can any loco be ugly?

Well, this one´s certainly not a beauty:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/CSD_Baureihe_T_478.3.jpg/800px-CSD_Baureihe_T_478.3.jpg

It´s a Czech class T 478.3, nicknamed "Goggles".

Looks more like it could have been nicknamed "Sir Periscope"

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 4:28 AM

 

Can any loco be ugly?

Well, this one´s certainly not a beauty:

It´s a Czech class T 478.3, nicknamed "Goggles".

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Posted by citylimits on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 4:16 AM

Smile

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Posted by Flashwave on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 11:24 PM

andrechapelon

 farrellaa:

What were they thinking; take some leftover unwanted automotive parts and put them on this already ugly locomotive???

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac263/farrellrc/DH_GMD_6031_VFRGS-RF_Guido_Mota.jpg

 

 

That thing looks like the result of a night of unbridled (and unprotected) passion between a GE 44 tonner and a GM Aerotrain.

Andre

 

*Sniff*, I know, Isn't it beautiful? I want one, HO plastic.

-Morgan

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Posted by cudaken on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 9:50 PM

8500HPGASTURBINE

BL-2

 Them There Are Fighting Words! I love my BL-2's there not ugly just unique! Whistling

 

 BL 2 fan Cuda Ken

I hate Rust

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Posted by andrechapelon on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 8:42 PM

farrellaa

What were they thinking; take some leftover unwanted automotive parts and put them on this already ugly locomotive???

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac263/farrellrc/DH_GMD_6031_VFRGS-RF_Guido_Mota.jpg

 

That thing looks like the result of a night of unbridled (and unprotected) passion between a GE 44 tonner and a GM Aerotrain.

Andre

 

It's really kind of hard to support your local hobby shop when the nearest hobby shop that's worth the name is a 150 mile roundtrip.
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 5:28 PM

farrellaa

What were they thinking; take some leftover unwanted automotive parts and put them on this already ugly locomotive???

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac263/farrellrc/DH_GMD_6031_VFRGS-RF_Guido_Mota.jpg

 

Isn't the exhaust vents right up the middle of the windshields?

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

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Posted by ChadLRyan on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 10:33 AM

I think this is inspiring me to build a couple loco's!

Chad L Ryan
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Posted by D94R on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 9:56 AM

The PRR T-1 Duplex and Centipedes are two of my favorites, therefore they can't be ugly!

In all seriousness though the lines of the T-1 are just beautiful, I don't know how that can be considered ugly?  The 'pedes do have a rather ugly 'only a mother can love' face to them, but that's part of the appeal.  You have a giant brute of mechanical hell clad in soft baby face lines, the contrast is stunning. 

 

The sharks carried the styling over from the T-1, so by definition, they are beautiful too ;)   Uniqueness doesn't mean ugly. 

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Posted by Sailormatlac on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 9:28 AM

PA&ERR
  marknewton wrote:
  tomikawaTT wrote:

If I may be permitted to go offshore in a different direction:

The South Manchuria Railway had a class of "streamlined" tank locos which looked like BL-2s with cylinders and drivers.  (No photo, unfortunately.  Or, maybe, fortunately!)

 


Chuck you mean the DB-3? I don't reckon they're ugly at all.  Smile" />

http://www3.telus.net/ChinaRail/JKS200010.jpg

Bachmann make them in HO, too!

Cheers,

Mark.

 

Kind of gives you a renewed appreciation for black and white film!  Laugh" />

-George

 

Nah! That thing isn't that much ugly, at least they tried and you can feel it... even if in the end, they failed!!! They're quite "nice" in the big blue sky scheme... BTW, the other chinese freight steamer by Bachmann is quite an interesting engine...

I think there's two kind of uglinest. The first is plain ugly, don't try to undestand it, not redeemable. The second is so ugly it makes it adorable... On that account, I must say I feel absolutely no appeal in european "butter-box" locomotive design. It just drab. Feels like nobody care to make something different than a box and fill it with mechanical apparatus. Even a boxcab from the 20's have more appeal, probably because of the gently curved roof.

However, they've got exquisite other designs (I always loved Chemin de fer du Nord's steamers in France. They had a "PRR" feeling to them!).

What about Fairbank-Morse (and CLC)? There design is always off. Not ugly, but something is missing. I guess amateur of these rare beast are scarse. Shark nose are ridiculous... and Trainmaster redeems itself because it is ludicrously out of proportion!

Matt

 

Proudly modelling the Quebec Railway Light & Power Co since 1997.

http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com

http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com

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Posted by BerkshireSteam on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 9:16 AM

The T1 ugly? HA! I se to thee. The T1 was designed of the most graceful and elegant lines of the time by Mr. Lowey. They are in the same beauty category as the NYC streamlined Hudson's and SP's Northern's in Daylight colors, although that has to do more with the paint than design. I suppose next someone will claim the Hiawatha Atlantic locos were 'ugly'.

I wonder what  a full-bodied streamlined Challenger would look like...

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Posted by farrellaa on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 8:59 AM

What were they thinking; take some leftover unwanted automotive parts and put them on this already ugly locomotive???

 

Life is what happens while you are making other plans!

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Posted by btaylorsacto on Monday, August 1, 2011 9:50 PM

I agree; classy, not ugly.   I've ridden in one.

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Posted by dale8chevyss on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:26 PM

 

 

For me, anything European (steam locos with those bumpers painted multi colors) have always been ugly.  

 

American, I would have to go with a camelback:  http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/camelback/camelbk1.jpg 

Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.

 Daniel G.

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 23, 2008 11:03 PM
Santa Fe had some ugly fireless cookers too, the were akward looking, but yet interesting.
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Posted by verheyen on Friday, February 29, 2008 5:44 AM

See the far right column at http://www.petefreitag.com/cheatsheets/ascii-codes/. Then holding the Alt key type 0 and the number. For example ä is alt 0128.

Peter

 andrechapelon wrote:
BTW, what do you do to get the umlauts over a, u, o?

Andre

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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Friday, February 29, 2008 5:26 AM
 marknewton wrote:
 Big Ugly Waz wrote:

The DB-3, is it real ? With that paint scheme, it looks like something from the Teletubbies !!

Cheers,

Warren



LOL! According to my two year old son, Teletubbies go off!

But yes, the DB-3 is real. If the purple and yellow doesn't appeal to you, how about these?





Incidentally, you're not the bloke who's had some articles published in CM, are you?

All the best,

Mark.

Mark,

The Teletubbies have always kind of freaked me out, they're kind of creepy ! It's amazing what a paint scheme can do, the blue with the white trim on the DB-3 makes the engine look quite refined, while the camo obviously serves a purpose,........................ now the purple Dead [xx(] !!!

I'm not the guy from CM, I'm lucky they let me post here, never lone be published !! LOL

Apart from the hefty price tag of the AD60, they're definitely my favorite model ( pending the release of the 38s ) and have the best sound of any steam, due to the speakers being in the boiler. Maybe you need to buy through a third party to maintain anonymity !!!

From previous posts I know of your history with 3801, what will you do when old mate releases the 38sQuestion [?], they are going to be a must have item ( I need 3, 3801, 3813 & 3820, I was on the last triple header, Sad [:(] day ). Just trying to work out which bank to rob to be able to afford em !!! LOL

Cheers,

Warren

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by tomikawaTT on Friday, February 29, 2008 12:56 AM

Hi, Mark,

What I was referring to was the, "First," in Andre's long Franco-Crosti link.  Wheel arrangement C-1+1-B-1-B-1+1-C, with the preheaters stuck on the ends of the double-firebox boiler...Shock [:O]

Another entry, Kiso Forest Railway #11, 0-4-2T - combines all the 'best' features of a C12 (tapered-front side tanks,) an Illinois Central rebuild (square sand box and steam dome cover,) a HUGE wood bunker, boiler set WAY low and a REALLY UGLY industrial cyclone stack, all on 762MM gauge, with 660mm drivers.  Did I mention link-and-pin couplers, on a locomotive built after WWII?  Looks rather like a mechanical duck...Sign - Dots [#dots]

An earlier Kiso aberration, confined to the stack - a turnip with an industrial cyclone top and two fly ash boxes piped to its lower end, riding the upper curves of the smokebox like saddlebags.  Makes the front end look like a recently-fed gerbil...Confused [%-)]  Apparently the entire roster was fitted with these 'things' for a time.Whistling [:-^]

Of course, they beat the pants off dragging logs out of a totally roadless forest...Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - possibly with some of the above)

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