EMD vs. GE

[Anonymous]

To each their own, I guess. Personally, I think I'd try to hook up with some other railfans in your area. Maybe you could hitch a ride with someone else and get a little more out of the hobby.

sorry. i've been...not right lately. well as far as the topic goes, i should provide a miore proper and mature answer.

i grew up watching mostly EMD and the occasional C40-8 on CNW's fleet. while both companies produce excellent running machines, i would have to say it's a tie. while i prefer the look of an EMD, i love the sounds GEs make. like how when they idle, sometimes they'll make that "BWOOOOVVVVVVV!!" noise. i dont know what it's doing, but it sounds cool. GEs have more "life" to their sounds than EMD, but that's not to say EMD sounds bad or anything. in fact i have a recording of an SD45 powering up and leaving a yard.

in terms of success, GE wins. how many roads purchased the AC4400CW? Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Atchkinson Topeka and Santa Fe, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern (did they? i'm not sure on that one), Canadian Pacific, and Chicago & North Western. and i'm sure other roads also bought it. quite the purchase. then compare that to how many roads bought the SD90s. just Union Pacific. but with 4-axle units, EMD wins. UP doesnt even fix their Bs. once the B breaks down, they haul it to the scrapper. but they fix their geeps.

but if i had to pick, i'd go with EMD. i just like the look of them

 

NS and ATSF did not buy them. Neither are AC roads. CP also bought SD90's but you are comparing two locomotives built for different purposes. Compare a C44 and SD70M or AC44 and 70MAC.