UPs C60s. The EMD strokers are very plesent to listen to, but the big GEs pulling a 100-car rock train up a slope sound like Satan's Harley. They are just really strong motors and sound the part. In addition they don't have too much of that ka-chuff ka-chuff sound of most GEs.
Cris_261 I loved the sound of SP's tunnel motors with their deep booming sound they made while idling, and winding up as the locomotive accelerated. Granted, that deep soul satisfying sound may have been related to the 20 cylinder sound from SP's SD45T-2s than the lookalike SD40T-2s. Outside of trying to remember which model occupied which block of numbers, I could never tell the difference between the two.
I loved the sound of SP's tunnel motors with their deep booming sound they made while idling, and winding up as the locomotive accelerated. Granted, that deep soul satisfying sound may have been related to the 20 cylinder sound from SP's SD45T-2s than the lookalike SD40T-2s. Outside of trying to remember which model occupied which block of numbers, I could never tell the difference between the two.
There are two ways in which you can tell a 40T-2 from a 45T-2 with a quick visual search. The 40T-2 will have the same cab placement as an SD40-2, along with that trademark 'porch' on the front (although on the tunnel motor the long hood length makes the rear porch normal). On the SD45T-2, the cab is further forward as on a GP series unit. Also, look over the radiator grilles on the long hood. The SD40T-2 has two fan 'doors' above the grille, while the 45T-2 has three. At least in SP paint, each of these doors had a white painted square on it.
The expanation of the turbo clutch was fantastic
aut1rmlWhat is a turbo clutch and how does it work? Rick
What is a turbo clutch and how does it work?
Rick
My vote is for the Alco 251 and the 244 engines...great sounding..almost like listening to music...listening to those I used to end up tapping my foot to the beat!
My favorite is the 567C engine. I drove the SP GP9 at Portola this last summer and listening to that classic sound was really something.
The engine is an English Electric 16svt. One thing the EE engines had over the Alco 251 was the turbo charger arangement. With a number of smaller turbos closer to exhaust port you could reduce turbo lag which is one of the reasons why Alco's and to a lesser extent older GE FDL smoke up if they are powered up quickly.
I like the sounds of diesels in general compared to gasoline engines. All diesels sound good when they are working hard. I was once invited in to tour a power plant in Kissimmee, Florida. They had several big diesels in there all working hard as it was a cold snap in the area. There was one big room about the size of a gymnasium with about six Fairbanks-Morse opposed piston diesels thundering away.
Diesels also sound nice when starting. Starting them in cold weather can be an unbelievable ordeal. Here is a locomotive being started in England. I am not sure what type of engine it is, but it sure sounds nice. It takes awhile to start, so bear with it until 1:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG91fYHcm-k&feature=related
My favorite sounding prime mover?
Got to be the two-cylinder double-acting prime mover found under a high-pressure boiler. No internal combustion engine ever built has ever had the volume and authority (although an R-4360 at takeoff power comes close.) And then there are the twin-engined variety - like the N&W A!
If you have to ask why, you'll never understand.
Chuck
.
I gotta go "way back" on this one, but the sound was so distinctive that it has always stayed in my mind. In 1981 I got to see and photograph the Baldwin DRS-4-4-15s working at Rail To Water Transfer Corp. at 100th Ave. South in Chicago. This was Baldwin's 8 cylinder 608SC prime mover (1500 hp).
It was "en-drrrrrrn-drrrrrn, en-drrrrrn-drrrrrrn,......" ("roll" the "r"s). Amazing.
Bill
Hello, The 645 baby. Nothing like it no matter what version you have. The 16 or the 20 cylinder. I've had them both. The 20 cylinder sounds very awesome in Run 8. The GP26's that are on my railroad have the 567 block, but 645 internal componets. The ex-Rio GP30's still have the 567's. One of our units,SW 4227, has the straight 645E3. It has a very distinct sound. I can always tell when it is sitting outside. If you have the 26's in Run 8, there is nothing better in the world. Pulling 44 loads up a 2.3% grade pulling 1450-1500 amps at 10 mph.Now that is railroading.
Dru-CVR-Engineer
Older 567 EMD Switchers. I love going down to the Zephyr Pit in Chicago and watching BNSF switch out coaches with their H1 SW1200. It sounds so cool
fredswainOne thing I really thought was interesting was as the power was being applied, you could hear the SD70ACe and SD-50 rev up at nearly the same rate. However the Gevo seemed like it was sleeping. There was a huge delay waiting for it to rev up. It was almost as if it wasn't paying attention. Finally after what seemed like an eternity it got into it too. It was really weird.
That is why the EMDs are favored for switching, and much other work. Open the throttle, and they actually do something. GEs, not so much.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Today I saw a train leaving out of Lloyd Yard north of Houston that had a UP SD70ACe leading, followed by an NS SD-50, and an NS Gevo. All 3 were humming along. 3 very distinct and different sounds. Of the 3, I thought the Gevo sounded like a tin can full of marbles. In my opinion it was easily the worst sounding of the bunch. I'm not sure why GE's sound like they are falling apart? The SD70ACe was the quietest and smoothest sounding. It's note is really dominated by the whine of the turbochargers. It sounds alot like a semi going down the road. Just a whine and a smooth deep yet fairly quiet hum from the engine.
One thing I really thought was interesting was as the power was being applied, you could hear the SD70ACe and SD-50 rev up at nearly the same rate. However the Gevo seemed like it was sleeping. There was a huge delay waiting for it to rev up. It was almost as if it wasn't paying attention. Finally after what seemed like an eternity it got into it too. It was really weird.
I love the sound of an ALCo 539 switching cars.On the main line,there is nothing like the sound of 20 cylinder 645s dragging a long freight up a steep grade. The sound of SD45s and Tunnel motors hauling the oil cans upgrade at walong(Tehachapi loop) was totally awesome!!
For me it's that 7FDL16 of a Norfolk Southern Dash 9 Grinding out of the Wabash River Vally. Especally near the old Wabash bridge at Attica. It doesen't seem like mutch of a grade but for some of the long heavy low- prioraty trains it can be a struggle. I absolutly love the pulsating vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!! as the locomotive passes by you. I also like the Rrr Rrr Rrr Rrr Rrr sound when theay idle. I could almost fall asleep to the sound of it..
An old engineer once hit a car too hard. Oh well at least there not made of glass. Or tissue paper.?.?!
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
Thyats a tough to answer question, since each one has such a distinctive "voice". I will say, however, I think the GEVO's sound kinda like vacuum cleaners.
The V20 version of the EMD 645, you can hear them coming for miles.....
Randy Vos
"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings
"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV
Probably a FM Trainmaster. It was way ahead of its time.
Especially when they sound like they're falling apart!
Give me a FDL anyday of the week ESPECIALLY one fresh from getting a train going. When the Air compressers and everything else kicks in those things make more interesting sounds than anything plain vanilla EMD out there.
EMD 710. Just listen to this thing in a PL42AC
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Great replies guys!
Glad to see my "taste in music" is shared.
Another vote for the 16-645E3! The four strokes just sound too laid back. The zinging turbo on top of the higher pitched exahaust beat just sounds like a machine that means business, to me. The exhaust silencers on the E3Bs and newer take the edges off. They still sound good, just not quite as good as the E3.
Best is when you have mutiple 904 RPM E3s in the same consist. You get a really cool beat frequencies that wander around in pitch as the various engine speeds vary slightly.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.