Perhaps this has been covered before but I was curious what some of your favorite locomotives are from the different eras of design/operation. I love watching engines do their work, the power and the grace that they have is breathtaking!
For me:
Steam:
Norfolk & Western J1 (as immortalized by O. Winston Link!)
UP 4-8-8-4 (the "Big Boy")
Diesel:
GP40
Genesis P42
F59
Electric:
GG1 (in PRR colors with the 'cat's whiskers'!)
AEM-7
All these engines, when I see them, quicken my pulse a little and make me look a little longer... I am curious to see what others like
RhB 413 and her "Crocodile Class" sisters built in the late 1920s for Switzerland's Rhaetische Bahn meter gauge railway. With its "C-C" motion work flailing away at speed, I've never seen a better looking electric engine working anywhere.
Although I'm not a big "teakettle" fancier, anytime I see standard gauge mainline steam locomotives at speed, my surrounding world stops and I'm only aware of a magnificent machine's living and breathing existance. I could say the same about watching an eastbound "Silverton Mixed" as it works its way into downtown Durango, Colorado. Oh and such experiences have a way of touching non-railfans alike.
One fall morning, about 35-years ago, my young wife and I were about to leave Durango, Colo. when off in the distance I heard a steam whistle blowing for a set of road crossings. Finding the nearest one in advance of the approaching train, I pulled over, parked, and insisted that she stand with me at trackside as the train passed. After that religious moment, when a "mudhen" and a long set of "varnish" made its way passed us, she turned to me and said, "Robert, I never really understood what your fascination with trains was all about. But I think I do now."
Any loaded grain train, set of heavy coal buckets, but especially a heavy mixed-merchandise freight train, struggling up a long grade with exclusively 4-cycle power in charge, is a total auditory delight.
And my head will always turn whenever I hear normally aspirated power loading up with a cut of cars.
ES44DC
The operating folks on this forum will cringe, but my favorite is the original high hood U-25B. The carbody design was something "different" and the bark from the exhaust was great sounding. (I know, only when the would run.) Next favorite is any non-turbocharged EMD. They also sound good under load at higher throttle settings.
EMD;
SD40-2 and SD45
ALCO;
RS-3
BALDWIN;
Centipede.
General Electric;
U30C
Reading Co.
I-10sa 2-8-0 and K1se 2-10-2
Norfolk & Western
Y6b 2-8-8-2
Virginian
2-10-10-2
MILW
Boxcabs, Bi-Polar
Jack-shaft Boxcabs, Twin unit motor generator sets of 1948 ( four trucked E-unit styled )
Multiple unit commuter cars.
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
I thought I was a diesel fanatic but once I got into the Shays I was hooked. I love to watch them operate and never get bored. I have also been hooked with the Big Boy and the Challenger, what a change. Still love my diesels and counting.
For me, ANY steam locomotive still in operation is among my favorites, like CP's 2816 and SP4449 which I was able to see in operation in the Chicago area in the past few years.
Diesel, I have to go with EMD Fs in Santa Fe warbonnet paint, and Burlington's stainless steel-clad E5s for passenger hauling. For freight, GE's U30s and EMD's GP7/GP9s on the mainline and SW-series for switching duties along with GE's 44-tonners in the yards.
Electric, I have a soft spot for EP5s and "Little Joes", as well as the classic Electroliners (OK, I know Electroliners aren't really 'locomotives', but I like 'em anyway). Having never seen a GG1 in operation, I don't feel qualified to comment except to say they look good standing still, but better in PRR paint than Conrail or Amtrak.
Anything SP! Especially SD9's.
My top 5 favorite.
1. SD70ACe
2. SD70M-2
3. ES44's
4. AC6000's
5. AC4400's
My favoritist locomotive of all time has to be the EMD E8. It's body styling is much more refined than the E7, it's longer than any F, and it just looks sooooooo gooooooood in front of a streamliner. Unfortunately, this locomotive was one of the legacy "carbody" designs {I like to think of them as "unibodies"} where the locomotive had to be cut apart to take out it's engines. As the modern "hood" unit was already available at the time of it's ... dare I say "release?" ... it proved to be a dismal failure as far as marketing went. Only a handful of E8s were ever made, but at least they were ordered to head up streamliners.
But as far as the sleekest locomotives ever constructed, I don't think anything really beats the E8s.
My modern favs are the SD80MACs and SD90MACs, but I must also admit a real weakness for anything Très Grande Vitesse, as well.
I would love to see any of these locomotives running;
PRR's T-1 (designed by Raymond Lowey, so it has to be cool!)
Pensy's Turbine Locomotive
And NW's Y6a
EMD's E-8, in Burlington (Stainless Steel) or Atlantic Coast Line Livery
ALCO's PA-1, with the D&H Paint scheme (Unfortunatly there is only 1 left!)
and GE's 44-Tonner
GaryWF59GG1 (in PRR colors with the 'cat's whiskers'!)
Mikwaukee Roads Bi-polar
and the Acela Express (No surprise there I'm sure!)
I note your join date and number of posts, and I would like to say, Welcome to the Trains.com community GaryWF59!
Acela026
The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad. --Robert S. McGonigal
Of the steam locomotives, the Shays are my favorites, too. I think they came too late in the game to play a major role, but if they had appeared around the time of Tom Thumb and the Rocket, they would have really taken off, and the familiar engines we know and love today would have all been usurped by massive Shays, instead.
Even so, I still understand why steam was so easily usurped in itself, and I also understand why my fav never really took off. Down for every day it was run, a steam locomotive really is a maintenance headache, and having to cut up a locomotive like the E8 to do major work on them really made things much harder than they really needed to be.
In steam, I have to prefer the N&W Y-6B. The whistle and booming exhaust do kinda set it apart from the others for me.
In diesel, I always liked the big Alco Centuries--most models--but they were unreliable.
For a reliable diesel, for me the choice is simple: SD40-2
John
PhileksaUnfortunately, this locomotive was one of the legacy "carbody" designs {I like to think of them as "unibodies"} where the locomotive had to be cut apart to take out it's engines. As the modern "hood" unit was already available at the time of it's ... dare I say "release?" ... it proved to be a dismal failure as far as marketing went. Only a handful of E8s were ever made, but at least they were ordered to head up streamliners.
No cutting to take out the engines. Unbolt a roof hatch, and lift it out.
E-units were purpose-built units. It's just that their purpose (hauling passenger trains) was in decline when built. E8s could be ordered with 2 steam generators in the back, useful for backup or if the train was big enough to consume that much for heating or A/C (Santa Fe comes to mind with steam-operated A/C), and had the fuel and water capacity to go for a ways.
GP7s and 9s could be had with steam generators, but there was only so much room available, and the tanks were smaller. Add dynamic brakes to the mix, and you wouldn't be going far without needing to refill tanks. At least when passenger service ended, you still had an engine useful for other jobs.
E-units also had more horsepower, and with 2 prime movers on board, if one failed, it was usually possible to limp in to the next terminal.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
For me, first with the Diesels:
EMD SD40-2 and/or SD45's
EMD SD70's in BN Colors
Any EMD GP's
Lima 4-8-4's
Challengers and Yellowstones
Anything Geared
GN and Milw. Box Cabs and Milw. Little Joe's (what do you expect from a guy who lives in WA. State?
Acela026 ... ALCO's PA-1, with the D&H Paint scheme (Unfortunatly there is only 1 left!) ...
...
Actually, there are more Alco PA's remaining than just one.
The Smithsonian Institute has one that is undergoing restoration.
Doyle McCormack has one he is restoring to the appearance of a Nickel Plate "Bluebird" PA
Mexico has at least one in a museum, and it may still be fully operable. It appears on more than one video, after restoration to a Southern Pacific-inspired paint scheme.
Any EMD / GMD Dash 2 series.
SD45T-2
SD40T-2
SD40-2
SD38-2
GP40-2
GP38-2
F40PH2
For me I really don't have a favorite locomotive, but in this case I'll say all of Union Pacific's giant double diesels, SD90MAC-H, AC6000CW, and the turbines.
For steam it's the 4-8-8-4 Big Boys, 2-6-6-6 Alleghenys, All challengers, and the DM&IR Yellowstones. To point other thing out I'm also new here.
Locomotive development peeked with the SD40-2. Far and away my favorite locomotive.
Steam is dead for a reason... but I would love to operate a CNW H-1 class or a Missabe yellowstone
Aw, you guys come on and man up. It's okay to admit that the C39-8 is your favorite diesel. Now, don't you feel better?
I'll keep my lists of favorites that I've seen operating. I'd like to be able to include Milwaukee Road Little Joes, Pennsy GG1s, CB&Q Northerns and C&NW Baby Trainmasters--but I'm not quite old enough.
A couple of trips down to the Arkansas & Missouri will make you a fan of their fleet of Alco C420s very quickly--especially when I had the chance to ride the cab of one on the Fort Smith Turn from Springdale down to Ft. Smith and back.
Around northern Illinois these days I'm happy shooting the ICE/DME fleet of SD40-2s and I do like the lines of the BNSF SD70ACe's wearing the swoosh scheme.
A chance at a mainline excursion behind the Nickel Plate 765 will have me trying to be in place for that. I think it is one of the best looking steam locos ever--alive or dead.
I do like the Milwaukee Road 261 also, glad that it will be back in service in the near future.
I'm not much of a juice freak, but the Iowa Traction out in Mason City, IA is about the neatest thing running. Watching the two-man crew go about their work using those ancient 'motors' is really cool. I might have to try and swing out that way later this summer to take in the action.
Lance W.
B23-7,B237-r
C32-8
C39-8
SD80MAC
SD70ACE
SD50,SD50-2
C40-8CW
GP15-1
if you want to see an espee SD-9 in operation, go visit ely. NV. my wife & i rode behind theirs just last week. -big duke
I'm mainly a Diesel fan, but have a few faves among all types...
Diesel-
SD50 (as my screen name implies). - I just like the way they look and love watching them at work.
SD80MAC - alas, only got to see them at work on the Boston Line a few times.
DD40X - The Centennials were just plain cool!
Also have a sentimental spot for yard switchers.
Steam-
UP Big Boys, Challengers
NYC Niagaras, Mohawks, and of course, Hudsons
D&H Challengers
Berkshires (any RR)
Electric-
I'm not really an electric fan, but always admired the GG1. Also admire the Acela Express.
Other-
UP 8500 HP Big Blow turbines!
SD40-2's, SD9's, SD45T-2's, pretty much any standard cab EMD's and bout the only widecabs are the SD60M/I's
Most of my experience of late is all on F40PH-2 locomotives, but I've run SD40-2's, Geeps of all classes, various SD's, GE's in Dash-8, -9 and AC varieties, and a few EMD switch engines (MP-15's mostly). I like the SD40-2. It is a no-nonsense locomotive that does what you tell it to, without some computer trying to out-think you. My favorite locomotives were usually those pieces of foreign power that are better maintained than those of the Omaha Duck Club.
baberuth73 Aw, you guys come on and man up. It's okay to admit that the C39-8 is your favorite diesel. Now, don't you feel better?
OK, I'll admit that the C39-8 is YOUR favorite diesel. Mine is the JNR DD13 class diesel-hydraulic.
(IMHO, most North American diesel-electrics resemble portable gensets on wheels, or art-deco furniture vans.)
I'll also admit that my favorite catenary motor is JNR's ED16 class, and that the Kiso Forest Railway Baldwin-built 0-4-2T is my favorite steamer. But then, I'm biased...
Chuck
My favorite locomotives would have to be:
STEAM
CB&Q 4-8-4 “Northerns”
Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy
DIESEL
EMD: SD70M
SD70ACe/M-2
MP15AC
GE Transportation: ES44AC or DC (I like them both)
Dash 9
Dash 8
U-Boats
-Justin
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
SD40-2 and anything built by MLW..
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