My favorite locomtives are:
SD45T-2
SD40T-2
SD45
SD40
GP60
The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, OregonThe Year: 1948The Scale: On30The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com
GE Dash 8-40cw
EMD SD-45
GP 38-2
EMD SD 40-2
SD 70 MAC
ATHEARN BIGBOY 4884
ATHEARN GENESIS Aslong as you guys meant modle locos and -9
EMD Dash 2 Series is a Great Locomotive to work on as far as Troubleshooting Electrical and Mechanical Problems.
The Dash 8 GE is a Great Unit also.
I still love working and Troubleshooting even the old Series 7 GE units to.
4 8 4
es4400 cw
gp38
gp40
Ok guys, now it's time for a girl's input on this.
Steam: The biggest & the best, the C&O H8 Allegheny. (And just imagine how she'd have looked with a NYC PT-4 centipede tender!)
Diesel: Toss up between an Alco PA/PB/PB lash-up and an Alco C-855 Century.
Other: UP Super Turbines.
Sue
Steam: 1900s era 2-8-0
Early Diesel: E-unit passenger train, GP7,9s running long hood forward
Modern Diesel: C44-9Ws running back to back
(44-tonner switcher on the side)
Diesel
SW1200RS and GP9(love the sound when they throttle up), Anything Alco, SD40-2, F-M Trainmaster, F40PH-2, Baldwin RF-16 Sharknose.
Steam
CNR/CPR/NYC Hudsons, PRR T-1 Duplex, CPR Jubilees, NYC Commodore Vanderbilt, SP Daylight 4449, UP 3985/844, N&W 611, C&O Alleghenies, Sante Fe 3751.
Electric
CNR Z-1, GG1, E44, Milwaukee Road electrics.
And lastly since they dont fit in any previous categories the UP Turbines.
My favorite locomotives? Well, anything steam powered tops the list but my favorite of them is the Norfolk and Western Class "J", specifically number 611. Rode behind it a number of times, those who say it's the greatest steam passenger locomotive built won't get any argument from me or the wife. She used to call it "My Engine!", she loved the Art Deco streamlining.
As to diesels, not really a big fan but do like the styling of the old E and F units and Alcos PA's and FA's. The wife and I call them "Superman Diesels" remembering the "more powerful than a locomotive" diesel runbys from the old 1950's T.V. show.
Electrics, got to love the Pennsy GG-1. Looks like it was popped out of a Jell-O mold. !930's Art Deco styling at it's best!
Strictly from an operational standpoint - my favorites that I've operated in my career, by era.
Early - F7 (with a virtual tie with a GP9)
Mid - SD40-2 (best loco EVER built)
Late - C45ACCTE
All were a joy to run compared to some of the other junk (early GE) out there.
Larry
http://www.youtube.com/user/ClinchValleySD40
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52481330@N05/
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/page/1/ppuser/8745/sl/c
alco 636 & 630
Diesel.
1.e8
2.SD 70 ace
3.gp40-3
4.es4400cw
5.gp38-2
1.pendolino
2.Eurostar
3.hhp8
4.acs 64
1.4-8-4
2.4-8-8-4
3.flying Scotsman
4.tornado
Dmu
1.class 185
2.Voyager
EMD with real gauges and a non-computerized air brake.
A few times this week I had to shift industries with a GE dash-9. Sucks beyond belief.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
The EMD SD60.
It's a spartan cab with a great big, powerful body/frame attached to it. The best way to complement that cab.
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Cowlunit had it right back in 2010 - ALCO C636 & C630. You could also throw in the C430.
Switchers - Baldwin H12-44
Older Raod Engines - FM H24-66 Trainmaster
Newer Road Engines - EMD SD40-2 and SD45
Passenger Engines - Alco PA1
Electric Engines - PRR GG!
Steam Engines - C&O H8 2-6-6-6 Allegheney
A lot of big steam in this thread! I'll go a different direction: Pennsy's D16sb would be at the top of my list, in company with most any modernized 4-4-0 from the early 20th century. Also, one of those neat little 2-4-4T engines that New York Central used somewhere in the metropolitan NYC area. Throw in a nice selection of Maine two-footers for good messure.
Diesel wise, I'll take a Baldwin DRS-44-1000, Alco RS-1,2,3 or 11 or perhaps a SW1200 with flexicoil trucks because they were so much fun to run!
Baldwin RF-16 "Sharknose"
EMD Southern GP39X
zugmannEMD with real gauges and a non-computerized air brake.
Luddite! (I get it, but...$$$)
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
zugmannA few times this week I had to shift industries with a GE dash-9. Sucks beyond belief.
How about an old CR C40-8W with desktop controls? That had to be worse.
oltmannd zugmann EMD with real gauges and a non-computerized air brake. Luddite! (I get it, but...$$$)
zugmann EMD with real gauges and a non-computerized air brake.
So, what is the "deal" with desktop controls? Everyone around here who has ever operated a locomotive explains that they are the most anti-ergonomic invention ever, turning a shift spent at the controls into an agony of backache. So what purpose do they serve apart from supplying a method by which engineers (mechanical and electrical engineers, not locomotive engineers) and management torment crews?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
oltmanndHow about an old CR C40-8W with desktop controls? That had to be worse.
Actually had one on the same job for a few days. Surprisingly, it loaded pretty good for a GE. Quicker than the dash 9 (and it had real gauges). Desktop for me isn't a deal breaker - bigger issue if the throttle notches get worn out. Then you accidently slip into idle while spotting up, lose your amps, curse, then wait for it to load again. That and you are limited in how you can sit at the control stand.
oltmanndLuddite! (I get it, but...$$$)
I always wished our newer engines had an option where you could just have digital versions of the four analog gauges. (I think the Amtrak Siemens electrics do have that)
Diesel GP 30 and SD9`s
Steam Berkshires
The Daylight
UP 844
zugmann oltmannd Luddite! (I get it, but...$$$) I always wished our newer engines had an option where you could just have digital versions of the four analog gauges. (I think the Amtrak Siemens electrics do have that)
oltmannd Luddite! (I get it, but...$$$)
That sounds doable. Have you tried feeding it up the food chain through your local chairman? That would have worked in the later days of Conrail....although not perfectly. The desktop control locos were signed off on by the general chairman. There were a lot of other improvments at the same time - quite a few from suggestions.
Anything EMD E or F does it for me... but I must add that the early Es with the "slope nose" give me an extra little warm spot.
I am all over the shop
.
Steam 2-8-2 Tank.
2-6-4 Tank,
2-6-2 Tank All British rail engines.
Beyer-Garrart 4-8-4-4-8-4 NWSGR (australia) 60 Class.
Diesel SD 7 & 9.
EMD 7 A & B units.
Deltic 55 Class British Rail.
Smokey Dawson Australia
For steam I would go with a shay. I had the opportunity to have a cab ride in one a few months ago and I loved every second of it!
Diesel is most definitely the F40PH. I've been riding behind (and in front of) them between San Jose and San Francisco for the majority of my life so they have a very special place in my heart.
I'm more than a bit of an EMD guy (anything GE built before 2005 is good only for scrap) so here are my choices:
Road: SD70/75 with the WhisperCab. Quiet, roomy and ergonomic, with a giant Conductor's desk (at least on CN's units) and analog gauges with a 30CDW brake valve for the Engineer on a standard AAR control stand (no desktops). And with the smaller non-flared radiators you actually have decent visibility when running backwards. The SD70M-2's are better pullers when they are working properly, but have been plagued with computer and electrical issues, so performance depends on which individual unit you get.
Yard: Any non-turbocharged Geep or an SD40. Loads fast and digs in well, they make kicking cars a breeze when combined with a good Engineer.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
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