I looked through the history and I didn't see this questioned asked so I thought that I would post it. I've never worked for the railroads and Ive obviously never been a railfan, but I did grow up near railroad tracks and Ive spend more than a few hours waiting for trains. Until the internet I was never able to tell locomotives apart except for the obvious paint.
I'm wondering what your favorite locomotive is and why. You can choose more then one (GP, SD, electric and steam or something from GE, EMD, Alco or otherwise. I certainly don't want to start a fight but I am interested in the reasons why people make the choice that they do, especially those who have worked for the various railroads.
GP60
GP40-2
SD40-2
N&W Y class 2-8-8-2. RON
For me, it is the SD40-2. The reason is, simply, it is what I would see track side as a kid. Looks best (in my opinion) painted for the Chicago and North Western or Wisconsin & Southern.
CNW 6821 (as a kid)WSOR 4005 (as of today)
Neither of these photographs are mine.
James
Oh, that's easy. The Norfolk and Western Class "J" 4-8-4, specifically the great #611.
I''ve always liked the GE 8-40C and 9-40C tophats
The EMD SD80MAC in Conrail paint.
Some people think its ugly, I just think it looks pretty BA. EMD SD70ACe (in UP flag paint). I also like the SD90(43)MAC's and the old F9 as well as the F40PH.
UP Big Blow (GTEL)
Sheer size and a cab unit to boot.
- Erik
GE AC4400CW
GE ES44 AC
GE ES44 DC
GM F40PH-2D
that's just for starters-more to follow
Diesel:
Steam:
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
GE:
EMD:
Alco:
Southern Rwy
sd-45 long hood forward
Good thought, for me its PRR K-4s 1361. It was the frist steam loco I ever saw in the "flesh" so to speak. It was on a 6th grade class trip to Altuna, to see the Shrine Cricus with the all important stop at the Horse Shoe Curve. 1361 made a HUGE impression on this 12 year old son of a B&O engineer. To think my Dad ran such a monster as this, even bigger ones, like a 2-8-8-4, Wow!
Diesel is easy too. Baldwin RF-16, Sharknose, just cause they look so darn good, especialy in B&O blue and grey. Of course any thing in that paint looks great
I think that is what you had in mind.
I wasn't alive when the big steam engines plied the rails but I still do admire them. For steam...my favorite locos in the following order are:
4 - 8 -2 Frisco #1522
2 - 8 - 4 PMKT #1225
2 - 8 - 2 SOU #4501
On the other hand I do get the chance to run diesels so my preference of choice is in the following order:
EMD SD40-2 (Two good running SD40-2s are by far the best locomotives to switch with. The SD40-2 has both power and acceleration.)
EMD GP60 (The best locomotive ever produced to pull intermodal trains. The GP60 is the locomotive equivalent to a Corvette. Give me three to four good running GP60s on a mile long pig train and it will be track speed the whole way!)
EMD SD70M-2 or SD70ACe (If the GP60 is a Corvette these brutes are Cadallac Escalades) They may not be as fast as GP60s but they are strong and comfortable to ride in for 12 hours. The two stroke 710 sounds smooth as butter compared to a four stroke GE which sounds like a washing machine.)
GE ES44AC (I'm not necessarily a GE fan but I am fond of these units especially when there is some tonnage to pull. This is by far the best diesel locomotive model to ever come out of Erie, PA. Night and day difference between this line of locomotives and their predecessors!)
Tim G.
NS Locomotive Engineer
I have to admit my favorite is the Milwaukee SDL39 and Milwaukee's 261
My favorite locomotive is the twenty cylinder SD45, especially the high hood versions of the Southern and N&W. I have quite a few of these on my HO scale layout. The SD40-2 comes in second, also the high hood version. Earl...
SD70ACe or SD40-2
AC-12 Cab Forward
GG1 or Electroliner
The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad. --Robert S. McGonigal
Mine would be New Zealands DFT class of locomotives otherwise knowen as EMD'S GT22MC.
They are from the seventies and were turbo charged in the 1990's.
They have a similiar look to the SD40's but narrow gauge.
EL EMD SD45
CNR Alco RS13
Any Berkshire 2-8-4
any small 0-4-0 tank engine
Big 4-6-2 Pacifics espeically some of the streamlined ones
UP BIG BOY- UP 6936
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
In Australia it's hard to go past the Alco World Series DL 500 loco, did everything asked of it, and in modern times the NR class CV40-9i Aussie built GE, can't beat the throb of a big 4 stroke, instead of that screaming 2 stroke going through your head, thankfully their is soundproofing!
Virginian Class AE: 2-10-10-2
Virginian Blue Ridge: 2-6-6-6
Virginian DEs: H16-44 & H24-66
GP-9, SD40-2, SD70ACe, 9-44CW, ES44AC
Virginian Class BA: 2-8-4
Virginian Blue Ridge : 2-6-6-6
Virginian DEs: h16-44 & H24-66
GP9, SD40-2, SD70ACE, ES44AC, Dash9-44CW
I'm going to be nostalgic with my favorites:
STEAM;
Frisco #1522 for obvious reason that my parents worked for that RR
CB&Q #4960 because my parents and I took steam excursions pulled by her. She's now owned by GCR and I did get to ride behind her once again.
UP #844-because I got to ride behind her on last fall's steam special and also saw her visit our town this summer. She did a double header with #1522 after NRHS 1990 taking #1522 back to our MOT.
DIESEL;
Again-nostalgia- E and F units, because those were the ones I'd see as a kid with Dad visiting Frisco yards and pulled the passenger trains we rode.
I know very little about modern diesels, I see different names mentioned, but my knowledge is very limited, so that's I'm going with "old school."
@EMD1, Your post is the kind of post that I was hoping from because I wanted to hear from those who operate and work around/on these locomotives as their career.
Did you ever operate the SD80macs?
My favorite would have to SD70ACe, how do you post pictures? Having trouble.
watch?v=N 9jP5Dac
You can copy and paste the url (the address across the top of the page starting with http:// for the website or you can the link to your Photobucket or other photo hosting site.
Thanks episette, I figured it out. SD70Ace's are not rare in Glendale Ohio, have seen many in MU's with Norfolk Southern, but BNSF is very rare.
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