The view was and is more than sufficient assuming the conductor is there and awake.
If you have to hit a log truck or a gasoline truck the metal hood will protect the crew much better than will a glass window.
Back in the 1950's the GN was among the minority of roads that bought and ran GP 7/9/20 and SD 7/9 long hood forward. That practice saved the lives of two men when the W-O local hit a rock slide that put virtually all of the lead unit, except the cab and the rear steps on the fireman's side in the Columbia River. Had the cab been leading they would have been drowned. The second unit ended up entirely submerged.
Mac
After about 1960 or so, N&W and Southern were the only roads that continued with high short hoods. I believe that collision protection was a major reason for them.
I know NS still operates a few of them, but what was the fascination with them? The view out of them is not as safe as in a safety cab.
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