Who will miss the P42s? They won't be around too much longer.
I will. To me they have a brutish look and a simplicity of style that is pleasing. Moreover, the P42 looks thoroughly American to me. The replacements, while attractive in their own ways, look like European locomotives.
Still in training.
I certainly will. The unfortunate thing that may be pending is Amtrak's predilection to scrap every component of a locomotive rather than sell it for operation; that will likely limit sales even for preservation if there is any possibility the unit would operate as intended for HEP service on things like dinner trains or even short excursions. There is also the threat of a Republic Starship situation if the policy has changed and some of the 'aftermarket-valuable' components can't be economically removed from the monocoque without ruining its integrity...
Incidentally -- another good excuse to run nostalgia:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SRValOA7TZo&feature=emb_logo
The styling could have been better (I prefer the F40PH) but the P42's are motive power that was designed from the outset as passenger power.
I would not have missed them. They were junk! GE, in my experience, has never built a good locomotive. They should stick to light bulbs.
I think I will miss them. They have a power image, and gave good service. Without data, my belief is they met their reliability goals, and did not have a lot of issues. After steam, we had a choice of EMD, Alco, Baldwin, Lima, manufacturers with many different RR paint schemes which shrank to Amtrak and freight carriers. Amtrak settled on EMD and GE. And then the P42/40 design. As we miss and enjoy the steam restorations, we have some saved diesels to adore but not a lot. IRM has some. I would hope IRM gets a P42.
As an old tanker, I have to say they'd make great targets on firing ranges - they're FUGLY!
BEAUSABRE As an old tanker, I have to say they'd make great targets on firing ranges - they're FUGLY!
I will not miss them. I prefer the old E and F units, or the new Siemens units.
ONE problem IMO is the GE habit of not allowing second source for parts. Another is DC traction. The other day lead loco on EB all DC motors quit and loco had to be removed. All happened before Cascade tunnel.
I never understood the paint scheme, which had absolutely no relation to the paint scheme on the trains they pulled.
243129 ... They were junk! GE, in my experience, has never built a good locomotive. ...
... They were junk! GE, in my experience, has never built a good locomotive. ...
MidlandMikeI will not miss them. I prefer the old E and F units
Same here, I always thought the P42's were bizarre-looking. It wouldn't have been THAT hard to build an E or F unit look-alike, or if GE had reservations about that they could have done an Alco PA clone.
I can see why the Genesis types were built the way they were, all those flat and angular surfaces were easier to assemble than compound curves and when you come down to it most Amtrak passengers don't care what the locomotive looks like as long as it gets 'em where they want to be. But really!
Back in my 20's I has a short contract mechanical stint with Amtrak working on the P42's. I enjoyed it. Troubleshooting wasn't much of a problem from what I remember. I did hate the cab windows they were horrendous.. However they were reliable power in their heyday. Now time is showing their fatigue and time for the sidelines..
I actually didn't mind the look of the units. However I agree with Midland Mike give me an E or F unit anyday..
Flintlock76 MidlandMike I will not miss them. I prefer the old E and F units Same here, I always thought the P42's were bizarre-looking. It wouldn't have been THAT hard to build an E or F unit look-alike, or if GE had reservations about that they could have done an Alco PA clone. I can see why the Genesis types were built the way they were, all those flat and angular surfaces were easier to assemble than compound curves and when you come down to it most Amtrak passengers don't care what the locomotive looks like as long as it gets 'em where they want to be. But really!
MidlandMike I will not miss them. I prefer the old E and F units
I remember a comment (I think it was in TRAINS, but maybe it was in PTJ magazine.) that it looked like they threw away the locomotive and kept the box it came in. They did mention the lack of compound curves as a deliberate goal of the design as it would be hitting things at grade crossings and would be easier to repair. They also mentioned that there was a lot of Bondo in the E and F noses.
I thought it was pretty ugly at first, but I gradually got used to it, but the E and F units still look better to me.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul of CovingtonThey also mentioned that there was a lot of Bondo in the E and F noses.
There was, but they sure looked good!
I wonder how much Bondo there was in Alco's PA and FA unit's noses, if any?
Flintlock76 Paul of Covington They also mentioned that there was a lot of Bondo in the E and F noses. There was, but they sure looked good! I wonder how much Bondo there was in Alco's PA and FA unit's noses, if any?
Paul of Covington They also mentioned that there was a lot of Bondo in the E and F noses.
I do know this: after an apparent eternity with E60s and P30CHs and F40PHs, I saw my first AMD103 in Los Angeles in the mid-Nineties. They were head and shoulders more 'modern' (and at least streamlined-looking) as that other stuff -- Amtrak proudly touted them as 'Streamliners' and in a sense they have been. Naturally, like caviar... or Vegemite... they're an acquired taste.
And let's face it: they're dramatically better than anything associated with the name 'Vergara'...
Love them or hate them, the GE Genesis in its various forms has been the backbone of Amtrak's diesel fleet for decades, and that makes them worthy of preservation.
VIA's P42's are also likely going to be retired as the Siemens trainsets arrive, wouldn't it be ironic if one of them gets saved while Amtrak's all go to scrap?
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70DudeVIA's P42's are also likely going to be retired as the Siemens trainsets arrive, wouldn't it be ironic if one of them gets saved while Amtrak's all go to scrap?
OvermodNo more than with TrainMasters or C-liners...
When those locomotives were being retired there weren't any preservation societies interested in them, or very, VERY few.
Remember, these were some of the hated diesels that killed the steam locomotives those society members loved so much. They didn't care if those diesels went to a well-deserved scrapping fate. Short-sighted? Sure. But hindsight's 20-20 as they say.
Actually I will miss them. How? A pragmatic approach would be for all multi engine trains to be led by a P-42. That way they can retire to the scrap yard as the many grade crossing accidents destroy them. You can save the ALCs from getting destroyed at grade crossing incidents. Then when alll the P-42s and P-40s are wrecked beyond easy repair they will go forth to that scrap yard in the sky.
Operation would allow the P-42s leading to provide HEP mostly with the ALCs providing needed full AC traction. That's important especially after the snow problems of the past weeks. AC traction survives much better in the snow. That is very iportant for the Builders, Cal Z, and LSL in heavy snow.
I've always found them to be exceedingly ugly locomotives - far less interesting to look at than the F40PHs, and much less graceful than something like the MP36PH. So, no, I will not miss them.
Shrike ArghastI've always found them to be exceedingly ugly locomotives - far less interesting to look at than the F40PHs, and much less graceful than something like the MP36PH. So, no, I will not miss them.
Slightly different shaped box.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
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