Hey guys do you run long hood forward?

I put the engine on the tracks, power up, and throttle up.  If it runs long hood forward, I figure it was meant to.   However, many of the better models do have the F to indicate the front.

The Lionel PRR GP7 and Trainmaster are long hood forward, but the reading GP7 and GP7 as well as their Trainmaster are short hood forward.  The giant clue, other then the F, is the engineer is also facing that way.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I put the engine on the tracks, power up, and throttle up.  If it runs long hood forward, I figure it was meant to.   However, many of the better models do have the F to indicate the front.

The Lionel PRR GP7 and Trainmaster are long hood forward, but the reading GP7 and GP7 as well as their Trainmaster are short hood forward.  The giant clue, other then the F, is the engineer is also facing that way.

Finally a voice of reason.  This discussion is somewhat moot.  That is in that the toy train makers/suppliers baked this decision into the product.  

And yes we can switch the wiring for the motors to get the engine to run in the other direction.  But we would also switch the marker/class light wires and also the coupler wires which can be done.

Here are some of my diesels that for the most part were in fact made to conform to their prototype.

Lionel Hi-nose GP30's Southern and N&W:

Southern for the most part ran short hood forward.

N&W for most part long hood forward.

MTH Southern SD45's long hood forward and they LOOK great.

MTH second generation tooling Southern and Pennsy Train Masters.

But more important here are the pilot deck heights.  Southern  require a lower (step-down).

Ron

If you take into account the sharper radii of most track plans, toy trains that is, running long hood forward would severely limit the engineer's view on curves.....LOL

For locomotives that have duel control stands, which end is front?

Chuck Sartor posted:

For locomotives that have duel control stands, which end is front?

Just taking a semi-edumicated guess here, but probably whichever end the receiving railroad requested it on, when they ordered the loco.

Or, if the railroad itself installed a dual control stand on an existing unit, the "F" end was probably left as it already was.

Chuck Sartor posted:

For locomotives that have duel control stands, which end is front?

The end as specified by the railroad.

Even dual cab electric locomotives like the EP5 and GG1 have a designated front.  It's there if you look closely:

Rusty

Always having switching layouts, it really doesn't matter to me. The engines go on the track however I put them. And depending upon where the train is going or what I am switching determines whether it's long or short its long or short hood forward.

Train Nut posted:

Always having switching layouts, it really doesn't matter to me. The engines go on the track however I put them. And depending upon where the train is going or what I am switching determines whether it's long or short its long or short hood forward.

Yup, that's purty much the way the real railroads do it on their switching layouts, too!  

S H O R T.

I like running them long hood forward, short hood forward, their all fun.

Generally, I run first generation locomotives long hood forward.  I run second generation + locomotives short hood forward.  Occasionally I will run a GP38 long hood forward if I'm using it on a local freight or a wreck train.

Tom

I run my model locomotives with the front end, marked with an F, forward.

I run mine cab forward but that's so the heat and exhaust fumes are further away from the operator!    Russ

Nice looking (I assume) SW 1500, Russ! Is it 7 1/2 inch gauge?

Rusty

I prefer the look of the locomotives with the short hood forward.

I run mine long hood forward. As someone else pointed out this was the designated direction used by the Great Northern and SP&S. I remember reading that this was the preferred orientation by both the Railroad and the crews. The reason given for the long hood forward orientation was crew safety in the event of a grade crossing accident. Crews liked having that long hood between them and any vehicles that might be on the tracks.

Diesels for the Shawmut Railroad, early Pittsburg Shawmut were MU capable SW's, a consist always had one facing backwards, for the return trip.  

Art Howes posted:

I prefer the look of the locomotives with the short hood forward.

I do too.

Extra 4324 East. 

Chop nose C&NW GP9 hauling heavyweights from IRM to downtown Chicago for a movie shoot in 1983:

Rusty

Mixed Freight posted:

Chuck Sartor posted:

For locomotives that have duel control stands, which end is front?

Just taking a semi-edumicated guess here, but probably whichever end the receiving railroad requested it on, when they ordered the loco.

Or, if the railroad itself installed a dual control stand on an existing unit, the "F" end was probably left as it already was.

In the real world, using the stenciled F as forward was mandatory.  When a man on the ground was passing signals to the engineer to go forward or back up, he went by the F.  Didn't matter if there were dual control stands or if it was in the middle.  The man on the ground went by the defined front of the engine.

Rusty Traque posted:

Chuck Sartor posted:

For locomotives that have duel control stands, which end is front?

The end as specified by the railroad.

Even dual cab electric locomotives like the EP5 and GG1 have a designated front.  It's there if you look closely:

 

Rusty

A detail K-Line left-off their model of the EP5.

Ron

mlaughlinnyc posted:

In the real world, using the stenciled F as forward was mandatory.  When a man on the ground was passing signals to the engineer to go forward or back up, he went by the F.  Didn't matter if there were dual control stands or if it was in the middle.  The man on the ground went by the defined front of the engine.

It also came in handy when the engine crew had to describe a problem to the shop personnel, especially if the problem was located at one end or the other.