Monongahela and Savannah & Atlanta

"motors"???????

Wouldn't be surprised if they're lashed up . . .

EdKing

Motors are a "slang" term for locomotives. In tunnel construction the locomotives pulling the muck cars are often called "motors."

Don't know where you came up with That explanation, but "motors" in railroad terms are one of two items:

1) Electric locomotives on the old PRR.

2) Traction motors underneath each and every diesel electric unit.

If someone in the operating department calls the Dispatcher and reports that they are having problems with the "number 2 motor", the Dispatcher will forward that information to the Mechanical Department, who will then send someone out to inspect the "number 2 traction motor" on the lead unit.

The reporting folks had better get their terminology absolutely correct when reporting problems.

The only railroad I was ever around that called diesel units "Motors" was the old Seaboard Air Line.  But the Pennsy was not the only railroad that referred to electric locomotives as "motprs".  A Pennsy GG1 electric, BTW, had 12 motors . . .

An N&W motive power guy years ago sort of objected to his locomotives being referred to as "engines".  He said that a Y-6 2-8-8-2 had at least twenty engines: each main cylinder/valve was an engine (that made four); the stoker had two cylinders, thus two engines; the Worthington BL feedwater heater had a pump, and thus an engine; each cross-compound air pump had two power cylinders, thus two engines, making four in all;  there were four grate shaker cylinders, for a total of four more; the turbogenerator qualifed as a turbine engine; and there were four brake cylinders on the locomotive - and so it goes.  The Y-6bs had twenty-one; the Worthington SA feedwater heater had both a  hot-water pump and a cold-water turbine    

That's a little extreme, but for the hair-splitters, it's right in the ball park.

EdKing

 We've always called units "motors" around Portsmouth,Oh to Williamson WV . The old heads always referred to them in that way.

 I guess ever body has their way according to were they live/work as to how they phrase or name something. Around here (Kenova,WV) we say outlawed and just 175 miles away in Bluefield WV they say doglawed for exceeding the hours of service. Doglawed sounds funny to me 

Chicago Great Western called diesel locomotives "Motors".

Mackb4 - I worked on the Tadpole for three years ending in 1965 and they must have started calling them that after I left, because I never heard them use that term in that way.

EdKing

I'll second what Ed just posted. I worked on the new GP30 units, out of Portsmouth during the late summer thru the fall of 1962 and never heard that "motor" term either.

some of the electrics (the westinghouse ones, i believe) on the milwaukee were called motors.

"Motors" is a slang term used mostly by RAILROADERS who work in the Southern US. Similarly, RAILROADERS on the DL&W used the term "Hack" to describe "Caboose". LIGHTEN UP!

 Ed and Hotwater,your both really old heads though .

 Can you two even remember back that far,I can't ,but I  wasn't even born yet .

  Oh well, we can call them motors,units,power or engines.I think we all understand each other 

 I saw a picture of them going thru Kenova Yard and they looked cool.