Ugly

Eye of the beholder stuff.

Rusty

Yes it is.

The PRR had 2 streamlined K4 designs. One engine had the most famous, the Loewy design (which I don't like), and 4 had a PRR in-house design that I feel was quite handsome (only made by Williams brass in the 1980s). This design pulled other Blue Ribbon PRR trains while the Loewy one pulled the Broadway Limited.

Baldwin AS616. So ugly that when it was born, the doctor slapped its parents.

Now here is what you call an ugly locomotive

I glad somebody pointed out ugly streamliners.

Ugly:Reading Crusader

Union Pacific 49er.

Milwaukee Road Hiawatha

NYC Commodore Vanderbilt

Beautiful: Pennsy T1

Lehigh Valley John Wilkes

Santa Fe Blue Goose

N&W K&J

I would add another NYC loco to the beautiful list.  The Empire State Express.  Better yet though is the B&O Cincinnatian.  I agree with your ugly list.

It's so ugly it's pretty!

Maybe we can forgive the NYC for the Commodore Vanderbilt, since it was the FIRST attempt at streamlining a major steam locomotive, for which there was no precedent.

They definitely made amends with the Dreyfuss design!

Yes, I agree.  The Dreyfus & the Empire State Hudsons were beautiful!  I also appreciate the other streamlined Hudsons, but those two were the best!

I have the most recent Railking version, produced in 2006 or so with PS2 of the Yellowbelly. One of my more favorite engines in my collection perhaps because I've seen the real one so many times and have always liked the real one. My engine has it quirks, such as finding every dip and imperfection in the track and letting you know about it. Regardless, after comparing and photographing the model with the prototype, from what I can remember, it is very close to being spot on. Only major thing is there are two extra drive rods (eccentric rods are what I think they are called). Oh yea...and the lead truck is black, not grey like the real 490 currently is but that can easily be changed. 

Ugly-

C&O M-1

Beautiful? I prefer Handsome-

N&W Class A

NKP Berkshire

SF F3 (Warbonnet)

NYC Hudsons- Empire State, Dreyfuss, J3

N&W J

The shrouded Hudson is a beauty.  I waited a long time to save up for one and it runs almost daily.  I love it, maybe cuz the prototype is up the road in the B&O Museum in Bawlmer.

The Commodore Vanderbilt looks like an armadillo to me. And the C&O yellow streamlined loco absolutely defines fugly. I have to agree that most of the streamlined steamers were not very good looking. But the streamlined diesels were almost all very appealing. So much more so than the utilitarian-like boxes on wheels we have to look at today.

I can't agree with you more on this statement. The only streamliner I really care for at all is the N&W J, however I'd probably still like it better "unshrouded". Members will hunt me down for this, but to me, SP 4449 is one of the ugliest northerns ever made.I'll take 844 or 3751 any day, but those "orange fenders"  and that ugly nose do nothing for me.

Ugly=camelbacks, any engine with a wootten firebox like Reading, D&H. The 4-8-4 woottens are passable due to the better proportion of firebox to boiler but still at bottom compared to other Northerns.

Pete

"...It's ironic that the New York Central had the most beautiful steamers, the Class J Hudsons, and the ugliest steamers which were also Hudsons, the Commodore Vanderbilt and the Mercury."

I believe the Mercury locomotives that you are referring to were Pacifics. The Hudson's, later used on the Mercury, were streamlined in the Dreyfuss/Empire State style.

Pacific Locomotive in Mercury Service

I think fugly sparks an image in steam engines that are mechanically cool, have that industrial look that just look odd.

The Union Pacific 4-12-2

Them steamers were sooooooooo ugly....  they made a freight train take a dirt road.

PennsyK4, could you tell us more about that plumber's nightmare in the photo you posted?

I agree regarding the BL-2.......

I used to think the BL-2 was ugly, but I've since come to like their looks. And knowing the B&M had at least one makes the BL-2 OK with me. Besides, BL-2s are just F3s with a different body.

NYC Fan,

Thanks for info re the Mercury. I was not aware that it was a Pacific.

Sure

It is a picture of a high pressure steam engine

Click below for an explaination.

and check out the HORATIO ALLEN No.1400

http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.co...CO/USAhp/USAhp.htm#j

Wooten firebox

D&H

BEAUTIFUL!

The most powerful Pacific ever, TE 64000 pounds.

This picture was posted the old way, pasted link to

PhotoBucket.  It still works!

Anything european.

Thanks, KevinB...glad you said it first...and you nailed it!!

Those baby faced BL2's looked questionable, but then they looked much better than those big headed CF7's, now that's fugly!

UGLY = anything with New York Central on its side

There are no ugly trains - only the misunderstood!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iajwyx02Hqw

chck these guys out!!!!!

ditto

I will agree on the CF7, in all three of its cab styles.

I'm loyal to the Home Road, but these were Frankensteins in appearance and creature comfort.  Built on a cheap budget.

On the Coast Lines we called them "Lou's Garage jobs."  Lou's Garage advertised a complete engine overhaul for $69.95 (6-cylinder) or $89.95 (8-cylinder) in the late 1950's.  They used the cheapest parts and cheap labor.

Ah the Yellow Belly, love it or hate it. Personally, I love it.

As diesels go - the BL-2 just looks ridiculous. 

I like wooten fireboxes, largely because I grew up in Reading PA.  I personally don't care for the look of Belpaire fireboxes. Round boilers should not be square!!

That abomination pennsyk4 posted is so confusing that I can't even find the boiler under all the connections!!

Otherwise I think the Chapelon inspired French Pacifics are hideous - but I'd love to have one

Except in drastic instances like the BL-2 and experimental oddballs, I personally rarely ever think of a locomotive as ugly. To me they're all just interesting machines.

I am also surprised to see all the knocks the Commodore Vanderbilt is getting here. I think the correct gunmetal gray scheme is very handsome, especially with all the classy white trim.

About the only ugly thing the Central ever did in my mind was to let their streamliners fall into disrepair:

I guess I'm ashamed to admit I either own, or wish I owned every one of the aforementioned ugly fuglies!

Stack