What Is Your Favorite DIESEL Locomotive? And See If You Can Guess My Favorite Locomotive...

Railfan Brody posted:

 

This locomotive came onto the railroad scene in the 70's and served until the 90's.

So,,,,,,,you are talking about a SINGLE individual, one of a kind, unit, since your term "locomotive" is singular?

It was the first of it's kind. There is only one survivor today. This locomotive was a part of everyday life for many people. It briefly served in excursion service.

Hot Water posted:

Railfan Brody posted:

 

This locomotive came onto the railroad scene in the 70's and served until the 90's.

So,,,,,,,you are talking about a SINGLE individual, one of a kind, unit, since your term "locomotive" is singular?

It was the first of it's kind. There is only one survivor today. This locomotive was a part of everyday life for many people. It briefly served in excursion service.

 

I was referring to the whole class. I'll edit the post.

Well, then maybe you are referring to the model DDA40X, of which there is only one OPERATIONAL survivor. However there are other DDA40X models on display. Also, to be correct, the first DDA40X was delivered in 1969, in time to be present at the 100th anniversary of the driving of the gold spike in Utah, and thus was numbered 6900, and referred to as "Centennials" throughout their career. 

I am quite partial to the DDA40X, but of the locomotives I'm talking about, only one still exists, like the 611. Your guess brings the first clue: The DDA40X is too far west. Go EAST.

Kelly Anderson posted:

"What Is Your Favorite DIESEL Locomotive?"

One that is being towed dead behind a steam locomotive.

Spent my "working career" working on EMD diesels, more than 40 years.

I still AGREE with Kelly's statement!!!!!

Kelly Anderson posted:

"What Is Your Favorite DIESEL Locomotive?"

One that is being towed dead behind a steam locomotive.

 

I can agree with that. Do you have a guess?

My favorite is probably an Alco C630. I just like the look of a big Alco. I bet your favorite is a GE U34ch.

What???   You sure you would want to go to work on a hand bomber everyday?  

My favourite are GP-40s, especially 5 of them together. I liked them better than the Sd-40s.

Maybe we're looking for an Electric? Give us another  clue Brody. Times running out.

conrail5065 posted:

My favorite is probably an Alco C630. I just like the look of a big Alco. I bet your favorite is a GE U34ch.

Your guess is correct! It's a shame only one remains. The next clue was going to say that the delivery was a package deal with coaches too.

^ U-Boat in brief excursion service. ^

V The only survivor. V

Gregg posted:

What???   You sure you would want to go to work on a hand bomber everyday?   

Depending on my mood, yes.  We have a GE 50 ton diesel locomotive that we use as a backup engine for the occasional days we have to pull the steam locomotives out of service for repairs.  It gets boring after about an hour.  I like it for the occasional change, but more than a day gets pretty old.

I never met an F-unit I didn't like.

Rusty

As actual diesel locomotives, I believe I would have most enjoyed the billowing exhaust and burbling sounds of the early turbocharged ALCO's, particularly the FA. As far as carbody appearance, not so much so. Appearance wise, I prefer the EMD F3.

I have no guess on the OP's favorite. I'd need another clue (or two, or more).

TM Terry posted:

I have no guess on the OP's favorite. I'd need another clue (or two, or more).

Did you read the entire thread? The answer has already been given, and accepted.

Rusty Traque posted:

I never met an F-unit I didn't like.

Rusty

I have:

One that has been scrapped. (That was a joke.)

I love an 4 F-units (two A's and two B's) pulling a short train at high speed. kind of like the Phoebe Snow, but they used two E-units.

I would love a U34Ch model. Saw the only surviving one a few times now at the private shop in Boonton Nj (The recently vandalized shop.)

DohertyNJ posted:

I would love a U34Ch model. Saw the only surviving one a few times now at the private shop in Boonton Nj (The recently vandalized shop.)

I hate vandalism towards railroading. If I went to New Haven to the 765 shops, and opened the door to find that vandals had graffiti-ed 765, I would be bloodthirsty. 

The only place where I am OK with graffiti is on the Berlin Wall. 

Hot Water posted:

TM Terry posted:

I have no guess on the OP's favorite. I'd need another clue (or two, or more).

Did you read the entire thread? The answer has already been given, and accepted.

Regrettably, I was starting my post before the answer was confirmed. In this particular post I had an urgent distraction that needed attention. By the time  I finished my post and it "hit", I successfully made myself look like a fool. Life isn't always fair, especially for us dummies.

TM Terry posted:

Hot Water posted:

TM Terry posted:

I have no guess on the OP's favorite. I'd need another clue (or two, or more).

Did you read the entire thread? The answer has already been given, and accepted.

I successfully made myself look like a fool. Life isn't always fair, especially for us dummies.

I've done that countless times before. Just check out the topic I created a few months ago titled "Reading 2100."

See avatar

Lehigh Valley Railroad posted:

See avatar

I was going to use your avatar as a clue too!

The only diesel l might buy a three rail model of  is the Rock Island AB6, which was used to power the Colorado Springs section when the Rocket was divided.  I think l have seen it in HO brass....But don't hold your breath, even though they later served Chicago commuters.

My favorite would be....

I'll see your big U34CH....and raise you a ....Train Master  !

They pulled the U34CH out of the museum for restoration. Is it being cosmetically or operationally restored?

I really like the new NS  SD70ACUs that Juniata is building.  Big, powerful, sleek-like a big WW II bomber.

That's a difficult question to answer for me.  Of course the F units are much admired, as are the Alco PAs.  When in high school drafting class, I used to watch Reading GP30s on the local track in North East Philadelphia.  I thought they had a macho look, though the term macho was yet to be coined many years later.  

I have come to admire the Train-Master diesels.  For a utilitarian diesel they have a no-nonsense carboy design.   

My favorite diesel is...

Alco RSD-12   "SSBB"

NS Honoring First Responders SD60E & Training First Responders GP38-2 #5642, NS DC to AC AC44C6M #4000, NS Virginian Heritage SD70ACe #1069, UP DDA40X #6944, NS Lehigh Valley Heritage ES44AC #8104. Also NS Tier 4 ET44AC's. Though's are my favorites for today's railroads.

For older units, UP Veranda, Coal Turbine, C-855, DDA40X's, CVSR B&O FPA-4 #800, Etc.

For steam, I have to go with PRR K4's, B&O EM-1's, NYC Hudson's, SP 4449 With Large Roadname Letters On Tender.

Can't wait to see RDG 2100 under steam.

Coolest paint job, ever......

That's a hard question to answer.

I would have to break it down this way into categories.

Early Diesel: E6

Road Switcher: RSD-15 Low Nose (alligator)

Most Interesting: Krauss Maffei Wide Cab

Middle Ages: DD40AX

Modern: It's a tie, AC6000 and SD90, because the HP races were very interesting although not so succesful

Brody:

If you don't own a copy already, get the program covering the U34CH which Mark 1 Video produced. The video discusses the origins of the class followed by many scenes of the units in regular service. There is also coverage of the farewell excursion which was operated with a unit at each end of the train. 

Good luck,

Bob

I remember when the U34CHs were new. Those big U-Boats were awesome to hear and sight to behold. Shot a lot of video and slides of the U34CH's last days on NJT. Some things you take for granted until they are gone. Hope NJT #4172 is restored and operated again.

Conrail Standard Cab SD70s, with the spartan cab and radial trucks, a nice blend of 'new' and 'old'

CNJ 3676 posted:

Brody:

If you don't own a copy already, get the program covering the U34CH which Mark 1 Video produced. The video discusses the origins of the class followed by many scenes of the units in regular service. There is also coverage of the farewell excursion which was operated with a unit at each end of the train. 

 

 

Funny you should say that. I saw this video on YouTube, and before that, I had no idea what a U34ch even was. The only problem was that it was in 8 parts.

645 posted:

AGHRMatt posted:

They pulled the U34CH out of the museum for restoration. Is it being cosmetically or operationally restored?

Uh - no way the U34CH was pulled "out of the museum" as there is NO official railroad museum in New Jersey yet. The URHS (owner of the subject U34CH) has plenty of equipment but no museum site. The Boonton location is for restoring the URHS equipment with idea of if/when a museum site becomes reality they will already have restored equipment ready to go on display.

I can understand AGHRMatt's confusion. The URHS is kind of like the FWRHS. It's not technically a museum, but it has hosted events where it is disguised if you will as a museum. For example, the FWRHS hosts an annual open house with equipment displays, and signs that tells the piece's history. The URHS does the same thing.

Bob (CNJ 3676),

Please contact me.

My email is in my profile, thx.

Rich

As with some of the others here, I really don't like diesels all that much.  Except for special occasions--such as the annual Christmas run of the first Lionel set I was given by my grandfather--I don't even allow them on my layout

That said, if I *had* to select a diesel which turned me off less than the others, I would have to point at Alcos.  Not any specific one, mind, but my admiration of the underdog makes me less hostile to them as a class than to EMDs or GEs.  Most Alcos were ugly but in an interesting way (unlike modern locos of any type, which are just plain ugly in a pedestrian way).

My opinion, of course, and worth every penny you paid for it