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EMD to build additional diesels for U.K. freight operator
It is gratifying to hear that the US exports something other than basketball and jazz.
This country also exports tractors from Waterloo,bulldozers from East Peoria and big highway haulers from Decatur
The Class 66 locos have an excellent reputation for haulage capability and reliability. The only downside from my point of view is that almost all that emotive GM engine noise is silenced because of European noise regulations, and as for the horn - peep! No long mournful grade crossing wails as they haul the coal trains past my house.
Mike Gray, Dumfries, Scotland
Watched a Class 66 pulling a freight through Basel, Switzerland. The European network is built almost exclusively for passenger, and so the freights are short - the longest I saw there was 33 cars. The EMDs could’ve pulled that with half their powerplants cut out.
I have to concur with Rupert Bairds note concerning the haulage capacity of class 66 locos.It is rare to see a freight train in the UK that even remotely tests these fine products of EMD London Ont. plant. Shame, a single loco is already more than enough power for our “tiny” loads let alone seeing four and five loco lash ups I was used to seeing in N. America or thirteen locos getting 110 coal hoppers over the Rockies!