Hi friends. I’ve been a little under the weather lately and haven’t been on the forums as often as I’d like. I was wondering if I could get you all to do me a favor and participate in my poll about locomotive types on About.com.
Thanks!
Randall–
Just voted. And wow–I’m in the MAJORITY, right now. That doesn’t often happen.[:P]
Tom [:)]
Poor diesel, they never win. [sigh]
Randall, I voted twice and hide my head in absolute shame for doing so!
Were I modeling the immediate post-transition era circa 1960 my favorite cab/cowl unit would be the ALCO FA/FB freighters; my favorite hood unit/units for that era would be the ALCO RSD-7 and RSD-15.
Were I to move forward twenty years to the 1980s-present my favorite locomotive would be the EMD SD40-2 although I will admit to deep affection for GE’s CC-truck U-boats or their dash-7 models.
I just voted for steam - but it’s my second favorite! Turbine would be my first choice, but I guess that only some UP guys would be the only ones to chose that - if even many non-UP guys would know what a turbine is!![:)]
Lately I have been sweet on the Alco RS1/2/3. Its a very attractive locomotive that came out at time when form won out over function for paint schemes.
I have a used Walthers/LL B&M RS2 on the way that will replace the RS3 I was planning to use on my Whitefield, NH layout. The RS3 took a fall. After it is repaired it will get the McGinnis blue dip paint… my fledgeling skills are not up to the full maroon and stripes scheme that the RS2 will sport in its place…
Chris
CNH:
I like steam best, but I also think the RS1 is a fully qualified “honorary steam locomotive”, every bit as much as the HH and S series switchers. While I don’t think the RS2 and 3 qualify for this, I do freely admit that they have their own oddball appeal. They’re one of the few US diesels that has that “boxy, rectilinear, but rounded at every corner” machine-tool aesthetic, which was more common in British power. My favorite color scheme for them is the Lackawanna-style E-L colors.
The RS1, however, like the S and HH series, is at its best when painted like a steam loco - black with some white striping and lettering, maybe with the addition of safety stripes.
As far as a poll with any meaning to it, Is it fair that diesels get divided into two categories? Plus there is no category for gas, gas-electric, compressed air, or other minority types.
Then there was just this thread on favorite locomotives over on the trains forum:
http://cs.trains.com/forums/1543096/ShowPost.aspx
Some people really put some thought into it.
You may remember six or eight months ago–possibly it was even longer ago than that–when somebody initiated a poll here on the forum wanting to know which Pacific-type locomotive you would like to see produced. His intent was to present this poll to Bachmann{?) in an attempt to induce them to producing that particular model. This poll only had three selections one of which was the Southern PS4a–I can’t remember who the other two were but they were just a little bit obscure compared to the PS4a. Anyway, after about ten or fifteen votes the statement was made to the effect that “Boy, that PS4a is kicking everybody’s (multiple-asterisk)!”, this despite the fact that the narrative comments accompanying the post indicated that “None of the above” would have prevailed had it been offered. Finally one of the narrators stepped in and expanded the selections making it a little bit more meaningful; if I remember correctly the PS4a slipped into a number 3 position behind “None of the above” and, it seems to me, an Espee unit.
You are correct; the limited number of selections in Mr Roberts’ poll renders it effectively meaningless but he never outline just exactly what a purpose might be to this poll other than curiousity! He could have expanded this to include any or all of the following: steam switchers; steam passenger locomotives; steam freight locomotives; steam dual-service locomotives; articulated locomotives; simple articulated locomotives; Mallets; geared locomotives; diesel switchers; cab units; hood u
I love the SD40-2 and the MP15AC lke the Milwaukee Road use to have.
I like diesel end cab switchers built from the late 1930s up to the end of the 1950s. And my favourite locomotives by far are Alco’s S-series switchers.
Steam engines is too vague by itself.
I like the smaller steam engines, your basic workhorse of the secondary lines best. Yet there is no way to seperate that preference from say a Big Boy which I have absolutly no affection for.
Poor diesel??? What about poor electrics??[(-D]
Gotta be my FM H10-44!!!
Jimmy
yeah, I guess they are off alittle bit worse. [;)]
[quote user=“R. T. POTEET”]
You may remember six or eight months ago–possibly it was even longer ago than that–when somebody initiated a poll here on the forum wanting to know which Pacific-type locomotive you would like to see produced. His intent was to present this poll to Bachmann{?) in an attempt to induce them to producing that particular model. This poll only had three selections one of which was the Southern PS4a–I can’t remember who the other two were but they were just a little bit obscure compared to the PS4a. Anyway, after about ten or fifteen votes the statement was made to the effect that “Boy, that PS4a is kicking everybody’s (multiple-asterisk)!”, this despite the fact that the narrative comments accompanying the post indicated that “None of the above” would have prevailed had it been offered. Finally one of the narrators stepped in and expanded the selections making it a little bit more meaningful; if I remember correctly the PS4a slipped into a number 3 position behind “None of the above” and, it seems to me, an Espee unit.
You are correct; the limited number of selections in Mr Roberts’ poll renders it effectively meaningless but he never outline just exactly what a purpose might be to this poll other than curiousity! He could have expanded this to include any or all of the following: steam switchers; steam passenger locomotives; steam freight locomotives; steam dual-service locomotives; articulated locomotives; simple articulated locomotives; Mallets; geared locomotives; diesel switch
Big Steam and Turbines… so I voted steam.
I voted steam, but am fond of streamliners and traction also. Then, there are the little diesel switchers…[:)]
Some, all, any or none of the above (choose 1.)
Since I model Japanese railroading as I saw it in a specific place at a specific time, I run steam, electric (1500vdc catenary) and diesel-hydraulic locomotives. If I didn’t like them, I wouldn’t run them.
The categories are, to put it mildly, over-broad! Steam ranges from the John Bull to the N&W A and Y-6b in size and modernity, better than a century worth of technological development.
Unlike Europe and Japan, electrification in the US was a rather limited phenomenon. Even so, there were a lot of different juice motors, ranging from glorified street cars to the GG-1. Again, there was a lot of technological development between the first and the most recent.
Diesel-electrics don’t thrill me, and US designs have always reminded me of either oversize delivery vans or mobile emergency gensets. If diesel afficionados wish to disagree, feel free to do so - but be aware that you won’t change my opinion.
How about DMU and EMU equipment? Some of the world’s fastest trains are made up of self-propelled cars - which, under Peter Josserand’s definition, qualify as locomotives.
As a statistician, I can’t see the available choices giving any kind of meaningful information. With the immense breadth of possible opinions, the only meaningful poll would have to be a write-in.
So, what’s MY favorite kind of locomotive?
- A 762mm gauge Baldwin-built 0-4-2T woodburner with an industrial cyclone stack bigger than its boiler.
- A 762mm gauge 4-wheel diesel that looks like a Peterbuilt hood stuck into the back of the driver’s end of a Volkswagen van.
- A 762mm gauge steeple-cab electric that looks like something designed by a pre-WWII tinplate manufacturer.
Or, maybe, all of the above.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Sounds familiar! 
Mie Electric Railway EL 62, HOj model from a kit by World Kougei.
All the best,
Mark.