Favourite type of locomotive

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

What is your favourite type of locomotive? No, I’m not thinking make or model here, but rather, the intended function of the loco in the grander scheme of things (i.e. what purpose the loco is intended for).

  1. Heavy passenger (e.g. 4-8-4, E7)
  2. Light passenger (e.g. 4-6-2, F7A)
  3. Super heavy road freight (e.g. 4-8-8-4, DD40, SD90)
  4. Heavy road frieght (e.g. 2-10-2, C-630, SD40)
  5. Light road freight (e.g. 2-8-2, FA-1, GP40)
  6. Road switcher (e.g. 2-6-2, 4-6-0, RS-3, GP9)
  7. Light road switcher (e.g. RS-1, SW1200RS)
  8. Yard switcher (e.g. 0-6-0, 0-8-0, SW9, S-2)

I am partial to yard switchers myself, especially diesel end cab switchers.

2

F7A, SD40, GP40, GP9, SW1200
One you don’t have listed: SD9

3

Why do people always leave out the 2-8-4 Berkshire Locomotives? They started the whole move towards larger locomotives for long drags in mountainous locations.
The “Berks” would be my choice, but I also like those 0-6-0 work horses in the yards.

4

SD’s 9’s 40’s 35’s and U33C lots and lots of wheels!!

5

I find Hudsons and Moguls the prettiest, but I am partial to steam.

6

Sierra 2-6-6-2 and the Shay

7

I like 'em all…I really do. I have largely satisfied my interest in steam, from a little 0-6-0 to a Challenger, with the largest fixed driver set on a PRR 2-10-4 J1. I also like the lines on an AC4400CW, a Dash 8/9, etc, but I haven’t ventured into that side of the hobby…yet.

That said, I really like the idea of the all-round loco, and to me that is the 4-8-4 in steam…although that J1 is a dream. In my case, the 4-8-4 is a BLI Niagara. Now, if I could only get the thing to run. I have the tender put right and returned from BLI, but now the rear truck is shorting!

8

4-8-4 for steam-ATSF,UP,SP
4 axel uboats and 4 axel geeps-gp38-gp60
Ch

9

I like everything from 4-8-4s to SD80MACs.

10

Every engine Illinois Central had except for the GE Toasters.

Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

11

Same goes for Norfolk Southern.

Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

12

All GE’s and ALCO’s , my [2c]

13

Anything steam.

14

I grew up surrounded by General Electric E 10 B switchers like this baby

http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/elec/e10b/nj17.jpg

Quiet, clean, and powerful…the electric way!

Rich

15

My fav is the shay.
Next is any geared loco.
For rod engines my fav is the Pacific.

16

for steam it is the SP GS 4 Daylight and the UP 4884 Challenger
for the diesel it is the SP/ DNGRW SD40T2 -45T2 Tunnel Motors as well as the GP 60/ 60Ms mostly older power but a few newer ones as well

17

I grew up in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California with SP’s big steam, so I’ve always been drawn to articulateds. And not just the SP Cab-Forwards. I have a weakness for the Missabe Yellowstones, the big Rio Grande L-131 2-8-8-2’s, and their L-105 4-6-6-4’s, GN and WP 2-8-8-2’s, and in the east, the handsome 2-6-6-6 of the C&O and 2-6-6-4’s of the N&W.
I think my favorite non-articulated steam wheel arrangement is either a 4-8-2 or a 2-10-2. And I’ll admit a real fondness for both SP and Rio Grande 2-8-0’s.
Tom

18

Any Tunnel Motor on a mountain grade.

19

Any American Steam locomotive that is still working in Cuba!

20

The Alco DL-109. First true dual purpose Diesel: passenger cars by day - freights at night and styling that would still be fre***oday.
Second choice is a toss-up between the EF-4 or EP-5 electrics. Built lighter than the GG-1’s to allow them on the tracks into GCT, they were the pinnacle of practical electrics and didn’t seem to have the problems of the Acela’s. Guess I like streamliners. J.R.