What was in the High Hoods (eg. an SD-40)? What was their purpose? Were both sides of the locomotive cut off from each other?
/n00b
Thanks in advance…
The high hood sd-40s had a toilet room with more headroom than a conventional SD. The purpose for a RR buying a high hood is a belief thet they are safer in a collision. As for the two sides being “cut off from each other” I’m not sure what you are asking.
Randy
It is a good idea actually, The nose is extended sometimes so like what Randy Stahl said, it could keep the driver safer in case of a collissiun
Additionally, most of the railroads ordering high hoods used the long hood as the forward end (which was closer to being like a traditional steam locomotive). As Randy mentioned, it was believed to be safer. Eventually, roads came to the belief that better visibility was more important. Roads like the Norfolk and Western and the Southern held on for awhile, though.
Chris
Denver, CO
SOUTHERN RAILWAY was the last holdout on high hoods. This lead to some real interesting locomotive models being built:
HIGH HOOD GP-38’s, GP-38AC’s, GP-38-2’s, GP-49’s, GP-40X’s, GP-50’s, SD-40-2’s, U23B’s, B23-7’s, B30-7A’s, B36-7’s, U30C’s and the U33C’s. NW and SOU shared some other late model high hoods.
Railroad65
Some of the older high hoods had steam generators in them which must have made life in the cab not fun.
Meaning, life in the toilet !!! At least changing number light bulbs was still easier.