i know there are alot, but could some one tell me about or point me to a place that i can find the different kinds of locomotives, or at least the main, popular ones, so i know what you all are talking about when i see F7 or GP9 or what not. much thanx
this is an excellent site http://www.rr-fallenflags.org Chuck
Buy a Diesel Spotters Guide at a hobby shop. Might be up to 25 bucks by now but you will be able to tell the differences immediately when through reading it. Almost every engine made is pictured with who the original owners were, how many were made, the yeasf produced and what the spotting features are.
Or buy a copy of “A Field Guide to Trains” by Gerald Foster.
It’s a bit dated (1996), and the locomotives are drawings, but it worked for me !!!
And is only $16.
A real hardnosed spotter will tell you the difference between a GP7 and a GP9
but they look so much the same who cares…except the spotter…
A GP7 (googlized, might be wrong)
an F7 (googlized, might be wrong)
competing builders had similar designed units from these 2 styles.
Just a different builder, and as technology advanced, so did the GP numbers, like a GP35, and so on.
All you have to remember is there’s 2 types of Locomotives, Steam and that other thing, what’s it called? oh yea deisels, or correctly powered boxcars. [:D]
Once you have that down, then we’ll talk about steamers, as they’re the only real Locomotives out there [:P]
The MP engine above is a GP-9 not a GP-7. The GP-7 had two sets of louvers under the cab. By all means get a Diesel Spotters’ Guide if you’re primarily interested in diesels. Steam engines are a whole different ball game because you not only have many different types (wheel arrangements) but very diverse appearances between different RRs and even between different classes of the same type of locomoyive within the same RR.
And I do believe that’s a D&RGW F9 instead of an F7 (which had five black stripes I believe) although I could be wrong there.
Alright here’s how I’d start with the diesel spotting:
General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) 4 axel freight hood locomotives: General Purpose or GP-series (starts with GP-7 and goes up)
EMD 6 axel freight hood locomotives: Special Duty or SD-series (starts with SD-7 and goes up)
EMD 4 axel full-width locomotives: F-series (starts with F-3 and goes up)
EMD 6 axel full-width locomotives: E-series (starts with EA, then E-1 and goes up)
EMD switchers get too complicated to list here and there were a few odd balls made, but these are the general rules for EMDs
GE four axel and six axel hood locomotives: Universal or U-series (numbering works like this “U” then a number then a “B” for 4 axel or a “C” for six)
GE & Alco passenger locomotives: Passenger or P-series (Alco would also add an “A” or “B” after the “P” to denote weather the locomotive was a cab-A model or cabless booser-B)
Alco early four axel hood units: Road Switcher or RS-series (starts with RS-1)
Alco late four and six axel hood units: Century or C-series
Alco switcher series: Switcher or S-series (that one seems pretty self explanitory but the S-12 and S-10 are not Alcos but acutally Baldwins)
Alco four axel full width locomotive: F-series (same deal and with the P-series though that an “A” or “B” is added behind the “F”, which is nice because it makes it easier to tell them from the EMD “F” series)
Those are the big three builders and again, none of these rules in 100%. Smaller builders generally have less-strict designation systems (Baldwin is famous for changing their systems) but this should give you some insight.
~METRO
if it toots , its steam,
if it honks, its diesel…
like I said, the above images are very similar, a few extra louvres, or porthole window differences…
A GP-35 would look close to the GP7 except it had a low front hood.
These are just broad general references for your entertainment for understanding starters.
Now we will get you thoroughly confused when we talk about all electric loco’s…
Boxcabs, jackshafts, Steeplecabs…
http://espee.railfan.net/espee.html
You’ll find some REAL locomotives there.
Diesel? That’s dismals! Even though I do like first generation ones in GN’s Empire Builder paint.
Its funny, ive never seen anybody bash steam, hmmmm
Well, the real railroads bashed steam enough for all of us-they killed it!
I know, for sound economic reasons but steam locos are living, breathing
entities. Diesels are cold, impersonal but very efficient.
I know this may be a little off topic here, but I’ve got to tell you this anyway. I’m kind of an old geezer, and steam gets my blood pumpnig real good and diesels, well you get the picture. Anyhow last winter I was at Mt Joy, Pa. picking up some return freight going back to Elkhart, In. The morning was dark, cold and raining, and a local was switching a long string of tank cars next to where I was loading. The motive power was two six axle diesels and was attempting to pull a long string of loaded tank cars from a plant there up the slight grade to the main line. Anyhow, the combination of wet rails and heavy load kept the train from making it up the grade. When the train started to back back down the grade, I thought they would break the train and make two trips to get those cars out, but after backing to level trackage, they started back up the grade and poured the coal to it. Oops, diesel fuel-- the black smoke bellowed from both engines and you wouldn’t believe the sparks flying from all the wheels as they tried to get up that grade. It looked like 4th of July sparklers and I found myself cheering them on. I never thought a diesel would do that to me. No, they still had to break the train in half and make two trips.
haha eriediamond thats beautiful. thanx to all for all the help. i now know that the working loco i have now is a santa fe F7, or whatever that yellow loco in dinwittys post is, cuz it matches it exaclty. as soon as i get some $$ im gonna go get me a book.
Actually, the GP-7 had THREE sets of louvers under the cab.[:D]
Jeff
Yes, you are wrong there.[:D] If it was an F9, it would have an extra set of louvers for a carbody air filter between the first porthole and the cab.
Jeff
The locomotive in dinwittys post was a Rio Grande F9. So you probably have an F7 or F9 in Rio Grande paint.
NO, the loco in dinwitty’s post is an F7, NOT an F9, as I already explained. Why do people insist on “guessing” incorrectly?
Jeff
You are correct 1shado1. Royal Gorge Scenic 403 is former Chicago & North Western F7 403 from the executive fleet.