hi my name is michael and i’m new here.as my first topect i wanted to put on was a survey. what is your type of train
steam engine
steamliner engine
Electric Diesel
or plane normal diesel’s
in my opinion the steam engines were the best, all the gears moving and the beautful smoke puffing out of the engine.never did like the steamliner engine becuase it toke away the beauty of the steam engine and gave it the body of a diesel loking engine. and i just plane do like diesels.
now i would like to hear your opinion onmy subject and find out what your fav. engine is and why
First, with the exception of a handful of “diesel-hydraulic” experimental (on US rails anyway) locomotives in the 60s, and with some light-duty switchers, almost all diesel-powered locomotives on the rail are of the “diesel-electric” design, where the diesel engine’s (prime mover’s) crank flywheel is bolted to a generator (alternator) to generate electricity to power motors mounted on each axle in the locomotive. Think of these as electric locomotives that instead of a pantograph or a third rail, use electricity generated by its own onboard electric powerplant.
Having said that, I’m going to pick diesel-electric. The reason is that their generally more fuel efficient, less dangerous to operate (boiler and steampipe failures a thing of the past), don’t dynamically overload the rail (like the counterweighted wheels on steam locomotives do), last forever (see GP7-GP9) and are easier to maintain. Plus, there’s nothing like the sound of the two-cycle EMD 645/710 prime movers thundering down the rails in run 8. The sounds of a 20-cylinder-powered SD45 in consist with other 16-cylinder EMDs such as SD40-2s, GP60s etc are what railfanning is all about. The 16-cylinder two-stroke 16-645E3 turbocharged EMD engine (GP40/-2, SD40/-2) is one of the best sounding engines on any platform, with its turbo whine overlaying the engine sound.
Having had the opportunity to witness UP 844 and 3985 double-headed, I can say quite enthusiastically that I am and always will be a steam devotee.
Diesels are nice, and I certainly have my favorites there, but in my perfect world, dieseldom would have been supplanted by steam, and we would all flock to the rails when we had the opportunity to witness an SD70ACe on an excursion run!
Of course, history dictates otherwise…but it’s always fun to dream!
I would have to say that my favorite engine of all time has to be Central Pacific’s “Jupiter”, an american type 440 engine, steam of course. It was the western engine at the completion of the trans-continental railway. this was a combined effort by the Union Pacific, Central Pacific, and the government, to cross the United States of America by rail.
First and formost welcome to the forums!!! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this place, esp since we currently have an new format! [:D]
What is my favorite type of engine?? I’m going to say diesel, but my favorite locomotive is a steam. And that steam locomotive is a 2-6-6-6 Allegheny. My favorite diesel is a SD80MAC.
Like most people, I tend to gravitate towards what I saw growing up… Second generation diesel. While I respect steam, I’ve never really been into it the same way some are. Especially the people who had it when they were young. Dave http://www.dpdproductions.com - Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -
I place my vote in for the steam locomotives, the streamlined J Classes of the Norfolk and Western in particular. After being able to ride behide the 611 before the end of the NS steam program it was a great experience and gave me an oppertunity to see one in action. The Js were probably one of the last steam locos to incorperate such technical advances in steam. Diesel deffinatly has the upperhand by far in railroading world but there is just a certain romace of steam which to diesels just can’t reach. Even a old rusted steam loco just has such an impressive look to it.
I was around for the last days of steam, but I never saw any growing up. In my neck of the woods (west suburbs of Chicago), the CNW and IC were already dieselized. But I have since seen N&W’s J-611 and 1218, MILW 261 and NKP 765, which puts me squarely in the steam camp.
Welcome Michael, my favorite loco would probably be the EMD SD40-2or SD45. If i had to choose a GE it would probably be a C30-7,i love to hear them at notch 8 pulling a heavy train upgrade.Shame their mostly gone from the class 1’s now. Of course EMD 567’s and 645’s working hard sound cool too!! Mike H.
silicon212 when i mint electric diesels i mint the one’s that got there electriy from the tellphones poll’s that were right next to the tracks they used
My favorite Locomotive of all time is the Reading 4-8-4 T-1! It had awesome pulling power with I very high starting tractive effort! Plus with the addition of the franklin Booster it increased the starting tractive effort by 16 percent and could be used up to around 35 MPH! The engine was 110 ft long and was equipped with a big Wooten Firebox! They also had one of the biggest smokeboxes on any engine! They just look great and can go decently fast but were built to haul Heavy coal Drags in the Anthricite region! Pus the fact that 4 of them survive 2 day is an amazing fact due to the reading Rambles in the 60s! My favorite paint shceme for the T-1 would have to be Reading frieght Black! Nothing gaudy at all! Freight Black with yellow trim on the cab and tender! Next would be 2101 in AFT colors! The final rendition that Ross Rowland put on the 2101 looked great and the Nickle Plate Number Boards made the engine look magnificant! 2101 wore three different paint schemes while on the AFT! Very honored to have a T-1 get to pull that train in the Northeast! 2124 hasnt run since the rambles and resides at Steamtown and 2100 (the First T-1 built in 1945) is out in Tacoma Washington Burning Oil! Kinda weird to burn oil in a Wooten Firebox but at least she runs! I would say that the reading T-1s were some of the best steam built being a Late steamer and importing alot of modern design! But for diesels I am gonna go with the EMD SD45! I luv the sound os a 20 cylinder 645 turbo prime mover! PLus I grew up around those also! Luv the flared Radiators 2! Readings and ELs looked the best! Specially the SD45-2s with the large fuel tanks! Well thats enough of my Reading Rambling!