Most significant diesel electric locomotive of all time..


Rodney, you missed the GP28, and GP39...
Getting into more modern stuff was the dash 2 stuff, and the GP40X, GP49, GP50, GP59, and GP60 models.
Oh, there was also the BL20-2.
As for SD units, there was the SD7, SD9, SD18, SD24, SD35, SD38, SD39, SD40, SD40X, SD45, SDL39., and the SD45X.

For a while, the joke was that EMD=Every Model Different.
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
I'm going to show more of my ignorance here ...Here goes Geep 7s ,9s, 15, 18s , 20, 30s 35s 38s and 40s. ...On SDs..I also recall seeing mention of an SD 38 and 39.How many others between SD9s and SD38s were there? Several I expect....I had til then thought the SD 40 was the natural progression of the GP38s and 40s.
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Strictly speaking the GP40 and SD40 came before (even if only by a few months) the GP38, GP39, SD38, and SD39 respectively. The 3Xs were variations of the 40 for specific customers orders that were then added to the catalog for other railroads. Other than the 12 cyl engines on the 39, I don't remember what those variations were. I would have to research it with a Diesel Spotters guide or some such thing.

Off the production floor the SD45 (December 65) predated the SD40 (January 66) by a month too. I don't know what order they appeared in the catalog.
 
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It's crazy, but there's been 183 different models of JUST EMD diesel-electrics. That one manufacturer alone. And that doesn't include export models, narrow gauge, and pure electrics. Nor does it include aftermarket conversions. Just something that kinda blew my mind.
 
The GP39 was a turbo 12 cylinder that put out 2300 hp, the GP38 was non-turbo, 16 cylinder that put out 2000 hp. The V12 was lighter, got slightly better fuel mileage, and put out 300 hp more than the GP38. The GP38 had the virtue of less complex workings, and the turbocharger hadn't been on the market long enough to prove its reliability. Many roads like the lack of a turbo and less maintenance because of it, some liked the 12 cylinder's better fuel economy and 4 less power assemblies. In the grand scheme of things, 300 hp really isn't that important.
 
Hey Mike,

I had no idea there were so many models and variants.



Hey Terry,

How about the GP38-2 It was a V-16, but was it turbo charged? Also is it true that most of the GP38-2 built are still in service today? If so that is a pretty impressive service record.
 
Bruette said:
Hey Mike,

I had no idea there were so many models and variants.



Hey Terry,

How about the GP38-2 It was a V-16, but was it turbo charged? Also is it true that most of the GP38-2 built are still in service today? If so that is a pretty impressive service record.
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The GP38-2 is a revised GP38. Still non-turbo V16, still 2000hp. It no longer has all the relays and switches as the GP38, it has electronic circuit boards in their place. Many GP38s, and the GP38AC variant, are still in service, as well as the -2 model.
 
bnsf971 said:
The GP39 was a turbo 12 cylinder that put out 2300 hp, the GP38 was non-turbo, 16 cylinder that put out 2000 hp. The V12 was lighter, got slightly better fuel mileage, and put out 300 hp more than the GP38. The GP38 had the virtue of less complex workings, and the turbocharger hadn't been on the market long enough to prove its reliability. Many roads like the lack of a turbo and less maintenance because of it, some liked the 12 cylinder's better fuel economy and 4 less power assemblies. In the grand scheme of things, 300 hp really isn't that important.
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It's important to differentiate, though, between the GP39 and the GP39-2. The original was manufactured in 1969 and sold only 23 units. The -2 came out in 1974 and was reasonably successful, selling 239 units over 10 years. The fuel savings became more attractive once the fuel crisis came about, and the -2 electronics I'm sure helped make it more desirable. It's in most respects a "worst of both worlds" unit, because it had the lower horsepower of the GP38 (very close, at least), but still had the increased maintenance costs of a GP40. The only way the unit made sense was if the fuel savings offset the increased upkeep.
 
G'day Terry and all......Whoa....I 'm absolutely amazed..I have no real reference books yet ..Who needs them though when good people like you know all this info..THANKS..
Perhaps when I started the thread it should have been about the most significant run of locomotives , not any specific one..It's pretty obvious that many of these awesome machines were designed and built to suit a particular customer need in many cases..I suppose a bit like jet fighters..Many air frames look similar bit under the skin and in the weapons bay they are configured to do a certain job...I love the EMD joke (Every Model Different) that's a classic...I don't own a single one SD45 (yet)..and again I thought that it was well after the SD40s...but it wasn't , same thing re SD38s and 39s..etc...Great info...I wonder would it be possible to find a model manufacturer who has put out pretty much all the models you mention...Highly unlikely I reckon..but I suppose creative kitbashing and a lot of talent might mean adaption of some more popular models..maybe.... Re the modern stuff...with wide cabs...I think even the SD40s dabbled into widecabs didn't they..I might be wrong but I think I saw a model of a Canadian National SD40-2W and a T advertised at an online hobby store..Another question Terry if I may....The most built locomotive of all time is not perhaps , the SD40-2 , more correctly The SD40 series of locomotives..nearly 7000 I think I read somewhere once or would it be that almost seven thousand SD40-s were the most built actual variant..
If the latter is the case then there'd be lots more SD40s bolted and welded together...Cheers to all...Thanks for all the info...Rod.
 
I know very little about US diesel locos but I would imaging the Alco RS series would have to be pretty high on the list, it seems to me that EMD followed Alco in the early days especially when it comes to the road switcher body and AC traction.
 
Yes Dave you're correct in that aspect. We had discussed earlier how the GP-7 was a direct offshoot due to the success of the RS-1. It seems that everyone, BLH, Fairbanks Morse, EMD, all came out with competitors to the RS units from Alco.
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
I think I saw a model of a Canadian National SD40-2W and a T advertised at an online hobby store.
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The SD40-T2 was more affectionately known as simply "the tunnel motor". It was a normal SD40-2 with the are intakes redesigned so that they weren't sucking hot air from the top of a tunnel. The hot air had been robbing the locos of vital horsepower in the tunnels which were often on or at the top of steep grades. The new intakes were low on the rear sides and helped the locos breath better. One can actually look through the rear end of one of these units from side to side. They were purchased by the two railroads with a massive number of tunnels, the Southern Pacific and Rio Grande. Don't know why the CP never purchased any. Seems like they would have been a perfect match for their twin spiral tunnels (Kicking Horse Pass). The BN is easier to explain because during the reign of the SD40-2 the Stampede Tunnel (known by crews of the NP as Stampede H ll) was shut down.

KYLE still runs a few of former SP tunnel motors out in the plains of western Kansas. I see them from time to time. In fact I think this might be at least one of them in this photo.
FarmerBackbone.JPG
 
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A couple of the leasing companies still use them. Here one taken in Irondale, Al, on the "new" AT&N. Obvious ex UP unit.
TunnelMotor_zps4a18b536.png
 
MikeOwnby said:
This one's an SD45T-2, though, right, with the longer hood and no "front porch" like the 40 has?
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It is an SD45T-2, the way to tell is the access doors, or hatches, under the radiator area. The 45 has 3, the SD40T-2 has only two.
 
G'day Montanan...and all....Great photo by the way.....Prompts this additional question/s....With the EMD...does the F3 come before one of the most agreed significant diesels , the F7...Until recently I would have thought so but our well educated and informed thread contributors have cited other cases where a locomotive number is not always what it appears as a numerical sequence of models..and with the E series .....E comes before F...same thing...were the F7s etc before or after the E's...I have been looking up the ALCO RS series too...I see what many of you say...they were a great forerunner to what's on the line now...Cheers Rod
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
G'day Montanan...and all....Great photo by the way.....Prompts this additional question/s....With the EMD...does the F3 come before one of the most agreed significant diesels , the F7...Until recently I would have thought so but our well educated and informed thread contributors have cited other cases where a locomotive number is not always what it appears as a numerical sequence of models..and with the E series .....E comes before F...same thing...were the F7s etc before or after the E's...I have been looking up the ALCO RS series too...I see what many of you say...they were a great forerunner to what's on the line now...Cheers Rod
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Rod .. The E came before the F.
The E stood for Eighteen hundred hp.
The F stood for Freight.
Hope I got this correct .. So, what did the T in FT stand for?

Mike .. Excellent source of information .. Thanks

(Never mind .. Just read about the FT, guess I missed that one)
 
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