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Locomotive Types
Steam Locomotives
Wheel Arrangement |
Name(s) applied to this type |
Use* | PRR Class |
RDG Class |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2-2-0 | Planet | P/F | |||
2-2-2 | P | (inspection loco) | single engine known | ||
4-2-0 | Jervis | ? | |||
4-2-2 | Bicycle | P | |||
0-4-0 | Four-coupled | S | A | A | |
2-4-2 | Columbia | P | |||
0-4-0 | American or Eight-wheeler | F/P | D | D | |
4-4-2 | Atlantic | P | E | P (rebuilt from 4-4-4s) |
|
4-4-4 | Reading | P | O-1 (electric) |
P (rebuilt to 4-4-2s) |
|
0-6-0 | Six-coupled | S | B | B | |
2-6-0 | Mogul | F/P | F | ||
2-6-2 | Prairie | F/P | J-28 | ||
2-6-4 | Adriatic | P | Q (tank engine) |
||
4-6-0 | Ten-wheeler | F/P | G | L | |
4-6-2 | Pacific | P | K | G | |
4-6-4 | Baltic or Hudson | P | P (electric) |
||
0-8-0 | Eight-coupled | S | C-1 | E | |
2-8-0 | Consolidation | F | H | I | |
2-8-2 | Mikado or MacArthur | F | L | M | |
2-8-4 | Berkshire or Kanawha(C&O) | F/P | |||
4-8-0 | Twelve-wheeler | F/P | |||
4-8-2 | Mountain or Mohawk | F/P | M-1 | ||
4-8-4 | Northern or Niagara or Greenbrier or Pocono or Dixie or Confederation | F/P | R-1 (electric) |
T-1 | |
6-8-6 | F | S-2 (turbine) |
|||
0-10-0 | Ten-coupled | S | |||
0-10-2 | Union | S | |||
2-10-0 | Decapod | F | I-1 | ||
2-10-2 | Santa Fe | F | N | K | |
2-10-4 | Texas | F | J-1 | ||
4-10-0 | Mastodon or Gobernador | F/P | |||
4-10-2 | Southern Pacific(SP) or Overland(UP) | F | |||
4-12-2 | Union Pacific | F | |||
0-4+4-0 | F/P | AA-1 (electric) |
Articulated | ||
2-4-4-2 (2-8-2) |
F | L-5 (electric) |
Rigid Frame | ||
4-4-4-4 (4-8-4) |
P | T-1 | Rigid Frame | ||
4-4+4-4 | F/P | DD-1 (electric) |
Articulated | ||
6-4-4-6 (6-8-6) |
P | S-1 | Rigid Frame | ||
2-4+6-2 | F | Articulated | |||
4-6-4-4 (4-10-4) |
F | Q-1 | Rigid Frame | ||
4-4-6-4 (4-10-4) |
F | Q-2 | Rigid Frame | ||
0-6+6-0 | F | Articulated | |||
2-6+6-0 | F | Articulated | |||
2-6+6-2 | F/P | FF (electric) |
Articulated | ||
2-6+6-4 | F | Articulated | |||
2-6+6-6 | Allegheny or Alleghany or Blue Ridge(VGN) | F | Articulated | ||
4-6+6-4 | Challenger | F/P | GG-1 (electric) |
Articulated | |
0-8+8-0 | F | CC-1s | Articulated | ||
2-8+8-0 | F | HC-1s | N-1 (rebuilt) |
Articulated | |
2-8+8-2 | F | HH-1s | N-1 (as built) |
Articulated | |
2-8+8-4 | Yellowstone | F | Articulated | ||
4-8+8-4 | Big Boy | F | Articulated | ||
2-10+10-2 | F | Articulated | |||
2-8+8+8-2 | Triplex | F | Articulated | ||
2-8+8+8-4 | Triplex | F | Articulated |
In the world
of railroads, properly identifying
various diesel locomotive models (officially known as diesel-electric
locomotives) is a bit of an acquired skill that can take a fair amount
of time,
especially if you are completely "green" and know little about them.
Here are some steps to help.
If you are entirely new to identifying diesel locomotives,
pick up a good
book (one of the best to get started is Brian Solomon's "American
Diesel
Locomotive") on the subject to get yourself familiar with the various
locomotive manufacturers with the most common names being: the American
Locomotive Company (Alco), Baldwin-Lima Locomotive Works(BLW),
Fairbanks-Morse
(F-M), General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD), and General
Electric (GE).
Today, only the latter two companies still produce diesels for the
railroading
sector although at least a few models built by all of the companies
listed above
still operate in some capacity. In any event, for purposes of time this
article
will only highlight the general differing spotting features among
different
manufacturers and model types. Diesel locomotives have three basic
types;
switchers (usually found switching cars in yards), road switchers
(typically
used in everyday freight service they provide more power than
switchers), and
cab units which usually feature some type of streamlining and a
full-length hood
with no "porch" or walkway alongside the locomotive.
Among switchers, EMD's models, as are most of their locomotives in
general,
feature smooth, distinct lines and contours with the cab set to one end
of the
locomotive with a signature conical stack(s) protruding from the top of
the
hood. Except for a few models EMD's switchers were short, typically
only around
45 or so feet in length. Models included: SW-1, NW-2, SW-7, SW-9,
SW-1200, and
SW-1500.General Electric's switchers were distinct and very short.
While their
larger 70-ton model featured an end-cab design, their switchers were
commonly
center-aligned. They were highly sought for industrial work since their
small
frame allowed them to negotiate tight curves and clearances often found
within
plants and other industrial workplaces. Models included a 44-ton and a
45-ton.Alco's switchers, as with most of their models, are defined
aesthetically
by rounded corners and roof lines. Their "S" and "T" models
featured end-cabs and one single stack protruding from the roof with
the latter
model featuring a notched nose for the number boards. While technically
a
road-switcher, Alco's very popular RS series was often used by
railroads in
switching service. Featuring a cab offset to one end and a long hood
with its
trademark rounded edges and lines, the RS series is still universally
recognized
today.Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton's S-12 featured an end-cab design with a
very long
sweeping front hood with an extended front step leading out of the cab.
Never
very popular, few of these brutes still operate today.F'M's switcher
models
included the H-10-44 and the H-12-44, featuring an end-cab that rose
flush with
the top of the long hood, which was rounded off along the edges.3Among
road-switchers, in regards to the classic first and second-generation
models,
EMD and GE's are the most easily recognizable.
EMD's designs, as usual, are typically very clean in look with a angled
and
pointed short front hoods with a finished angled-off appearance to the
rear of
the long hood. Perhaps their most distinguishable features is the
angled and
protruding dynamic brake housing centered on the top of the long hood
and a fuel
tank that is smooth and streamlined. Models included: GP-7, GP-9,
GP-20, GP-30,
GP-40, and GP-50.GE's models are vastly different and very boxy in
appearance
with clean, crisp lines, a short, stubby short front hood and a
radiator housing
that is often "winged" in appearance protruding from the rear of the
long hood (one of GE's most distinguishing features).Alco's models are
typically
easily identified by their rounded edges and notched features on the
front and
rear of the locomotive. Models included: RS-2, RS-3, RSD-4/5, RS-11,
and RS-15.
Their large Century series road-switchers are very bulky and tall in
appearance,
but can usually be identified from GEs and EMDs by their rounded cab
roofs,
short, stubby short front hood and protruding front number plates
directly above
the windshield. These models included: C420, C424, C415, and C628.F-M's
most
popular road-switcher was the H-24-66, the Train Master. It was very
tall, bulky
and boxy featuring an offset cab that rose flush with the roof line.
Similar,
but somewhat smaller locomotives included the H-16-44 and the H-16-66
models.4In
terms of cab units, EMD's were easily the most popular with their E
(for
passenger service) and F (for freight service) series selling by the
thousands.
These models are easily recognizable by their clean, "bull dog"-like
noses and portholes along their flanks. Both models featured very
streamlined
carbodies making them all ideal for passenger service although the E
series was
particularly equipped for the purpose.
Alco's cab units may not have been as popular but were striking
nonetheless.
Their FA (for freight service) and PA (for passenger service) models
featured
very automobile-like styling with a long, sweeping front nose and
rounded
windshields. The PA was the most striking and as often been credited as
the most
beautiful diesel locomotive ever built.FM's “Consolidation Line” was
one of
its offerings in the cab unit world. The model, built to both freight
and
passenger specifications featured a short, almost stubby front nose
that was
somewhat rounded but also pointed. It only sold a few hundred units and
was
never very popular. Another F-M cab unit was the Erie-built, named as
it was
built in Erie, PA.5Today's newest diesel models come from only GE and
EMD, the
latter now its own company known as Electro-Motive Diesel. The newest
EMD unit
is the SD70ACe with its most recognizable feature being the extended
front nose
and offset "winged" radiator housing to the rear.
GE's newest model is the ES or Evolution Series and features now-common
GE
trademarks like the angled, but clean sweeping front nose and radiator
housing
to the rear of the long hood. It should be noted that all of today's
newest
locomotives now feature the "safety cab" which gives models a more
streamlined look but no longer allowing the crew to step out onto the
front of
the locomotive walkway directly from the cab (they must exit from a
door on the
front of the nose).
Updated
November 25, 2010