After grabbing a SD40T-2 the other day in N scale.. Now I really really really want more SP units.. I guess now I'm fascinated.
But it was only the First SP Engine, because of the Central Pacific, so don't you need to put CP #1 Governor Standford on the List? After all, there would be no SP as we knew her without the Big 4 and the Central Pacific.
Pretty good list, but I would drop the RS11's, they were re-classed as heavy switchers pretty young in their lifes, and I would replace them with either a U33C (had over 200) GP60, or the GP40
The SP really has to be the best railroad in the west.... 1. Cab Forwards, all of them, two could pull the coupler out of the front of a passenger train, they were the SD40T2's of the 30's-50's 2. The GS family, they were the icon of the SP, in fact, they still are. It is a shame only 2 are left. 3. The F's, they were everywhere, they were the mainline loco that pushed stem into the shadows. 4. the M's, 2-6-0's, they were nicknamed the Valley Mallets for their pulling power,and these were not lightweights. 5. the T2's, yes, there were 2 models, but as a group, NOTHING said SP for almost 3 decades as the view looking through the grilles 6. The SD7's and SD9's. Name one type of diesel that survived 40 years on a class 1. They pulled freights everywhere. 7. The E2...6017, she was rebuilt to look like a E7, but was the FIRST diesl to pull a fan trip to honor a diesel loco, if that isn't an icon, I don't know what is. 8. The GP9's, again, 40 years of service, and everywhere. 9. GP60's, they were a sign of modernizing the SP in the 1980's and without them, the SP would not have been able to be saved by the Rio Grande. 10. U33C's, without them, the SP would havebeen almost all GM in the 1970's-80's now for the failures... 1. Hydrolics...ALL of them, some had a life as short as 5 years. 2. DD35's, these were sidelined whenever there was surplus power, and spent as much time in Taylor as they did on the road. 3. the U50's, aluminum wiring and the same fate of the DD35's.... 4. RSD15's...I amgoing to be flamed for this. The SSW RSD15's were retired in 12 years, the shortest life of ANY SSW loco. The SP units were rebuilt, rebuilt again, and turned into heavy switchers for the Eugene yard. 5 RSD5's....there were so much issues with them, the SP sent them back to ALCO and had them rebuilt into RSD12's.... 6 U25B rebuilds...6 were rebuilt, 2 turned into the U25BE's and 4 were turned into the TE70-4S.... 7. RS32's...Initially delivered for fast freight service on the Coast Division in 1962; by 1964 they had been downgraded to local service only by the delivery of EMD GP35's. 8. MK5000C, 3 built, 1 year, all were demo's 9. C-628...they were rebuilt when only 9 years old, the SP did not like them, leased them to the BN, they did not like them, returned them, were leased to the L&N, who also did not like them, and returned them again 10. ANY IN UP PAINT!
From the other side of the Pond My all-time EsPee list: Krauss-Maffei - the second batch of ML4000s SD45 - my first US-outline model loco was an Athearn BB in S.P. colours; ideally with elephant ears. SD45T-2 - because they were developed for the EsPee GP40X - see SD45 SD9/9E - the Cadillacs seemed to roam all over the system Cab-forwards - not bothered which wheel arrangement GS - but a 7 or 8 and, yes I do know that they were Cotton Belt locos, but they ened up on EsPee rails M-21 Moguls I've got most of them as models, lacking only the K-M and GS7/8 so it's not too unrealistic a list.
Strike the ML4000 off my list - I picked one up this morning together with an Athearn SD40T-2 Snoot that was missing half its drive-train and a Walthers Southern Pacific MoW set for £20 sterling (say US$30). That just leaves the GS7/8...
I'll join this topic as a johnny come lately. I grew up in Davis California and later Sacramento from ages 12 to 22, prime formative train watching years! About all I ever recall seeing in those days (1971-1981) was the following: SD45's -lots tunnel motors - in those days I couldn't tell the difference between 45T's and 40T's SD9's
If you're having a posting issue you might want to take it to the Support forum or ask a favorite staff member. I don't know what a "failure list" is, but they probably do. Adam
Sorry. I thought you meant you were trying to attach a file or photo and got a failure message. Yes, those are sort of the most colossal failures. Aluminum wiring was a bad idea in houses and it must have been REALLY bad in vehicles like locomotives, subject to way more motion, flexing, etc. than your average house.
