Well, lets see if we can get a little activity on this forum! I figured I'd throw out a question any Espee fan could answer, namely, what's your favorite Espee engine, steam and/or diesel, and any special reasons why? As far as diesels go, I can't really make up my mind - there are so many cool SP models out there! I guess the tunnel motor, in either 40T-2 or 45T-2 versions, would get the top spot...but I also have a soft spot for one of SP's most overlooked, underappreciated models: the SW1500. Those little guys were found at just about every major yard and working just about every local, and they sounded great under load! As for steam, I'll admit to not being a huge steam follower, but one type of engine sticks in my mind, the AC-9 class. There's just a big, powerful look to them, and I always thought articulateds looked neat. ------------------ Have A Nice Day!
Well I'd have to say I also like the tunnel motors and anxiously await an N scale model. good luck with the forum Paul. regards Paul ------------------ Paul Cassar-# Member number 50 SPAD Investigator #1 ICQ 61198217 http://users.bigpond.net.au/railroad2000
Funnily enough I agree with the choices of both Mankind and the Colonel; I would simply love there to be a Kato or Atlas SP or RG tunnel motor available. I am old enough to love steam as much as if not more than diesels (as far as USA is concerned, that is; in the UK my interest is about 90 percent steam, 10 percent diesel/electric/anything else!). I think I like the ordinary, utilitarian, types of steam loco best, rather than the primadonna types that pulled the varnish; give me a Mike or Santa Fe pulling a mixed freight any day. Ben
<font color="3333cc">TUNNEL MOTOR. Please Kato/Atlas do some in N Scale </font> ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery [This message has been edited by Alan (edited 30 September 2000).]
Favorite diesels are EMD F units in Black Widow paint. There is just something about them that I love. In steam any of the AC cab forwards after they lost the flat face.
TUNNELS AND F-BLACKWIDOWS! The SP-SSW had our mainline through Lincoln, IL. for a short time before the "BORG" ate them up. We saw plenty of Tunnel-motors in Speed Lettering. They are cool! Just last week, I saw, still in SP colors, an SDP-40(-2?) roll through town, I FREEKED! I've never seen one except for pictures. It was on the point of one of the locals, pleanty of power to haul the coil-steel to Alton, IL. ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
The unique SP locomotives are the obvious choices. For diesels it would be the Tunnel Motors, while for steam I would go with the Cab Forwards (called back-up mallets by many old rails). My honorable mention goes to the SD9's, affectionately called "Cadallacs" by the crews that worked on them. They were workhorses that outlasted some locomotives built 20 years later. EMD's First generation equivalent of the SD40-2. Utilitarian, dependable and economical. ------------------ Kevin Stevens www.trainweb.org/KernJunction
I think when one thinks of the SP, images of Tunnel Motors always come to mind first be it SD45T-2s or SD40T-2s... Regarding those SD9s, BNs are still in active service...
Naw! The first thought that comes to my mind is racing across southwestern Kansas going close to seventy beside an AC-9 Stream Lined articulated pulling 88 cars west bound for Pueblo, Colo. It was one of the 12 made for prairie use with the cab in the usual place, the other engines were made with the cab in front, so were 4-8-8-2's . Now that was an engine so ugly, it was just beautiful!! It sorta reminds me of a blind date I once had. ------------------ Watash [This message has been edited by watash (edited 02 October 2000).]
If we're talking our favorites based on looks, I vote for SD45 (which are actually SD40Ms) in Speed Lettering. Something about the flare in the hood looks so cool. And I love the SW1500 (but not in Speed Lettering) except I've always thought the cab end should be the front and the hood end should be the rear. And SD9s, I remember them working all of the branch lines here in the great state of Oregon before WPRR and CORP took over. If only I'd have been born ten or fifteen years earlier, I could have gotten more pictures of Espee's finest years. ------------------ Mike Smith lcso_927@hotmail.com Eugene, Oregon LCSO's RailPics ~ License and registration please... "She's not really gone if her memory lives on in our hearts." Southern Pacific 1865-1996
Ahhhh, yes, how could I forget the SD45! When I started railfanning Espee in the early nineties, the SD45R was everywhere, on trains ranging in priority from doublestacks to lowly haulers. I like the SD40M-2's with the SD45 carbody too, but IMHO, the straight SD45R's looked and sounded the best! Gotta agree, they look nice in speed lettering. Here's one of my favorite shots I've ever taken of one; http://espee.railfan.net/jpgs/paul_ellis/paul_ellis_sp-sd45r-7400.jpg I shot this unit a few years back on one of my first outings with a camera, at Espee's Dolores Yard in Long Beach, one of my favorite fanning spots. She looks nice speed lettered; it's too bad Espee pulled the light packages on almost all of the units that got speed lettering. At least it managed to keep its roof-mounted bell. ------------------ Have A Nice Day! [This message has been edited by Mankind (edited 03 October 2000).] [This message has been edited by Mankind (edited 03 October 2000).] [This message has been edited by Mankind (edited 03 October 2000).]
Interesting numberboard setup they had on that one. I'm also a contributor to Mr. Percy's site. If you look in his directory of contributors you can find some of my pictures. The name is Mike Smith. ------------------ Mike Smith lcso_927@hotmail.com Eugene, Oregon LCSO's RailPics ~ License and registration please... "She's not really gone if her memory lives on in our hearts." Southern Pacific 1865-1996
Nice pics, Mike. I especially like the shot of SP MP15AC 2734...another one of my favorite locomotive models! And yeah, SP 7400 had an interesting numberboard setup at the time I shot it...once, while at Dolores Yard in Long Beach a few years back, I saw an SSW GP60 with, no joke, a piece of cardboard with a number spray-painted on it for a numberboard! Only downside; I didn't have a camera yet! Certainly one of those interesting "you have to see it to believe it" moments. ------------------ Have A Nice Day!
My favorite SP power is the EMD GP60s I model the GP60s from Athaern Kits I used the GP60s as backup power for my Amtrak Horizon and Superlinewr San Joaquin trains
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by caseyboy94@aol.com: gp-9 with full light package<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Oh yeah! Actually, any small Geep with a full light package. Gary.
How about this one. It's an experimental locomotive by MK. ------------------ What's that? A train horn? Sorry, gotta go!
Ah, the MK5000C! Interesting units...a friend who saw them in action said they sounded like "tractors on rails"...I guess the Cat prime movers will do that! It was interesting to see their introduction on the railroad...Espee had numerous problems with them, despite high hopes. I guess that, MK's own internal problems, and the dominance of EMD and GE in the high-horsepower locomotive market, meant the MK5000C didn't really stand much of a chance, although MK/Motive Power Industries seems to be doing better with their line of switchers. Anyone hear what happened to the SP and MK Demo MK5000C's? I thought I had heard some of them were being sent to work on a Canadian railroad? BC Rail, maybe? Paul #3 ------------------ Have A Nice Day! [This message has been edited by Mankind (edited 24 October 2000).]
I think my favorite steam was the AC-11's, the non cab ahead mallets. As to the internal combustion, it would be the Fairbanks Morse Train Masters.
