For all of You Train Lovers

[3sloppydogs]

Sometimes when a train and a truck collide, nobody wins...

The locomotive engineer and brakeman hit the deck, no casualties.
Wow

 

[Photon440]

What is a "GF-30h"?

None of that except maybe the 30 is familiar to me.

The 'G' meant that it was built by General Motors Diesel (GMD), the 'F' meant that it was a freight unit, which had gearing differences compared to passenger service, the '30' meant that it was a 3,000 hp. unit. If it was for passenger use, it would have had a 'P' instead, or 'S' for switcher, 'Y' for yard use, etc.

If the first letter had been an 'E', it would mean that it was build by General Electric. General Electric sold off it's locomotive division to Wabtec in 2019.

GMD also no longer exists, having sold that division off to Progress Rail (a Caterpillar subsidiary) in 2010.

 

[YY1]

The 'G' meant that it was built by General Motors Diesel (GMD), the 'F' meant that it was a freight unit, which had gearing differences compared to passenger service, the '30' meant that it was a 3,000 hp. unit. If it was for passenger use, it would have had a 'P' instead, or 'S' for switcher, 'Y' for yard use, etc.

If the first letter had been an 'E', it would mean that it was build by General Electric. General Electric sold off it's locomotive division to Wabtec in 2019.

GMD also no longer exists, having sold that division off to Progress Rail (a Caterpillar subsidiary) in 2010.

PRR initially did that with it's first gen diesels in the late 40's.

First as builder and of units- AF3 (Alco, freight, 3 units for 4500HP)
Then they changed to single units- EF15 (EMD, Freight, 1500HP)

Interesting that "normal people" don't call them by the MFG name and neither do most railroads except for GM stuff.

CSX does call GE stuff what I deem "correct" IE "CW44-8" instead of "Dash 8 44CW" which I've seen a lot.


Almost forgot- what's the "h"?

 

[Photon440]

PRR initially did that with it's first gen diesels in the late 40's.

First as builder and of units- AF3 (Alco, freight, 3 units for 4500HP)
Then they changed to single units- EF15 (EMD, Freight, 1500HP)

Interesting that "normal people" don't call them by the MFG name and neither do most railroads except for GM stuff.

CSX does call GE stuff what I deem "correct" IE "CW44-8" instead of "Dash 8 44CW" which I've seen a lot.


Almost forgot- what's the "h"?

'h' is the sequence grouping; 'a' would be one, 'b' would be two etc. This is the sequence in which the members of a given class were ordered by CN. In the case, the 'h' meant that it was part of the eighth group ordered. Locomotives aren't bought one at a time, they're usually ordered in batches of thirty, forty or more at a time.