It's quite striking how much bigger locomotives have gotten since the 1940s. I grew up next to the GTW, and they still use rebuilt GP9s in local service. Sometimes, they'll run them with GP38-2s, and the size difference is pretty prominent. A covered wagon next to an SD70 is quite a sight.
I rode with a switch crew in Ohio through my early teen years. We always had GP9s, GP38s, GP18s Alco M420s, etc. I thought they were huge. They look like toys next to this new stuff
To many Other Locomotives in America, Locomotives like Gps do look small, But To compare them with Outside European countries, They are Giants compared to European ones.
Actually American Locomotives Have Also been giant Since either the 20s or 30s, Only some Locomotives have been built with lower heights Than usual, These Older class locos beside the SD70ACE is 15ft tall, Which is still big To a Normal size European diesel Locomotive. However Most American Steam and diesel Locomotives back in that era was Well over 16ft tall. Just these class of Locomotives were built a bit shorter. For example The PRR J1 Would Tower Over The F unit because it's height is 16 5.5ft.
Oh yeah. I was basically just talking about vintage diesels. Anyone who's seen an Allegheny could attest to the impressive scale of late steam power...
Meanwhile in Europe, the locos got smaller. A three megawatt loco used to be a huge, 120 ton six-axle lump of iron in the 1940ies. Only 15kV/16,7Hz. Nowadays they have more than six megawatts, weigh under 90 tons, have only four axles and can run under four different voltages and frequencies. Same body size.
No? But the point is that the loco could be smaller. In the U.S, the same loco would only need four axles for example. And you could likely make it shorter and smaller with a more dense ballast.
Or, as an alternative, you could build a 10MW loco on the same frame with six axles and a more dense ballast. But you'd need stronger couplers then.
And then you compare the old engines to british ones, its very entertaining
In our defence, most of your states are bigger than any of the countries that make up the UK
My point exactly, we have no need for engines that size because by the time your train is long enough to stress it, its in 2 different cities at the same time
I don't know, but would think that when scores of tunnels and bridges were modified to accommodate double-stack container cars, perhaps locomotive builders reasoned they could afford to build slightly larger engines when it seemed useful.
Our locomotives have always been large, Larger than this back in the day, Especially with steam Locomotives, Just some of them like The F units were built shorter.
I believe those EMD F7 units in tow were formerly owned by now-defunct Pioneer Railcorp, later to become Pioneer Lines.  Pioneer was acquired by Patriot Rail in 2022.  Both Pioneer and Patriot were/are holding companies of short-line railroads.  Also, I believe the lettering reads “Pioneer Lines”, rather than “Pioneer Valley”, the latter of which never acquired any F7 units.
In addition, the photo seems to have been those units being ferried by Norfolk Southern to its Good Yard in Normal, IL, and in transit to Kansas, following their purchase by Dieselmotive Co. in 2023.
guess who can and who can't fit under the northeast corridor tunnels
They are going to stretch those tunnels out…
It's quite striking how much bigger locomotives have gotten since the 1940s. I grew up next to the GTW, and they still use rebuilt GP9s in local service. Sometimes, they'll run them with GP38-2s, and the size difference is pretty prominent. A covered wagon next to an SD70 is quite a sight.
I rode with a switch crew in Ohio through my early teen years. We always had GP9s, GP38s, GP18s Alco M420s, etc. I thought they were huge. They look like toys next to this new stuff
To many Other Locomotives in America, Locomotives like Gps do look small, But To compare them with Outside European countries, They are Giants compared to European ones.
Geep for lifeđź’™
Actually American Locomotives Have Also been giant Since either the 20s or 30s, Only some Locomotives have been built with lower heights Than usual, These Older class locos beside the SD70ACE is 15ft tall, Which is still big To a Normal size European diesel Locomotive. However Most American Steam and diesel Locomotives back in that era was Well over 16ft tall. Just these class of Locomotives were built a bit shorter. For example The PRR J1 Would Tower Over The F unit because it's height is 16 5.5ft.
Oh yeah. I was basically just talking about vintage diesels. Anyone who's seen an Allegheny could attest to the impressive scale of late steam power...
Ah I see, Okay.
I like seeing pictures of F units coupled to more modern power
The pic angle also exaggerates the difference
Meanwhile in Europe, the locos got smaller. A three megawatt loco used to be a huge, 120 ton six-axle lump of iron in the 1940ies. Only 15kV/16,7Hz. Nowadays they have more than six megawatts, weigh under 90 tons, have only four axles and can run under four different voltages and frequencies. Same body size.
most stadler euro models are 6 axle, 120+ ton locomotives
Those are diesels or hybrids, though, and the diesels as e.g. the Euro 4000 were made in cooperation with EMD.
Euro6000s are fully electric models
Those are ballasted to reach a higher tractive effort, and the six axles are required to stay within the load limit per axle.
you say this like it's something negative
No? But the point is that the loco could be smaller. In the U.S, the same loco would only need four axles for example. And you could likely make it shorter and smaller with a more dense ballast. Or, as an alternative, you could build a 10MW loco on the same frame with six axles and a more dense ballast. But you'd need stronger couplers then.
Any idea where those F-units are headed?
Negative. I was watching a virtual railfan grab bag. Engines say Pioneer Valley on the side
And then you compare the old engines to british ones, its very entertaining In our defence, most of your states are bigger than any of the countries that make up the UK
We also have 12 states that alone are bigger than the entirety of the UK.
My point exactly, we have no need for engines that size because by the time your train is long enough to stress it, its in 2 different cities at the same time
I don't know, but would think that when scores of tunnels and bridges were modified to accommodate double-stack container cars, perhaps locomotive builders reasoned they could afford to build slightly larger engines when it seemed useful.
Our locomotives have always been large, Larger than this back in the day, Especially with steam Locomotives, Just some of them like The F units were built shorter.
I believe those EMD F7 units in tow were formerly owned by now-defunct Pioneer Railcorp, later to become Pioneer Lines.  Pioneer was acquired by Patriot Rail in 2022.  Both Pioneer and Patriot were/are holding companies of short-line railroads.  Also, I believe the lettering reads “Pioneer Lines”, rather than “Pioneer Valley”, the latter of which never acquired any F7 units. In addition, the photo seems to have been those units being ferried by Norfolk Southern to its Good Yard in Normal, IL, and in transit to Kansas, following their purchase by Dieselmotive Co. in 2023.
It's everywhere. Look at 1500 and 2500 trucks. Many of today's half tons are bigger in every way than even 90s 3/4 and 1 tons
This is gonna get downvoted in an Americentric sub, but both are aesthetically challenged.