About the Author J. D. Santucci (a.k.a. "Tuch") began his railroading career in 1978 as a trainman on the Missouri Pacific. After a round of lay-offs in 1985, Tuch embarked on a railroad odyssey, working in many different situations for different roads. This column tries to explain some of the nuts and bolts of the job and also demonstrates what we have to deal with on a regular basis within and without the industry. Tuch currently works through freights out of Chicago for Canadian National/Illinois Central. ©1999, 2003-2007 JD Santucci. Logo ©2002 The Railroad Network. By J.D. Santucci

April 13, 2004
I know I am horribly late getting this out. I have been working a great deal of hours again and just have not had the time to finish this up and get it sent. Hopefully I'll be back on track here. I am terribly backlogged on answering mail too. If you have sent me some comments or questions and have not received an answer yet, that is why. Hopefully I'll get to them before summer begins.

This piece started out to be a simple look at what can be ordered as options on a locomotive. It has gone through a sort of metamorphosis and has become rather huge. Big enough that it will be two parts. In part one we'll primarily discuss many of the external options, those that are pretty much readily visible by the trackside observer. Part two will review many of the internal options. There are several crossover type items that while they appear in one part, could easily appear in the other.

Locomotives come in many different models and designs. With these different models come various options. Some options are clearly visible to the naked eye and trackside observer. Others are visible to the Locomotive Engineer and crew. Still others are only noted by the mechanical forces which maintain the locomotives.

With both parts of this lesson we are going to study some of the options available to the railroads with regards to locomotives. While I cannot know all of them, especially some of those on the technical side, I will touch upon some of those of with which I am aware and familiar with.

Some options have become synonymous with a particular railroad. In some instances a particular option may have been something designed for a specific railroad based upon a particular need owing to the exigencies of their operation. Other options have been offered to and ordered by several carriers and you'll see them on the locomotives of many railroads.

Now unlike automobiles, the engine (known as the prime mover on a locomotive) is generally not an option. If you want the upgraded, "muscle" engine, you order the next higher horsepower model of locomotive. While there may be some optional items on the prime mover, the prime mover itself is pretty standard. You don't order the so-called "big block" high performance engine instead of the standard or stock one on a locomotive. Although there is at least one exception to that rule; Union Pacific has the SD90MAC with the 6000 horsepower H Series prime mover. UP also ordered the pre production version known as the SD9043MAC that has the 4300 horsepower 710 series prime mover in the basic SD90MAC car body. The 90MAC uses a different car body design than does the SD75 series in which the 4300 horsepower 16-710G3C prime mover is standard.

The plan when UP originally ordered these units was to designate them as "convertible" units. No, they wouldn't have tops that go down allowing the train crews to travel in style. The original concept or plan was to convert these SD9043MAC's to pure SD90MAC's by replacing their two stroke 710 series prime movers with the four stroke H series prime mover when all the bugs were worked out of it and the engine was supposed to be ready for mass production.

That was the plan anyway, but reality set in. The H series prime mover has not lived up to expectations and it appears that the cost to actually convert them to pure SD90MAC's would now not be economically feasible.

Over the years test bed prime movers have been placed into standard locomotives. The MoPac ordered three B23-7 models from General Electric with a 3000 horsepower, 12 cylinder prime mover instead of the of the standard model rated at 2250 horsepower. These prime movers were tested for a year or so. As a result of successful testing, MoPac ordered fifty-five B30-7A locomotives from GE. This unit had the 12 cylinder, 3000 horsepower prime mover standard. This was a variation of the B30-7 model offered in the GE catalog which had a 3000 horsepower prime mover, but used 16 cylinders to achieve that rating. The "A" in the model designation denotes that they are the 12 cylinder version.

The L&N took delivery of a group of U23B's with a 2750 horsepower prime mover instead of the standard 2250 horsepower variety. This higher horsepower engine did not pan out and this group eventually had their prime movers de-rated back to the standard 2250.

EMD built a 4000 horsepower version of the 20 cylinder prime mover found in the SD45 back in the very late 60's or early 70's. I don't believe more than a couple of them were ever installed in a locomotive, and I don't recall if they were on locomotives obtained by one of the railroads or if they were only on demonstrators. This experiment also didn't pan out. Oddly enough, one of these prime movers wound up on the Wisconsin Central. They found this engine in a locomotive salvage yard, purchased it, rebuilt it rating it at 3200 horsepower and installed it in one of their secondhand former BN units that had suffered a devastating major engine failure. I want to say the 6572 was the unit, but I cannot recall for certain.

In the past, the locomotive builders were also more receptive to the needs and demands of railroading in developing specialty locomotives. The Milwaukee Road had numerous light rail branch lines that were particularly high grain producing lines. The standard four axle Geep would not meet the demands for tonnage ratings on these line. Electro Motive Division developed the SDL39 locomotive as a result of the Milwaukee's need. This was a 12 cylinder, 2300 horsepower six axle locomotive built on a frame that was shorter than the standard Special Duty unit. The trucks, while longer than the standard four axle truck, were shorter than the regular six axle truck found on other SD models. This unit was also lighter than the 16 cylinder, 2000 horsepower SD38 series. The fuel tank was smaller keeping the unit within the parameters of lighter weight.

Only ten SDL39's were ever built, but this order garnered EMD more locomotive orders from the Milwaukee over the years. Now having run these very engines in my days at the Wisconsin Central, they were indeed great pullers. While their top end speed wasn't so fast, they did pull well.

Chessie System had EMD develop an 8 cylinder, turbocharged prime mover that could produce 1500 horsepower. It was installed in the Chessie's only order of GP15T locomotives. These locomotives were a variation of the GP15 series developed by EMD in the early 1970's. This prime mover also showed up later in Seaboard System's order of MP15T locomotives. This model was similar in appearance to the MP15 series of switch engines only with a single exhaust stack instead of the pair normally associated with a non-turbocharged or "normally aspirated" engine.

The GP15 series of locomotive itself was developed by EMD in the attempt to counter the rebuild or remanufacturing programs being undertaken at some railroads. Roads like the Family Lines System, Illinois Central Gulf and a few others engaged in heavy rebuilding or total remanufacturing of smaller Geeps to modernize them and get twenty more years of service out of them. EMD countered with the GP15. This was a somewhat new, somewhat old locomotive. The cab, car body, frame, high voltage cabinet and other components were new. Some of the other components used within were remanufactured from parts coming off of locomotives traded in to EMD. Such an arrangement allowed those roads that purchased it some tax advantages. EMD also offered liberal trade allowances taking two or three old locomotives as trade in credit towards one GP15.

Several different gear ratio options are available on locomotives. The ratio chosen depends of course, on the needs of each particular railroad. To accomplish that really heavy duty lugging capability from a locomotive, that is dragging very high tonnage at prolonged low rates of speed, you don't accomplish this simply with the gear ratio. Instead you go with the six axle locomotive capable of such performance as opposed to a four axle unit. So you would order a six axle SD or Special Duty locomotive as opposed to a General Purpose or Geep from EMD or a C series as opposed to B series locomotive from GE. Some roads that perform primarily at lower speeds lugging heavy loads will match up gear ratios to their six axle power to provide for the most optimum pulling power.

As I have mentioned, some of the locomotives options chosen by some railroads over the years are readily visible to the trackside observer. A few of those include dynamic brakes, class or marker lights (although these are no longer required and have been getting removed from older locomotives over the years), walkway ramps on each end, oscillating headlights, strobe or revolving roof beacon lights, air conditioning, low or high short end nose, overhead walkway lights and the locomotive cab itself. Some of the options not apparently visible are generally mechanical and electrical upgrades as well as some features inside the cab.

Some railroads opted against dynamic brakes. Soo Line, Grand Trunk Western, Rock Island and Missouri Pacific are four roads which come to mind that did not prefer this option when ordering new power. MoPac acquired some units with dynamic through mergers with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Texas & Pacific. In the 1970's with the demand for them in run-through coal train service with the Burlington Northern and Rio Grande, MoPac ordered seventy-four SD40-2 locomotives in several different orders with dynamic brakes. They also ordered another forty-five of them without the feature during the same time period. Those with dynamic brakes were designated as SD40-2C, with the C designating them as coal service units. After their merger with Union Pacific, the final two orders of locomotives acquired by MoPac did include dynamic brakes, but this was for a MoPac that was essentially a railroad in name only.

Other roads like Louisville & Nashville did not order their many of their first generation of diesel locomotives with dynamic braking, but embraced this feature later on. The Milwaukee Road passed on dynamic brakes on some units to reduce their total weight to allow them to be operated on lighter rail secondary lines.

Electro Motive Division offered two types of dynamic brake systems by the early 1970's; the standard taper system and the higher capacity extended range system. The extended range was an improvement in that it functioned at lower speeds (down to 6 MPH) than did the standard taper system (12 MPH). Some roads like the EJ&E opted for uniformity (and saved money in the process) by ordering all of their SD38 and SD38-2 locomotives with the standard taper system. Today EMD offers one system, the extended range, high capacity version. And this feature is now standard equipment and no longer an option.

General Electric offered one dynamic brake package, the flat system. This system is actually better than EMD's in that it uses the position of the dynamic brake controller to regulate the amperage while in the dynamic braking mode. EMD's taper system is tied more into the speed of the locomotive as well as position of the controller. GE introduced their enhanced dynamic brake system in the mid 80's as did EMD. In the days of operating trains on timetable schedules and with train orders, class lights were a requirement. Class lights are (were) those pairs of little lights placed on each end of the locomotive. Class lights were designed to display the colors white, green and red. They used moveable filters behind the lenses operated by a lever to change the colors of the light. If no display of class lights was required, they could simply be turned of through the use of a sliding switch in the cab of the locomotive. One switch operated the front pair and another operated the rear pair of class lights.

In Canada, there were three individual class lights, one for each color on each side of the front and rear of the locomotive. There were rotary switches, one for each set of lights on each side of the locomotive. Each switch had knob that pointed to whatever color you wanted illuminated as well as the off selection. You could conceivably have one light illuminated white and one green, or perhaps one green and one red class light illuminated at the same time. The Canadians did not phase out the requirement for class lights until the early 90's so there are still quite a few units that are still equipped with them. They haven't been as gung-ho to remove them as their American counterparts either.

As they settled into an operations plan several years after their formation, Conrail opted for markers that only displayed red. They did not have any scheduled freight trains and they had been shed of the obligations of operating commuter railroads, so class lights were no longer necessary. Conrail used the red markers on lite engine consists (engines operated without cars or a caboose) to designate the rear of the train as required by the rules. These red marker lights were also used on the read of end of train pusher units. While pretty much all operating rulebooks allow the use of the headlight operated on the dim setting as a highly visible rear marker on lite engines or rear end pushers, Conrail opted for the red markers.

And these marker lights were different from the standard class light application. They were not mounted flush but instead, protruded from the car body. This style of light was referred to as the "bug eye" light.

Other options include headlight placement. On standard cab locomotives, there have been several options available for the headlights. Some railroads like the Louisville & Nashville, Southern Pacific and Illinois Central Gulf (among several others) opted for the use of oscillating lights commonly referred to "Mars" lights. These lights were mounted up high, in between the number boards on the front of the locomotive. There have been two manufacturers of such oscillating lights and their models were the Mars and "Gyra" lights. These lights, mounted between the number boards rotated creating a sweeping effect. The light rotated in a circular pattern. At night they really stood out.

Other railroads like the Rio Grande, Kansas City Southern and Western Pacific opted for oscillating headlights mounted on the low front nose. To keep these lights from coming up in front of the Engineer and Brakeman riding the head end, the oscillating lights moved in a figure 8 pattern with it rotating as if the 8 was laying on its side. On the very first batch of SD40-2's ordered by MoPac designated for run through service on coal trains with the BN and Rio Grande, this style of oscillating light was applied.

Southern Pacific ordered what has commonly been referred to as the "light package." SP and their Cotton Belt subsidiary had the twin front sealed beam headlights on EMD built locomotives placed on the low nose and mounted horizontally instead of vertically. Right above the headlights was a single red lamp. This lamp only illuminated when the train went into an emergency brake application or if the Engineer used a switch to illuminate it. To complete the package, a Mars light was placed up between the number boards. Some SP and Cotton Belt locomotives also had a light package mounted on the rear of locomotive as well. There was a switch on the high voltage cabinet to transfer the operation of the oscillating light from the front to the rear of the locomotive depending upon which way the locomotive was operating.

Kansas City Southern and Illinois Central Gulf opted for some of their locomotives to have a simulated oscillating headlight. This feature consisted of a pair of lamps mounted in slightly opposite directions. These lights dimmed and brightened up in a rhythm of sorts that simulated motion.

With the oscillating lights being used, the regular headlight also needs a home. The normal position is mounted up high, in between the number boards with no oscillating lights being used or the type used on the nose. With the oscillating light mounted up high in between the number boards, the headlight would go in the low nose. Now some roads like Santa Fe began placing the headlight in the low nose even with no oscillating lights being used.

On the super cab units there have also been two schools of thought with the placement of headlights. The standard placement is on the nose. Some roads have opted for the headlight to be placed up high on the cab roof. Again, it is a road to road preference. Union Pacific and Conrail are two roads that went for the lights up high while CN comes to mind as one that has gone low with it.

Also on super cab units is the placement of the number boards. Some roads have opted to place the number boards up high, above the front windows. Other roads have opted for placement on the nose instead. This seems to be a mix and match item with the headlight. For example, CN places their numbers boards above the front windows and has the headlight in the nose. Conrail had the headlight up high and the number boards on the nose.

Up on the roof (no, not the song but rather the cab roof) some railroads opted for additional lighting. Union Pacific, Grand Trunk Western, Elgin, Joliet & Eastern (the J) and Chicago & Northwestern and Burlington Northern are five roads that opted for revolving beacon lights on the cab roof. At one point the Soo Line also used revolving lights as well. While the J used red ones, the others opted for amber colored lights. These lights were often referred to as revolvers, gyro lights or roof beacon lights. At least two states, Wisconsin and Washington, had laws that required the use of some sort of roof beacon lights.

The J used them to call attention to their locomotives while switching industries. They were used to create more visibility of the locomotive. While it is not always feasible to sound the whistle inside of a building, that revolving red light would attract your attention.

Two other railroads come to mind that had some sort of roof beacon lights, Amtrak and the Milwaukee Road. Amtrak used strobe type lights for many years while the Milwaukee opted for "bubblegum" lights. The bubblegum light was a set of four sealed beam lamps mounted in four different directions under an amber dome. The lamps flashed on and off in a pattern of one succeeding the other. This gave the illusion of a rotating light on the cab roof. L&N did order one group of SD40-2's in the mid 70's with a bubblegum light as well, only this was under a red dome instead of the amber. It only showed up on one order and was never repeated.

Amtrak took the strobe light idea further than other roads. They had them mounted in pairs, one on either side of the cab roof. And these pairs almost acted as if they had a mind of their own. Some locomotives had them strobing together while others had them strobing alternatively. The Family Lines dropped oscillating headlights in their final orders of SD40-2 locomotives in the early 80's opting for the double strobe lights on the roof ala Amtrak. By the time the component roads of the Family Lines were merged into Seaboard System in 1983, the strobe lights were dropped as well.

With the wide spread introduction of the end of train telemetry to the rail industry in the early 1980's, the revolving beacon lights became a liability to those roads that used them. The motor that turned the lights created radio frequency that jammed the head end telemetry receivers. To remedy this problem BN chose to replace the revolvers with bubble gum lights like the Milwaukee Road. UP, CNW and GTW went with strobe lights instead. Locomotives already on the property had the revolvers replaced with the bubblegum lights and all new units ordered received either bubblegum or strobe lights.

EJ&E and Soo Line opted for strobe lights several years before the advent of cabooseless operation. Both of these roads began installing strobe lights on their motive power in the 70's.

Initially, all new diesel road switcher units were built with the high short hood. The low short hood wasn't even offered as an option until the very late 1950's. Slowly most roads adopted the low short hood and by the mid 1960's virtually everybody was ordering this feature on most, if not all of their new power.

Two well know roads, the Southern and Norfolk & Western didn't follow this trend. They chose the high short nose on their locomotives for years. Citing more protection for the crews in the event of a collision with a truck at a road crossing, the high nose was the option chosen by both roads for many years. Southern ordered all of their locomotives this way until they merged with the N&W. Other roads the Southern acquired through takeovers throughout the years that had low short hood locomotives had the high hood added to them after these roads were taken over.

In the 1970's N&W decided to change their policy in regard to the high nose. This change in attitude might have been part of the grand scheme of things when they were involved in a proposed merger with the Chesapeake & Ohio. All of their new locomotives were constructed with the more common low short nose, but there was a twist. Instead of having the control stand mounted on the right side of the cab making the short hood end the front, N&W ordered the control stand on the left side of the cab making the long hood end the front. The idea was that even if the locomotive was operating with the low nose leading, the windows on the low hood end allowed the Engineer plenty of visibility. The C&O merger never occurred, instead, it was Southern that would take over the N&W. After merging with Southern to create Norfolk Southern, this N&W practice of low short hood and long hood forward operation was adopted by the new company and continued into the latter 80's. At that point in time the philosophy changed to conform to most of the rest of the industry using the short hood forward.

However, NS will still operate locomotives long hood forward in through freight operations as the situation may require or necessitate.

Both Southern and N&W for many years, opted for the long hood end of the locomotive to be considered the front instead of the short hood end like most other roads. In the earlier days of diesels on the railroad, some lines like New York Central, Baltimore & Ohio and Grand Trunk Western opted for the long hood end to be the front of the locomotive. The locomotive builders offered either end to be the front as an option. I've been told over the years that the long hood forward philosophy carries over from the days of steam when the long portion of the locomotive was always in front of the cab.

From a personal standpoint, the high short hood never bothered me. Running long hood forward is not a big deal either. Having had the opportunity to operate numerous Southern, N&W and later, Norfolk Southern units with the long hood end as the leader and the control stand on the right side (when the unit is facing long hood forward), this was not a problem for me. Others think different but we all have our own personal preferences. The high short hood also offered more room in the toilet area and allowed for easier access to this room. You could stand up straight inside there and didn't have to be a contortionist to get in and out of the nose.

The EJ&E designated the long hood end as the front when their first order of SD38's were built, but had them and all successive orders equipped with dual control stands. A complete control stand with all the required features was mounted on each side of the cab. I was told they followed the N&W's lead as N&W had many of their locomotives equipped with dual control stands. Their SD45 and GP38AC models come to mind. Several years later, the J changed their philosophy and made the short hood end the front of the locomotive.

MoPac also had some of their GP7 locomotives equipped with the dual control stands.

All new power Conrail acquired was equipped cab signal equipment. The spotting feature on the standard cab units was a box mounted in front of the cab on the right side of the locomotive in front of the Engineer's front window. Chicago & Northwestern also opted for cab signal equipped locomotives as did Union Pacific. Metra ordered all their new locomotives equipped with all the cab signal systems of all the roads they operate on in the Chicago area. The Rock Island and CNW lines had different types of cab signal systems so the different systems were included on all of their road power to allow them to be free runners on the entire system.

Fuel tanks also come in various sizes. On Geeps, some roads like Southern and Milwaukee Road ordered smaller fuel tanks. This allowed these units to operate on the lighter rail branch lines. Southern used 1700 gallon fuel tanks on many of the GP38 series locomotives. MoPac ordered the largest fuel tanks they could get. The SD40 series locomotives all received the optional 4000 gallon fuel tanks, larger than the standard 3000 gallon version. They also ordered the 3000 version for the GP38 and GP50 series locomotives as opposed to the smaller 1700, 2000 or 2600 gallon versions.

Roads like MoPac, Burlington Northern, Conrail and Santa Fe operated longer runs thus required the larger fuel tanks. This required less refueling en route which reduced running times. Roads like Grand Trunk and Detroit, Toledo & Ironton were smaller roads with shorter runs; thus the larger fuel tanks (and their added cost) was not required.

There have been several options for mounting the locomotive bell. Many early road switcher type locomotives were equipped with the bell mounted on the top of one of the hoods directly above one of the headlights. New York Central, Grand Trunk Western and Southern were three of many roads that chose this option. Southern stayed with this policy throughout their existence. The EJ&E had the bell mounted on the front end, next to the headlight on their large center cab units. The bell was placed on the end considered the front of the locomotive.

Other options include mounting the bell towards the top of the locomotive car body behind the cab. Several roads, including MoPac ordered the bell mounted at the top of the car body on the left side of the locomotive. Chessie System had theirs mounted on the right side. After merging with the Seaboard Coast Line, this policy was adopted for both component roads Chessie and Seaboard.

Some roads chose to mount the bell under the side sill on the left side of the locomotive. To me, this is the absolute worst location. In this mount the bell is normally placed directly in front of the fuel tank and behind the front truck. Other roads chose to mount the bell on the top of the locomotive itself. It might be placed right behind the cab or above the short high nose on units so equipped. Many SP and Cotton Belt units had the bell mounted on the roof.

Chicago & Northwestern went with a gong type bell that was mounted on the low front hood. Detroit Toledo & Ironton and MoPac also had some units with this feature. MoPac had a group of U30C's built by GE with the gong bell mounted below the Engineer's front window. DT&I followed CNW's lead and had them mounted on the low front hood.

GE offered the bell under the frame mounted like EMD or right behind the left side of the cab right above the rear window and below the roofline. Southern was able to get GE to mount the bell above the headlights, just like on their EMD locomotives.

Some DT&I units had the bell mounted on the right side of the low nose in front of the Engineer. There was an indentation in the nose and the bell was mounted inside. This was a rather strange arrangement. Another strange position was on top of the low nose. Some Western Maryland units used this configuration.

In Canada, most roads that operated low front hood units and wide cab units had the bell placed in between the number boards on the front of the locomotive. I don't know if this was a requirement in Canada or just great logic at work. Like the mount over the headlight as the Southern ordered, this is a great location for the bell. In front and where it can be heard without the obstructions of car bodies, fuel tanks and the like.

Then there was the electronic bell. This system used a speaker that emitted and electronic sound resembling the sound of a bell. Well, that might be a stretch. It actually sounded more like the alarm you hear in old war pictures when a submarine is going to dive. The Milwaukee road and Alaska Railroad opted for this electronic noisemaker. While pretty much all of the existing former Milwaukee Road locomotives have since had the "dive alarm" replaced with the traditional bell and clapper, some of the cab cars used in commuter train service in the Chicago area are, or at least were, still equipped with this feature as recently as just a few years ago. I believe the Alaska Railroad still has many of their units equipped with this warning device though.

Let's go back up on the roof for a few minutes. Whistles on locomotives have been ordered in various formats and placed in numerous locations. There are several different brands of whistles including Leslie and Nathan. There is also an outfit in Canada that produces them as well, but I cannot recall the name of the company. And as I write this, I am a long way from home to go and look it up, so hopefully somebody reading this will point it out.

In the early days of diesel there was the "honker" style of whistle. This was a single note, single flute whistle that sounded like either a goose honking or a cow mooing when sounded. Some locomotives had two of these honkers, one facing forward and the other to the rear. Other locomotives only had one of them. The whistle quickly began to evolve with the two, three and five chime whistles being developed. These numbers would indicate the number of flutes or individual whistle chimes per whistle. The model number of them would also indicate the number of chimes such as a P-5 or N-3.

The more chimes in the whistle, the louder and also more musical they can sound. Some whistles do sound much better and than others. The IC 6117 has a very musical sounding whistle while other units have them that sound more like something out of a horror movie with lots of sharps or flats in the chimes. Many Canadian units also have whistles that are very pleasant to listen to. When you have to sound them for a hundred crossings or more per trip, you want something that sounds good, not annoying.

The placement of the whistle on the locomotive is also determined on a road for road basis. The standard location was on the cab roof. It could be right above the headlights or offset to the left or right of them. The Soo Line while opting for roof mount had many of theirs mounted on the right slope of the roof right above the Engineer.

The roads that took the honkers on their early Geep models often had them mounted on the sides of the car body. One would be placed in front of the cab on the short high hood facing that direction while the other would be mounted on the opposite side of the locomotive on the long hood portion of the car body facing the other direction, In this form of mounting both of them faced away from the cab itself. Other roads mounted them on the top of the short high hood or above the engine room behind the exhaust stacks and in front of the air intake fans.

Roads like the N&W opted for the mount right behind the cab roof. Being that N&W units were frequently used in either direction, this sort of had the whistle centralized on the locomotive. EJ&E had them mounted this way as well on their first set of SD38's. Subsequent orders had them placed over the cooling fans.

The Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific ordered their whistles placed right above the cooling fans for many years on EMD built power, This was an ideal spot as aside from having it directly over the heads of the crew in the cab, they were located in a spot that reduced the likelihood of them filling up with snow when plowing through drifts. And being that they were right above the cooling fans, there was also plenty of warm air hitting them to help keep them from freezing or clogging up when snow did get inside them.

Grand Trunk Western mounted the whistles on their older Geeps at the front of the long hood end just along side the bell. Southern took this idea one step further. They began to order a set of whistles at both ends of the locomotive mounted at the top front of either hood. The whistle was tied into the reverser handle on units so equipped. The only set of whistles that would sound would be the one that corresponded with the direction in which the reverser handle was facing.

The types of whistles were also determined by the railroads. Some opting for three chimes while others went with the louder five chime models. Amtrak, Southern, N&W, the Missabe and the Family Lines System were some of the roads opting for the five chime variety.

Now I should point out that even though the whistle uses air and not steam to make it work, we still call it a whistle and not a horn. A horn is on your car or truck. We whistle off when we acknowledge a signal. We whistle the crossing. We don't horn them. Even though the newer power has a label that says "Horn" next to the whistle button, it is still the whistle. And many railroads still have whistle posts along the track with the letter "W" on them. Nowhere has then been a reported sitting of a horn post with an "H."

Now to the armrests by the windows; the armrests at the base of the windows are standard. Some roads stay with the standard offering while others opt for larger ones. Union Pacific ordered the larger ones on their standard cab locomotives.

Standard cab locomotives were offered with movable wing type windows. These were clear plastic or glass panes mounted on a metal bracket. This usually had several adjustment stops to keep the outside air from blowing directly into your face, just like the old wing windows on older automobiles. Some roads added a small adjustable rear view mirror on them. The mirror was placed either at the top or bottom of the wing window. Other roads upgraded with a full length rear view mirror. This mirror replaced the wing window and extended from top to bottom of the window frame; my personal preference. Another type of rear view mirror is a 4X6 size that is fully adjustable to any individual's preference. Locomotives with this type of mirror have no wing window. I'll take the wind if I can have the mirror.

Above the windows, many roads opt for awnings. The awning comes in handy for several reasons. When raining on warm days, you can have the window open and not have the rain come right in as the awning will deflect it. Most roads have movable awnings that will fold down. When in the down position they can be used as a visor or sun block when the sun is shining into your side windows. When the sun is up high in the sky, the awning will act as a sun visor when in the up position.

In years past, some roads opted for a canvas type of awning. Other roads went for the steel model. The steel version held out much better and eventually won out. I haven't seen a canvas awning in over twenty years now, except in pictures or on locomotives in museums.

Some roads, generally in colder climates, will order storm or bay windows on the cab sides. These are an extra set of window set in a cabinet of sorts that mounts directly onto the car body around the side windows of the cab. Grand Trunk and Soo Line were two big users of such devices. Other roads have been known to purchase removable models that fit inside the regular window frame instead of on the car body. This allows quick installation or removal and will allow them to be used on any locomotive assigned to cold climate areas. We used this version on the MoPac as our collective bargaining agreement required them on all yard engines assigned to Chicago between November 1st and April 1st.

And then there are paint schemes. In the days when diesels began to make inroads in the rail industry, it was with switch engines. These switchers were pretty much all delivered in your basic black paint. As the process of dieselization really took off railroads began to develop their own signature paint schemes. In some cases, some railroads let the artists at EMD develop a paint scheme for them. The gray, yellow and maroon of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western and later Erie Lackawanna and the very similar scheme used by the Algoma Central were developed by EMD. The black and white scheme used by the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio was developed by EMD as well.

Some roads have used quite elaborate schemes over the years. And over the years to reduce the cost, some of these very same roads have eventually evolved to more simplified schemes. MoPac used an attractive blue and gray scheme that was simplified to an all blue scheme in the early 1960's. CSX for many years was not certain of its own identity and used several variations of gray and blue. They finally settled on an attractive gray, blue and yellow scheme that was dubbed the "bright future" scheme. Last year they switched to a more somber solid blue with gold lettering paint job that is often referred to as an "austerity" scheme. It has also been called their "dark future" scheme as well. Word is it saves them $800 per unit to use this paint scheme.

Norfolk Southern has always had your basic black, but over the years they have made some improvements to it. First they added broken white stripping to the side sills for better visibility. Last year the changed that to a solid stripe. Their logo now features the "horsey head" superimposed upon it. They also added white to the upper front of the cab. This sort of gives the locomotives an appearance of having eyebrows. It does make it look better than just the solid black of their earlier years.

It has often been said that you can observe the health of a railroad by watching the changes in their paint. When they suddenly switch to a simple one, it might mean they are trying to reduce costs as perhaps, things are not going well there financially.

With that we'll close out part one. Be sure to tune in next week when we continue with options and alternatives.

And so it goes.

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