I realize that this unit is MODERN, and has all the efficiency "bells & whistles, but doggone it, the poor thing is just plain UGLY !
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P42s and even MP36s are much better looking engines than this thing.
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I kind of like it. Aggressive looking. Like a Camaro.
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Hey, it COULD be uglier. Just think of it in Amtrak grey.
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Looks related to the Australian built EL class loco GE C30-8 released in 1997 originally for passenger service, see photo id 291850 and we thought that was ugly enough. Now regeared for a new life in freight service.
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It's the same design philosophy that brought you the Nissan Juke. Blah-uck!
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| Posted by JerryE on March 9, 2014 | |
Well at least the problem is merely the bad paint scheme, if you want to see an ugly loco then check out the Class 70 loco's that GE have been building for use in the the UK (such as here: Photo ID: 464996)!...
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IMHO I think the "ugliness" is accentuated by the telephoto view, but as modern motive power goes they don't look too bad. Interesting colour scheme!
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| Posted by K100DS on March 9, 2014 | |
The correct model designation for these locomotives is MPI HSP46 (high speed passenger, 4650 horsepower)
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| Posted by K100DS on March 9, 2014 | |
They look a lot better in person. This is a very unflattering perspective. (no offense to the photographer)
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Still yet not as ugly as a P42. Look on the bright. Not quite a "brick" but we're getting there.
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Looks like it could have been built by "The A-Team", hope it isn't armed.
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| Posted by on March 9, 2014 | |
Boy those sure are ugly and the pink paint doesnt help the cause. I guess it fits for the city built on top of a landfill
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Well nice to see a photo taken here in Boise as the top photo of the day. I live just a few miles down the road from Motive Power. I'm not liking the looks of these engines but if they pull/push good and keep the lights and HAVC on, That's all that really matters to the T.
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I wasn't convinced from this view, however there are a few more pics here http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1152&page=40 and I now think this is a rather pretty loco.
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| Posted by CJ on March 9, 2014 | |
The first of these began testing this week and did it's second test run today http://www.railpictures.net/photo/472923
As for the hideous paint, MassDOT put a few options online and the people of Massachusetts voted for this scheme. It's essentially what the MBTA paint is now, just with a bigger "T". Also the crews love it and it runs excellently, and that's what matters.
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People just love bitching about how ugly something is these days, as long as it does the job the way it is advertised by MPI, it is a good loco as far as I'm concerned.
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Dare I suggest..........Peptotoaster?
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"Pepto Dismal"
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| Posted by JerryE on March 10, 2014 | |
@Christopher Kelliher: Indeed but then why bother with anything that doesn't look like a box and/or take the Henry Ford approach to color schemes (the customer can have any color as long as it's black). My point being that it doesn't take much more effort to produce elegance, although it does take a human talent, and something that isn't automatic when the requirements of CAD/CAM dominate...
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@JerryE - Railways are a business, and they usually design their locos for efficiency and crew comfort. Freightliner and Colas Rail's Class 70s are known in the UK as 'Fuglies', but the Drivers love them, and so do their owners. All said and done, that is what really matters.
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| Posted by JerryE on March 10, 2014 | |
@Jez Smith: That approach might work when customers are shifting boxes, literally, never mind the fact that the loco crew are judging the machines in a quite different way to that of a would-be passenger. In the 1930s UK passengers thought the streamlines LMS coronation class to be much the better machine compared to the same loco sans the air-smoothed casing - go figure, and these days a good fancy paint-job can sell the same Auto better than one with a poorly designed paint-job... Humans are funny creatures at times!
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| Posted by Andrew on March 11, 2014 | |
@jerryE, I was under the impression the quote re. Henry Ford is wrong. His cars at the time were lots of colours but none came in black.
I agree that it is not a very flattering photograph, but when the colour of the paint makes it faster or better then what the customer chooses should be what he gets. 2 rules of selling, 1, the customer is always right, no.2, when the customer is wrong, see rule no.1.
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| Posted by K100DS on March 22, 2014 | |
The paint scheme is pretty similar to what was used on the Atlantic Coast Line for many years. Maybe people just liked it better when it was applied to an E-unit.
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Actually I think it bears more of a resemblance to EMD's F40PHM-2 that Metra uses. Its definately a different look, and I dont think it looks all that bad but it could use a design facelift. Its better than the concept drawings for the new Siemens "Charger" locomotives.
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| Posted by on April 6, 2014 | |
Wats Wrong with EMD Engines!?
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Good looking locomotive. Needs a new color scheme. Maybe one in the colors of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, or Boston Celtics. Almost anything with a color scheme honoring those three teams would've looked better than a purple engine. Looks like a kid colored it.
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