What an extremely unique step back into history. I remember these ugly things and was hoping a a year or two later that our new GE Amtrak engines, the P30CHs, would not look like them. The Pooches didn't, but then they kind of bombed too. Thanks for sharing.
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| Posted by FSWood on January 6, 2013 | |
Sometimes ugly is interesting.
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I would take one of these before most modern passenger uglies any day! We've come a long way down since the E's and PA's.
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GE had hoped to garner an order for these from the Chicago Mass transit agency, that resulted in the F40C's. Their biggest drawback was that the wheel sets couldn't handle high speed operations. Up to about 75 MPH, they were fine, but in common with the E60s and P30CHs, their inability to run fast proved to be their downfall.
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This was when Sante Fe ran 100-120 mph mail trains Chicago-LA via Amarillo-Belen and we used to try to race them. I've had them pull away from b/n Clovis and Canyon where they slowed down for a curve. Sante Fe also would pass 2 trains on the same track in Hereford by running one onto the siding and having the other accelerate. Fun to watch and required precise timing.
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I think they are neat looking. I wish they had saved one or two.
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Nice photo of awesome power !
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