Metra BNSF Train 1277

Does anyone know the number of the MP36 leading number 1277

666?

You're just going to hate those locomotives forever, aren't you?

Maybe longer.....

LoL me to.

I will certainly hate them forever to

Hate is a very strong word; let me pose a question:

Would you feel differently if you had your first locomotive cab ride in an MP36? Or would you turn the chance down because it was an MP36.

why do u dislike the MP36? im just curious

There's a few reasons people around here dislike the MP. First, they displaced the F40C, a legacy MILW locomotive from the seventies. Even though it's and SD40 with a cowl body and HEP generator, it was a rare permutation and people dig that like they dig Alcos. Second, it's a crummy design - Metra demanded a locomotive powered by the long-out of production 645 block, and they got an MP36. EMD doesn't want anything to do with building 645-powered engines. It's also quite heavy. I'm not sure why it's so much longer than an F40PH, but it's 30% longer (not fact-visual estimation, no flaming please), so it's obvious where the weight comes from. They also have had numerous reliability issues, as passenger locomotives aren't build in as large of numbers as freighters they don't have quite the R&D budget.

The poor design, reliability, and displacement of legacy locomotives is a "three strikes and you're out" in the mind of a railfan, espcially one that has no direct financial connection to the performace of the railroad.

I personally have nothing against them, although they aren't my favorite. I'm a classic F40PH and F40PH-2 man, myself. If I had my endless railfan dream, the M's, C's, and MP's would be working in some other place like Montreal or LA, and the Rock Island, BNSF, and CNW lines would be electrified at 1500DC like Metra electric and South Shore. But let's be real, that's never going to happen.