Engineers likes, Dislikes and trouble shooting on Loco's

I am trying to compile a database on Locomotives of what engineers like and dislike on both EMD and GE's. I know the vast majority of Engineers out there are not on forums like this but i know there are some. At least that's a start. I have been an engineer for 7 years and have my own lists, but was curious about what others think. Also, any trouble shooting tips you may have for common problems such as computer issues. The trouble shooting tips may end up in a book. The likes and dislikes on the different brands of loco's may end up being used on future orders to hopefully come up with better cab layouts and features.

My likes:

GE headlight switches vs EMD headlight switches. I hate the way on EMD's you have to fight a heavy spring and actually pass the marked point. On older units where the switches are worn they get hung up.

EMD Older style wide body cab windows offered much better visibility. I dislike the GE style windows they use now.

ALL the new widebodies (both brands) load like crap. Why has technology gone backwards? I understand it has alot to do with traction control, but an SD40-2 in my opinion is MUCH easier to run then any of these AC's

Why is it that almost all of the newer GE's have windows that are impossible to latch? The mechanisms are in dire need of attention.

I also cannot figure out why on the SD70ACe's they put virtually all the breakers in the electrical room. I understand it makes it easier on maintence personell, but now as an engineer, i need to actually go outside the locomotive into a room where the walls are literally COVERED in exposed electrical contacts and cable ends.

Think about this, imagine having to go investigate or reset a tripped breaker while the train is moving and it's pouring rain out. Do you really want be in those tight quarters when you are soaking wet and being rocked around knowing that should you lose your balance and try and catch your fall you are almost guaranteed to come into contact with some sort of electrical equipment?. I know alot of the safety procedures say to isolate the Loco when working in electrical cabinets but again, if your moving and lets say climbing a grade and your at or near your tonnage rating, your telling me i have to drop the load on the loco and risk stalling to see IF a breaker has tripped?.

Can anyone (hopefully someone at EMD) explain why putting all the breakers IN the cab where they have been since the dawn of the Diesel era is now an issue?. I could simply turn around and LOOK to see if a breaker was tripped and often could reset it without even getting up. No chance of slipping and falling off of a moving loco, getting wet, getting lit up like an Xmas tree, etc.

I love EMD's but some of these new "innovations" leave me scratching my head.

This probably belongs on locomotives instead of CSX but my experiences
with power some years back, if you think today's stuff is bad, lets go back
to the earlier GE's, nothing could be worse than a U-33b which is probably
the worst engine that I ever worked on. Notch out one notch while
running a train and the dam thing would just about completely drop its
load while it took its time deciding what it was going to do, then it would
eventually load back up but sometimes the amperage would go so dam
high that we would get a constant wheel slip or too much pull on the train.
Don't try to switch like on a wayfreight with one of these things either, it
would pratically stall out going up a grade out of an industrial siding where
the main track(s) were on a higher grade, notch out one notch and it was
likely we would stall. The one thing that would sometimes get me out of
a siding like this was to notch out good at the beginning and hold it back
with the engine brake but I did not like doing that. These engines were
among the most undependable that were ever built. I remember going
west on the Maybrook Line of the old NHRR during Penn Central days with
136 empties out of Oak Point with three GP-38-2's and two U-33b's and I
lost both U-33's before I even got to the grades on the Maybrook Line but
the three GP's buckled down and pulled the 136 cars up all of the major
grades and the two down GE's as well. I also remember 2959 catching
fire near Danbury and burning so bad that the fire department got called
and the smoke made the newspaper with an picture no less.
Most of the early GE's were pretty bad but the above engines were the
worst.
That 16 notch throttle was a pain in the neck too.
Nothing today could possibly be as bad as the early GE junk was.
Noel Weaver

At the risk of moving this topic to the GE forum, I must say that I can't stand GE's and their "Rattle Cabs". Any GE more than 2 months old has all sorts of improvised shims and wedges in the cab moldings, radios, etc. to try to cut down on all the loose rattling stuff. 10 hours in one under constant load is enough to drive one buggy. And the whole slow loading thing is another universal irritant. I want the damn thing to load NOW, not in 10 seconds when the head end is part way up that sag and the tail end runs into me. Thank god we don't have cabooses, the airwaves would be full of "WTF are you doing up there, trying to kill us?"

The SD75's with their wiggle cab ride pretty rough. Come out of heavy, sustained dynamic braking and it's almost as though one of the self-steering axles got cocked and stuck in one of the curves. And then you hit a bit of bad track and feel the damn thing bottom out, you swear to god the traction motor must be scraping the ties. The headlight beam looks like a Mars light. The whole engine shakes so bad one is looking for dirt and sparks. And then the cab, which IS quieter shakes around on its mounts to the point where one almost gets motion sickness.

GE headlight switch is placed nicely. While running along in the reclined position , the switch is easy to reach to dim for an opposing train. With the EMD one has to sit up wand reach forward. It's true, boredom does breed laziness.

The GE's computer diagnostic display is a bit more user friendly. At least if the engine shuts down it attempts to help you figure out why. On an WEMD, I've had the engin shut down and all the computer would tell me is "Engine not running." Really? I just thought it went into super-stealth mode.

Definately the stuff I use to judge a loco, the "headlight switches" and "window latches". Yep, you gotta have priorities..........
As far as those items being in the cab, since the "dawn of the diesels", they were fuses originally, and if you were ever in a covered wagon, (the first road freight units) you would have found those fuses, and breakers, inside the engine room. GE U-Boats were outside, under the cab, on the front of the firemans side (resets on the operating cards) It is different, having to go out back, to check the board, but if you expect problems, you can tape the cut-out switch, on the door, before you begin your trip. Those GE's, that derate themselves, if you've worked them too hard, are kind unusual, for hauling tonnage over mountain grades. Nothing like grinding down to single digits on the speedo, then having the loco take a break, because it's been "worked" too hard. Kind of like the timer, in a toaster........

On the PL42 (NJT's new diesel - powered by an EMD 710) the circuit breakers are all over the place, but most of the ones the engineer are "suposed" to touch are on the back wall of the cab. However, there are others that are apprently more "important" that "should always work" back in the electrical room, where the starting fuse is.

Amazing how going from like 30 circuit breakers in a Geep to like over 100 in this new thing and they are scattered all over the place.

Give me a Geep with the hard to turn headlight switch any day!!!!

I agree with Noel's description of old GE power. EMD had it all over GE back in the 60's and 70's as far as locomotive reliability and train handling was concerned. I specifically remember the power loading problems.

What Noel said!!!!

I will keep it short and sweet-

Give me an EMD any day of the week, month, year, decade, century....

I don't care if it's painted pink just as long as it loads and loads quick.

I have noticed that the SD70ac have very poor seals around the back door-----going thru tunnels where the exaust builds up---we get alot of fumes that come in-----taste great!

There are 3 things I know in life that are certain. Death, taxes and GE's always load slow. The trash 9's pull good but I dont care for the desktop control stand and when sense a false wheelslip in dyno's and drop their load. One thing the old heads tell me about Alco's is they ran good and pulled hard when you had a solid consist of them. Throw in a couple of EMD's and they would kick out breakers, not load etc. Anyone else familiar with this?

I have myriad likes and dislikes as regards power....first, all else being equal, I prefer the older style conventional cab. Yes, it's noisy. Yes, it's not as safe. But the seating is higher against the window and visibility out the front and engineers side much better. The throttle is ergonomic and I have room to stretch out my legs on long trips.

And- I'll admit it - in warm weather I like having that window open, with the sill down to my waist. It's a visceral thrill, the wind, the feel of fresh air, the feeling of being at one with the machinery.

And like others, I much prefer the older EMDs for their quick loading. Once in a while I see an SD-40 that's been really cared for; and it will stand up and dance for ya.

Balance that against the goofy location of the headlight switch. I work a busy double track; it's not uncommon to meet fifteen or more trains on a trip. All that bending down, dimming the light, putting it back up...I have back issues. Not good.

GE widebodies...the first generation, the countertop was too high and legroom nonexistant. Headlight switches were in a good location - but that was it. The single-lever throttle/dynamic, is notchy and hard to close or open in single increments. I don't see out as well. And, as noted, with the advent of computerized controls, the whole countertop is shaky and wobbly.

A colleague of mine said he got to talking with a GE rep, who said the consoles were DESIGNED to wobble around to minimize shock to the computer equipment.

Then there's the heater controls on GE widebodies. On the floor...at night I have to borrow the conductor's lantern to see it, even with the interior lights on.

The latest offering by GE, the wraparound control stand, is much, much better - everything is where you need it, even the heater controls are accessible.

EMDs: The older ones, just fine if you have earplugs. The newer ones...the radial trucks ride rough enough to be almost lethal. The throttle/exciter offers "same day response." The actual layout of the tabletop control stand is better - but not much better. And as with GEs I get that feeling of sitting in a bucket...the windowsill near my chin.

The newest EMD offering...only had one, one time. My memory of it was...LOUD. Otherwise, nondescript EMD; slow to load, quick to break down. Appearance-wise, I miss the clean lines of the old GPs/SDs - the curves in the metal at the V-ends, instead of sloppy butt-welding; the styled widebody cab, the bigger windshield that's gone now in favor of GE-style glass. Positioned straight up and down - it has reflection angles that neither GE nor the WhisperCab ever had. Didn't anyone give the redesign ANY thought?