Ugliest locomotive

[james1787]

Here's a locomotive that wins the award as "Ugliest Locomotive" in my book, at least in terms of color:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... x?id=20978
and another pic

http://www.jefflubchanskycpa.com/HLCX62 ... DIGI10.jpg

Ack!! That brings back horrible memories of the green tile we had in school... thanks for the memories

[Newyorkcentralfan]

Joe wrote:

"C'mon now.........I'm just as much a railfan/model railroader as the next guy but good looking vs. bad looking? When it comes to all things mechanical there is nothing good-looking. Locomotives (and all things mechanical) are not meant to be good-looking nor are they supposed to be good-looking. They are machines, and machines are meant to be functional and ugly. "


Then how do you explain Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis et al?

Machines are only ugly when they're designed by people who have no sense of style.

[scottychaos]

Joe wrote:

"C'mon now.........I'm just as much a railfan/model railroader as the next guy but good looking vs. bad looking? When it comes to all things mechanical there is nothing good-looking. Locomotives (and all things mechanical) are not meant to be good-looking nor are they supposed to be good-looking. They are machines, and machines are meant to be functional and ugly. "


Then how do you explain Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis et al?

Machines are only ugly when they're designed by people who have no sense of style.

I agree..
style and "good looks" are ALWAYS a consideration in all things mechanical!
if it was true that "They are machines, and machines are meant to be functional and ugly." then every diesel would look exactly the same..a box on wheels..
every automobile would look exactly the same, a box on wheels,
every house would look exactly the same..etc.
style is VERY important!
thats the ONLY reason new car models come out every year!
just looks and style!
If style didnt matter, Ford would just build the exact same Ford Escort (or whatever) every year for 20 years..with no changes..

diesels are all about style too..
what railroad "needed" the round nose of the F-unit?
none..
what good did it do to the operation of the locomotive?
none..
why not just build a square box on wheels and put the F-unit guts inside it?
making that stylish round nose was MORE expensive that just making a square box!
so why did EMD bother?
style..good looks..thats the ONLY reason!

humans always make their machines to be functional AND good looking!
(they often fail at one, or both!
but they always try for both..
how many people say their favorite diesel is "the boxcab"?
none that I have ever heard..
how many say its the "Alco PA"?
plenty..

there are lots of "good looking" locomotives..
because they were designed to be good looking..
there are plenty of ugly diesels too..
the "ugly" ones are usually the result of function being considered more than form..thats ok..
the GP7/GP9 series was probably the most sucessful diesel series ever..
not beauty queens, but they got the job done.
but its the engines that were designed to be beautiful, and were sucessful at that goal, that are the favorites..

Scot

[Komachi]

I'm going to stay in Scott's and Newyorkcentralfan here,

If looks didn't matter, then why did the railroads "streamline" their locomotives and passenger equipment? I don't know how much the drag coefficent was negated by streamlining, but more than likely, it was an insignificant amount.

So why do it?

Marketing. The mid-late 30's was the aviation age and streamlining was the "in" thing to do. It was sleek, stylish, trendy and gave anything it was applied to a more "modern" and "progressive" look. From toasters to cars to refrigerators and trains, no real function but a whole lot of "eye candy."

And people ate it up.

Why do you think that Raymond Lowey, one of the greatest industiral designers of the 20th century was called in by the railroads and locomotive designers to help make their products look a little more sexy? (If I'm not mistaken, he's the one behind the design of the Pensy's GG1 and also had a hand in the design of the "face" on the ALCo. PA series).

So, people do want style over substance.

As Newyorkcentralfan pointed out, look at the sports cars that are out there, the bodies and interiors don't play second fiddle to the performance packages. Look at trucks today too, if the "substance over style" argument were the rule, then todays trucks would look like the ones from the 60's and 70's, box on wheels and spartain interior. Today, they have leather interiors, heated seats, high end stereo systems...

Need I go on?


But then again, this thread is based on personal opinion anyway, as "uglyness" is subjective. What one person says is ugly, others may contradict.

Alright, I've said enough, I'm getting off the soapbox and give it to someone else for a while.

[MEC407]

What's ugly to some is beautiful to others.

I happen to think the GE Genesis series is quite attractive. Certainly a lot prettier than its predecessor, the P30CH.

[Engineer James]

Hey,
Ok, some of the locomotives are ugly. The mint green is nice color for HCLX, and looks nice, it would work on the Green Mountain RR. But, hey I look at it this way, if the shop does not make locos look ugly, would you rather have them gone or still working, but ugly??

[U.P.-Las Vegas]

Scotty,....you nailed it to a "T", that C-855 photo is the one I was looking for,to put on this thread....lol....great shot of that ugly beast...a true road
dog.....don't be hating.....L8ter

[AmtrakFan]

More I believe that will win
P30CH's on Amtrak
Westinghouse Box Cab

[espeefoamer]

The Chuahua Pacific chop nosed some of thier H-16-44s.The result is one ugly loco. I also saw a chop nose RS1 at an industry in Jacksonville FL.that was really ugly.I saw the Crandall cabs in 1979,and considered tham so ugly I didn't take any pictures of them.

[dreamer]

[quote="Why do you think that Raymond Lowey, one of the greatest industiral designers of the 20th century was called in by the railroads and locomotive designers to help make their products look a little more sexy? (If I'm not mistaken, he's the one behind the design of the Pensy's GG1 and also had a hand in the design of the "face" on the ALCo. PA series)".

The Alco PA body was designed by Raymond E. Patton, then director of GE's Appearance Design Division. Raymond Loewy designed the GG1.
-d

[metra 613]

The MPI Mp 36

[TheChessieCatLives]

If this "Uncle Pete" U50 doesn't take the cake then the ALCO wins!

[MEC407]

The U50 is no beauty queen, but I think the C855 is definitely uglier.

[TheChessieCatLives]

Could you all see CSX having some MP1500s?

[TheChessieCatLives]

Those Amtrak "Pooches" weren't exactly what I'd call beautiful. Even though they weren't exactly eye candy, they probably ran like a dream.