Didn't "Trains" magazine do a study once to find the best and most universal locomotive? I think it ended up being a Chessie GP40? I've always like the GP38 myself.:teeth:
Oh this is a can of worms! I would say the one that's haul'in the freight and putting the money in the bank. If I had to pick one locomotive to get er done it would have to be the GP-7/9 with D/B and steam generator even though I am known as a Alco/ FM kinda guy. All time best seller on more railroads than any other locomotive. Although their is a warm spot in my hart for a WM L-1, Shay, and a Consoladition. Locomotives are like women, they all have their special quality's and attratubits and they are all lovely. But none of them can hold a candle to my better half. So what's in your stable? and I don't leave the roundhouse without it. L Lee Davis "Still Training After All These Years"
I don't know what loco is the best, but my favorite is the GP38-2. Practically every railroad has em, and I feel they are the sharpest looking locomotives I have ever seen. When I was growing up, on the Long Island Railroad, you could see GP38's hauling passenger trains as well as freights. Now since the LIRR has gotten rid of them, the New York & atlantic Railway still uses Gp38's as well as MP15's which is another loco I love. I have also become fond of GM's wide cab locomotives used by BNSF.
Best Locomotive For looks it has to be the ALCO C-636. It looks like brute force on wheels. For reliability the EMD SD-40-2. In days of times gone by it would have to be the ALCO PA-1 passenger locomotive and BLW AS-616 hood unit.
For shear survivability, it has to be a tie between the GP7/9 and the SD40-2. Both are still slugging it away after years and years and years. I suppose the same could be said about other EMD models, but these 2 are probably the most deserving of the title.
