Three ABBA sets of EMD F units that I've collected over the years: Intermountain FP7 (rear), Athearn Genesis FP7 (middle), and Athearn Genesis F3A (front).
I'm sure that term was mentioned somewhere on this site. Actually the paint scheme doesn't look much like the moth larvae. Rich
In all my years of being around F's and what have you, I've never heard that term. However, I vaguely recall that topic being discussed here. I suspect "Cutworm" for a Frisco F unit is a rail enthusiasts term. All I heard from Frisco railroaders in reference to F's was "covered wagons". Andre
Perhaps this is what whoever came up with that term was thinking of: It's the larvae of the monarch butterly. Also the swaying motion of individual units of an ABBA set running through uneven track could mimic the motion of a caterpillar or "cutworm".
Like I said. First time I heard that term was here on this rail enthusiast website. None of the Frisco guys I was around that ran F units ever called the black and yellow units "Cutworms". Doesn't mean the term wasn't used, just that those I was around never used it. Andre
Some fine looking motive power, Rich. Looks like they're all gussied up and posting for the company photographer. And the "cigar band" on the front does rather resemble the head of a cutworm when viewed from the front. Not sure if that's the genesis of the term? I also remember reading in a Kalmbach publication that "cab-forward" was a railfan-only term for the Southern Pacific's 4100 and 4200 class articulated locomotives. Apparently the railroaders simply called them "Mallets."
@yardmaster To add further to that, most railroaders haven't a clue the official designation or "phase" of the engines they ran/run. On the Frisco, once the #633 arrived and those that followed, there was a confusion of sorts in that the new GP38's took up where the GP7's left off, but as we all know, there's worlds of difference between a GP7 and GP38. Well, in their world (i.e. Frisco Engineers/Fireman/etc) they certainly knew there were differences in HP, how they pulled, comfort levels, etc, but now you had two completely different locomotives within the same "600" class. How did they quickly differentiate? Well, what I heard from the ones I was around was that the GP7s were referred to as "Little 'uns" and the GP38's were referred to as "Big 'uns". Thus when asked what was in their MU consist*, and they had both 600 GP7's and 600 GP38s, they would answer something like "I've got two 'Big 'uns an' two Little 'uns'". (i.e. A pair of 38's and a pair of GP7's.) Other engines were referred to by class, such as the 8oo's (U-boats), 700's (GP35s), etc. FWIW, all U-boats, regardless of their official designation/etc, were "800's". Same for the GP35's (700's) and such. Only the engines within the 600's were referred to as "Big 'uns and Little 'uns". * FWIW: I never heard the term "lash up" as a reference to an MU consist on any railroad I've worked for or been around. It was typically "MU consist" or "engine consist" or simply "consist". Further, locomotives could also be referred to as "engines", or "motors", etc. Railroading jargon is seldom what is heard among railroad enthusiasts and/or model railroaders. Andre
I know that Rich Melvin over at OGR loathes the term lash-up IIRC, the practice of referring to locomotives by class number antedates the introduction of diesels. I think Don Wirth can probably speak to this, but all that I have read use terms like the 4500s, the 1500s, etc., for steam.
I don't like the term "lashup" either. Another one that lights my fire is T-54 instead of 1500-1529. For a short time back when they were built they had T-54 on the cab side under the FRISCO. Some budding genius saw a builder's photo and everywhere he saw a 1522 shot, he would comment about T-54 #1522. You just can't fix everything.
True that! I seldom try anymore. I got tired of enthusiasts correcting me in regards to railroad terms that were commonly used when I was railroading. Plus, the model railroading and prototype railroading press didn't/doesn't help. Both the model and railfan media actually use (thus endorse) terms that are not commonly used on the railroads. Quick example: I've never, ever, heard any railroader refer to a switch as a "turnout". (Commonly heard such as "Line the 4 Rail switch into 4 Rail" but never "Line the 4 Rail turnout into 4 Rail".) I was taught by MOW folk that the turnout is the diverging portion of the switch. However, I've been argued with, had track engineering department turnout diagrams thrown at me, etc. The ONLY time I heard the term "turnout" was in reference to the turnout portion of a switch that had a defect that was noted and thus a speed restriction, OR if the switch had a standing speed through the turnout portion of the switch in an otherwise higher track speed territory. (i.e. "Maximum 20 MPH through turnout" in 50 MPH territory.) So, I too, learned firsthand you simply can't fix it. Andre
Now we have to get you set up with some flag stanchions and green flags for the first 3 sections. ; ^)
