Is there a website showing pictures of diesels along with their classifications? Just trying to learn.
This might be of help: http://yardlimit.railfan.net/guide/index.html Or maybe this: http://www.michaeltaylor.ca/US/us-diesel.shtml One more: http://www.thedieselshop.us/ AND some personal faves: http://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/friscoline/dieselrace.cfm Tom
If trainchaser is asking what I think he is, those web sites don't offer a complete description (to me). But over the few years I have been doing this I have figured out how to tell the difference between most of the EMD and GE models. Since Frisco didn't have any Century series Alco's I don't know anything on them. I'll start with EMD GP series. A unit with a dynamic brake with have one large fan in the middle with flared radiators on the sides of it. And a basic rule of thumb for both GP and SD units: if it didn't have a turbo it had two small smoke stacks, if it did it had one big one. All GP series locomotives were 4 axle units. GP7 or 9: from factory had a high hood on all units, two small radiator fans on the back, and two small fans behind the cab. some units had dynamic brake. GP15: All were short hood and rebuilt from GP7's or GP9's. They had the "tunnel motor" type radiator screen on the back (similar to what all the GE's had). Some units had DB's (DB is dynamic brake). GP18 and GP20: These two are very similar. One large fan in the back, one large fan behind the cab. Some had DB's GP30: This one is easy. The back radiator fans went large small large, and then one you get to the middle, it built up the "elephant ears". Again some had DB's. GP35: Same as GP30, but no elephant ears GP38, GP38AC, early GP38-2: two big radiator fans spaced apart, non turbo, some had DB's Rest of GP38-2's: two big radiator fans, right next to each other, non turbo, some had DB's GP39 and GP39-2: Two big radiator fans, had a turbo, I think all units had DB's GP40, GP40-2: three big fans, turbo, some had DB's GP50: Same as GP40. only difference is larger radiator grilles at the back GP60: Same as GP50 GP60B: Same as GP60, but no cab GP60M: GP60 with the wide cab. That's it for the GP series. I'll make the rest separate posts. Ethan
EMD SD series: All units were 6 axle. And dynamic brakes are two fans instead of one. There is such a long list of models so I'm just adding the ones that the Frisco owned SD38-2: Same as GP38-2, but with the SD type DB's, two of them had them, two didn't SD40-2: Same as GP40-2 SD45: Three radiator fans and DB's. The grilles for the radiators were flared out all the way past the dynamic brakes. Ethan
