The Holy Trinity: Three Greatest Diesel Locomotives 

I'm a retired locomotive engineer. I hired in 1978 on Conrail. The best overall locomotives were the SD40-2. You lashed four together, they will do anything asked of them. I hauled plenty of ore trains, coal trains, limestone trains, and mineral trains into Bethlehem Steel. The GE' s were for the most part junk. Never held the rail well. The newer generations of GE's were an improvement. The reason you see more of them is they are cheaper than the EMD's. Why get eight Cadillacs when you can get ten Volkswagens? There were a good quanity of Alcos when I came around but they disappeared quickly. In 1999 The NS took over. Almost overnight all the decent Conrail power was rushed down south, and their scrap engines were sent up here. Long nose lead, high cab, 40's and dash 2's beat to an inch of their usefulness. No toilets, water coolers, rotten floors. You signed out a "poop" bag at the beginning of your tour, and you lined a 5 gallon paint bucket with it, if nature called. Then you were to turn it back in at the end of your run. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation stopped that quickly. Stoneage railroading at its finest. At one time railroading was a fulfilling, financially rewarding job, a person would be proud of. No more. The NS's emphasis now toward their employees is discipline. They would rather fire you than show you where you made your mistakes and educate you. I'm glad I'm on pension. 34 1/2 years was enough.

The narrator said the GP9 was equipped with a 645 engine. It was actually a 567C.

SD40-2 is the best locomotive ever. 50 years on the mainlines and still out there doing it and doing it well.

Man the SD40s always look so badass, I love them.

11:00 Gotta love that legendary 645 humming sound!

I used to ride the Southern Pacific commuter from Palo Alto to San Francisco, and remember in the 70's up to the mid 80s being dragged behing a grimy GP-9, in a train of one 1920's passenger car, and three 1950s double deckers. It was a pleasant, if fragrant way to travel.

Dude I'm down with that intro music, I...... STAND ALONE!

SD40-2 is the best all around diesel locomotive ever. BN/BNSF 1978-2010.

The SD40-2 is the king of the EMD diesels, and they are synonymous with the iconic turbo charged roar, and the reliability is nothing short of incredible

The ALCO RS-1 laid down the foundation for road switchers, and lit the fire under EMD, which resulted in the GP7 existence. But no SW1200 or SW1500? They may be switchers. But I see those all the time shuttling autotracks about.

2017: The SD40-2 will never die 2020: Hold my razor blades, NS....

I love Alco because their large cylinders chugging and smoke! The more smoke the more pleasure.

We have a Gp9 in regular service in Tunisia!

Awesome video. Love the music.

On the SP Siskiyou Branch and Over Donner Pass. We had SD 9's the 6 axle engines then the SD 40's , For Donner pass the SD 45T-2 the tunnel motors. There are still a lot of SD9's working out west. The tunnel motors with the lower air inlet to the radiators to help them stay cool in the tunnels and snow sheds on Donner. My favorites are the SD 9's, SD 40-2's and SD tunnel motors. The GE D9's and SD 75I.

The only scheme I like is the BN green w/ black, it just suits the loc really well for some reason

In terms of hood units, I’d argue that the 5 most influential locomotives in order are 1. RS-1: Created the road switcher 2. GP/SD7/9: Defined the road switcher & turned it into a road capable unit 3.U25B: Created the modern Hood Unit Body Plan, first successful (sorry Fairbanks Morse) hood unit to move away from being a road switcher to being a true road-oriented unit with comparable power to the most powerful diesels 4.SD40-2: Modular electronics, computerization, added so many advancements to locomotives of all kinds, that I don’t think I need to point it out 5.M-420: Created the modern wide comfort cab that massively improved crew safety & comfort which in spite of external changes has in terms of layout & construction remained generally the same since it’s inception by MLW

GP9s that were rebuilt for the Chicago Central in Paducah, KY were called GP10s

Um, you know that the GP7/9 used the 567C, not the 645, yes?

How people can be so enthralled with trains amazes me.

Trains and Godsmack, what a combo!!

Nothing beats the chug of a ALCO RS3 in the middle of the night.

The original road switcher was the Alco RS-1 built in in 1942, followed by the RS-2 and Rs-3 and all 2000 were built before 1954.

GP-9s used a 567C engine, not a 645 unless upgraded.

I'd like to add the DDA40X Centennial because what EMD learned from it they used on their sd40-2

EMD SD40-2 and F40PH are my favorite locomotives.

The best part about diesel locos is that you get to see the whole paint scheme and all the bright beautiful colors. Also gotta love the horns and the bells love the k5lr24 and k5la

1830s - Steam Locomotives 1930s - Diesel Locomotives 2030s - Battery Locomotives

I do believe the GP7 came before the GP9

Well, that is a tough one but I’d have to go with the EMD E8 streamliner, the workhorse EMD SD40-2 and jump ship to the Alco C636 heavy hauler of Cartier fame. I still see the SD40-2’s in yard work on the CSX.

I just got train sim world 2 yesterday now i find myself watching train vids who knew.

I see original scheme BN sd40-2s in wyoming pretty frequently. It's such a nice scheme.

Here's my very personal opinion. #1 - The ALCO - GE - Ingersol Rand Boxcabs. This partnership built the first commercially successful diesel - electric locomotives. They were designed in response to new smoke ordinances in many major cities in the 1920's. CNJ #1000 is in the B&O museum in Baltimore. #2 - The EMC FT sets. These are the diesels that killed steam. The decreased locomotive maintenance was a factor but not the biggest. Track maintenance was vastly reduced due to the lack of a steam locomotives pounding of the railhead with each power stroke. The transition didn't happen overnight but the FT started it. Note: The EMC FT, SW, and NW models used GE electrical equipment. After GM purchased EMC, GM copied GE's designs and made their own alternators, traction motors, and control electrical equipment. #3 - The ALCO - GE RS-1. The roadswitcher was born with this model. From the 40's to now, the internal layout of every locomotive (other than switchers, cab units, a few odd balls, and the ridiculous BL-2) is mechanically similar to an RS-1. #4 - AC traction in general. However, I still have a very special place in my heart for B&O/Chessie GP-30's. As a teen, I got to ride in them around Riker Yard in Punxsutawney, PA in the late-70's.

They are all awesome keep it up and have a great day

Spencer, that was freaking sweet dude :D I was gonna say GP7/9, SD40-2 is a no-brainer, and I was going back and forth between the Dash 9 or the GEVO. Awesome video man, great job.

A UP engineer told me he prefers GE over EMD cause they ride better/more comfortable, and always start no matter what. But he did say that they leak like a sieve.

14:22 Actually the FEC Owns a lot of C4s

F7 SD40-2 ES44AC?

very neat

lost protentional to call it "The Holy Trainity"

15:51 UP and CSX.

My guesses: The EMD FT, then, the EMD SD40, then the GE EVO's.

It was the GP7 is the one of the EMD road Switchers that started the EMD road Switchers, not the GP9.

I like the SD 40-2 the most as I love the unique look and sound!

I like them all in this video and keep showing these videos on RU-vid.

GP7, SD40-2, and SD70mac

No E's or F's?

Beautiful equipment

I’m guessing GP7 or 9 (first road switcher) SD40-2 (best locomotive imo) and probably a GEVO of some kind Edit: yup

F7 is what trains are supposed to look like. You need new criteria.

GP-9 Dash 8 SD40-2 But it's a crime not to mention the old Alco RS1/3s.

Their claiming the older EMD products are out lasting the GE products of today's engines even. I was always a EMD fan right up until recently and now I'm a big fan of anything GE with 4400 horse or bigger, their simply outstanding in the get down and dirty grind pulling at low speed. If cat would get rid of that hillbilly they got heading their locomotive division, we might see more from our old beloved EMD products. My 2cents

Great video! I only got the SD40 and GEVO right, I mean, they're everywhere lol. I can't wait to see another video like this!

Thanks for giving someone in the UK, a clue has to which is which. And I am a lover of the (as you say ES units). Lovely looking loco. Hammer heads, as I call them.

GP9's had EMD 567 Medium sized motors...

Nice video :)

Three greatest: 1. BALDWIN Centipede 2. ALCO C855 3. ALCO DL-109 Standardization is boring and sucks. Love the freaks and monsters.

Guessing F7, SD40 series and AC60000.

I miss working on those sd40s we had SD 40 t2s

I love the dinner train. Go blissfield

I think that the ALCO RS-1 was the original road switcher. The GP7 & 9 didn't compete with GE directly - as GE was still partnered with ALCO at this time.

2:01 2 things. 1 ALCo. made the first road switcher the RS-1 and 2 the gp9 had a 567C not a 645.

The GP9 was not the first one that started it all. I'll let you guess what the first one really was.

the locomotives that are nice in my opinion are the sd70mac, dash 9s , sd70ace , gevo es44ac, big boy steam locomtive and the sd40-2 s. and plue awesome video :)

SD70ACe, GEVO, SD40-2

Nice List! I would recommend having a separate compilation for each engine, or have it mostly narrated. Parts if the narration seemed disconnected when it was a sentence or two after 3 minutes of footage. But good video nonetheless.

My guesses are the introduction of the dash 2 series (but mainly the SD40-2), the Dash 8 series and the GP9. All rugged workhorses, EMD always having been my favorites. They are tough SOB's and a dream to work on, both in the shop and on the road. EDIT: Eh, 2 out of 3. I only said the Dash 8 because i feel it gave way for the rest of GE's lineups. The Dash 8 -0CW started the modern computer control systems that became standard for GE.

Haven't watched it yet, so I'll go for GP7, SW7 and SD40-2

I was gonna say the FT, SD40 and GEVO/SD70

Gp9, f7, and sd45

Great Video!!..... The "Infamous" BL2 was actually EMD's "kick-off" road switcher... but taking a cue from Alco's very popular RS1 & 2, EMD developed the very first "geep" that really started the ball rolling for them.... the GP7... Not the GP9. But, a GP-9 (or even an SD) with Series 645 prime movers!??!..... I Don't Think So, my friend. The 645 wasn't even introduced until 1964, on an SD40 test bed, and the first production units with them was in Feb. 1965, being SD45's with the "Super Power" 20 - 645E3 at 3,600 hp. PS: all that dramatic introductory "music" could be done away with, without hurting to many people's feelings. ; ) PS: 4 cycle diesels.... "suck". : )

ALCO HAD THE FIRST ROAD SWICHERS

ngl the SD70 and -9/44 series engines are basically equal atp lol

GP7, SD40-2, AC4400

Among the first specifications you said was that GP9 had 645 engines. Wrong….567 engines.

All you see in Texas is sd70aces and some macs, c45’s, and sd40-2’s. In yards you see geep 15’s or geep 38’s. Not near the variety there was a decade ago when 80’s-90’s power was still pretty dominant.

Not even 60 seconds in and already This is an amazing video 👍🏻

You obviously don't know alot. The GP7 was the first geep. Not the 9. And they had 567Cs not 645Cs. The 3 most popular units were the GP7, GP38-2, and the SD40-2. GEs are popular, but terribly quality and unreliable.

One sd40-2 in original paint that I know is BNSF 1832 I’ve seen it many times

SD40's, no doubt .. the reliability, look, sound .. and still a work horse today.

ES44AC/DC EMD SD70ACe/M-2 and perhaps a older EMD engine?

I remember GP9 locomotives best with the Nathan M3 horn Yes I like the GP9 locomotives also SD9 locomotives

Some "SD40-2" locomotives started life as SD40's or even SD45's that now look like SD40's on the outside and built to Dash 2 standards inside.

Great Program. Start To Finish.

GREAT STUFF!

SD40-2....GP9 .....Alco 4 series and a future classic SD70ace

Dude I guessed 2/3. I said GP40/GP40-2, SD40/SD40-2, and GEVO. I even got the fact that the GP was a geep. I feel like I got 2.5/3 ngl.

Gevo, and the SD70 ACe as well as the SD 40 are my picks.

I'm a bit reluctant to use the term "Trinity" because it is a holy name, but I would say that the trinity should be the F7, Dash 9-44CW, and SD40-2.

SD9 out lasted many locos. like SD40T-2. and SD9043MAC.

Lol you hate SD40-2's the same way I hate GEVOs! There's some things I like about them, but get extremely bored and irritated whenever I see or hear one (unless it's a DPU, then it gets more interesting).

Nice video sir ❤️❤️ I love emd Locomotive specially WDP4

Geep 9 and Geep 38.

I guessed the F unit, SD40-2 and GEVO.

Ima guess f7, sd40, ac4400cw

Video looks like it has a dropped frames, and the shaking footage is a distraction.

Very cool video!

🤘🤘😎😎

How did an SD70ACe not make it up there

My favorite selection of trains is unusual. By far my favorite engine is the FM H-24-66. Trainmasters we’re notoriously unreliable and terrible to maintain. But being one of the highest hp engines of its time not built by the big 3 locomotive manufacturers, and had looks to kill for. It was a beautiful engine. It wasn’t an EL-2B or a GG1, but it was a diesel, and by far my favorite Diesel engine, no matter how terrible the engine genuinely was. If only any Wabash trainmasters were preserved.