Model Railroading 101 Diesel Locomotives For Beginners Pt 1

#trains #diesel #ModelRailroading101 #MR101

Welcome back to class! In this episode of MR101 we take a look at early diesel locomotives. We discuss some information about how they work, and there is also a fairly detailed look at several types of locomotives - even hydraulics and turbines.

Another great primer for beginners, and a great reminder for someone with a little more experience. You might learn something new that you didn't already know!

Production note: it was brought to my attention that the segment in this program on F units contains inaccurate information. Our presenter plagiarized, verbatim, incorrect information that was published to Wikipedia in his script when this program was released; so it would behoove you to check with more accurate sources if you need precise information. I apologize for any inconvenience. I have chosen to leave the program on line because it is still effective at providing enough general information to pique someone's interest, and should still be effective at encouraging others to learn more.

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[book]

Gas turbine is like a jet engine. The turbine turns a shaft, jet uses thrust for power. Great series. Keep up the good work.

[ATSFVentaSpurNscaler]

This is a great primer for early diesel prime movers. Keep up the great work, guys! I look forward to your next 2 enlightening episodes on diesels. -from Tom Pilling

[BryanTorok]

Another huge difference between steam and diesel: To start a large steam locomotive from cold takes in the area of 8 or more hours to raise steam. Plus there are hours of checks and maintenance (usually split up among 2 or 3 men) that goes on concurrently to the firing. A diesel needs a lot fewer checks and maintenance. It is much more like starting a car. From cold, a diesel can be ready to go in 15 to 30 minutes.

Consider if a train has an 8 to 12 hours layover. On steam locomotive, either you have someone mind it and spend the fuel to keep it hot, or you have to do the hours long start up to build steam. One could start out with less than full pressure and build pressure while rolling, but that might not work well with a heavy load or climbing a hill. With a few minutes of warm up, the diesel is ready to make full power.

All of the above is why you often see steam locomotives being moved for short trip by being pushed or pulled by a diesel. It is impractical to spend 8 hours building steam for a one-hour trip or just to move the locomotive around the yard.

[Randolini]

I was attached to a diesel submarine in the late 60s with 4 Fairbanks-Morse 12 cylinder opposed piston engines. The old WW2 boats had GMC 10 cylinder engines. The piston-rod assembly weighed 273 lb.

[outbackwack]

The depth of knowledge here is truly impressive! I'm in the planning stages for Pennsylvania to Massachusetts right now and this will help a lot. Thanks!

[Slowmodem]

I am just starting with model railroading and I think these videos are superb! Thanks for posting. :)

[davidmcaninch]

For our model railroad, my brother and I came up with a strategy that we’d run 4 trains: a passenger train pulled by a diesel, a freight train pulled by a steamer, a passenger train pulled by a steamer, and a freight train pulled by a diesel. So far, we got 2 out of 4: a passenger train pulled by a diesel, represented by the Silver Streak Zephyr, and a freight train pulled by a steamer, represented by the Union Pacific Big Boy!!!

[Joe-tdpq]

Theres nothing more difficult than taking a subject in which you know a lot of information about and simplifying it down to 101. Well done.

[tp]

You said you weren't going to show examples of every diesel.. but you came close (I think).. impressive.

[Dormitator]

Answer: They copied each other.
Alco seems to have invented the hood unit yard switcher in about 1930 with it's HH (High Hood) series. EMD (orignally called EMC) started building their more successful SW's from about 1935.
EMD may have originated the cab unit, car body (E unit, then F unit "covered wagon") type in about 1937 - 1939. Alco and others quickly copied the concept from about 1939 - 1940.
Alco may have been the progenitor of the hood unit road switcher (basically a yard switcher with a washroom / storage closet extension under the "short hood") with their RS1 in about 1940, but there is some disagreement over this. EMD didn't start selling their (highly successful) GP's until about 1948, after Fairbanks Morse and Baldwin introduced their equivalent road switcher types.
During the 1950's, any successful new development by one manufacturer (eg. cut down short hood) was quickly copied by the others.

[harpinmike]

I love this but it would be nice to hear some dates. So we beginning modelers can be more exact in our layouts. Thanks!

[stevenswett]

Very Well Done. Thanks for all your prep time and research.

[beeble]

13:25 Huh, neat. I never knew there were dual-mode locomotives in the US. Turns out the first FL9s were even triple-mode: they had pantographs for overhead wires, too. Some of the locomotives were still in use into the 21st century.

[citrusaviationhd]

Well done! Liked!
Fun Fact, END created the idea of the GP be side their new chief engineer wanted to make locomotives that where made for functionality only and not for beauty like the F Units where.

[SOU]

If I remember correctly with the FT model, "F" stood for Freight, and "T" stood for the 1350 horsepower of the unit. Also from what I understand F units, and I guess E units as well, are not legal for use as the controlling locomotive when doing switching operations. I think F7/F9 series units had slightly different main electrical system set-ups than those of the GP7/GP9 models too, but it's been awhile since I've read a GP7 or GP9 operators manual from cover to cover.

[billfusionenterprise]

shoud do a video for just the switchers, boxcabs and critter types

[willausterman]

I love steam but Lima 750's, EMD BL2's, and ALCO RSD-15's are some of my favorite freight locomotives. Diesels can be really neat, especially passenger units.

[swayteca]

Nice assortment of locos, love the series great information.

[JoeG-firehousewhiskey]

Awesome information thanks for putting this series together.

[andrewherrera]

Impressive and informative vid on HO passenger cars. Into HO passenger cars myself and a member of the railroad club in Pleasanton, CA. Have the complete original CZ set.