Hi all, For those who are interested in this engine - designed and built by GM-EMD - here is a site with info. And this site has plenty of pictures. How long this beast is can be seen from this picture
© Copyright 2007 Sven Schwabe It will be interesting to see how well the Aristo model sells, there are certainly enough different paint schemes for the different owner companies.
That locomotive is far too sensible looking to be popular here in America. A cab on both ends? Preposterous! 
Still, that sentiment is 'way too close to the truth, ain’t it? A proper locomotive has almost no visibility.
madwolf
That’s a pretty nice looking diesel!
Steve Featherkile said:Essentially an SD-40 built to British loading gauge, IIRC. Europeans went cab-at-both-ends because they tend to use single-unit motive power, where American RRs would MU a bunch of units together (A-A, etc) and get two cabs that way. More space in America (and heavier trains).
That locomotive is far too sensible looking to be popular here in America. A cab on both ends? Preposterous! :D Still, that sentiment is 'way too close to the truth, ain't it? A proper locomotive has almost no visibility. madwolf
I can truly claim to have seen the first commercial run of the Class 66 .
A British company called Yeoman ordered the locos from the manufacturers to an exacting spec for hauling roadstone from their quarries in the West Country , and the publicity given to the first run made sure that when it went past my lab , we were there waiting .
It is a bit deceptive , it’s a big loco , but because of the ancient Brit loading gauge , it is nowhere near as tall as American engines normally are .
Its first runs were–and still are – along Brunel’s old metals ,the GWR line from the west to London .
Everyone else was so impressed with the performance that they all wanted one . I suppose it first ran back in about '85 . Nice loco .
Mike
For those who would like some additional information from the designer/producer of these engines check out the official write up on the GM/EMD siteThe page starts
gmemd said:
Ever since its successful introduction in the UK in 1998, the Series 66 locomotive has been winning praise and improving railway efficiency thanks to its high reliability and availability.
Hans-Joerg Mueller... said:OK, HJ: It was the very similar Class 59 that first ran in 1986, as described by Mike; the Cl. 66 is an updated version. Either way, someone (I forget who) commented long ago that BR could have saved themselves a lot of grief and expense with the Modernization Program if they'd simply bought or licensed GM/EMD 50 years ago.
its successful introduction in the UK in 1998, the Series 66 locomotive... But what's ten years either way, when you get to a certain age. ;) :)
Chris Vernell said:Chris,Hans-Joerg Mueller... said:OK, HJ: It was the very similar Class 59 that first ran in 1986, as described by Mike; the Cl. 66 is an updated version. Either way, someone (I forget who) commented long ago that BR could have saved themselves a lot of grief and expense with the Modernization Program if they'd simply bought or licensed GM/EMD 50 years ago.
its successful introduction in the UK in 1998, the Series 66 locomotive... But what's ten years either way, when you get to a certain age. ;) :)
The Class 59 is a bit different http://www.semg.org.uk/diesel/class59_1.html
The Class66 from Aristo looks like a very nice model.
I’m always surprised how accurately we designate time periods for NA diesels, but twelve years of difference between the Class59(1986) and Class66(1998) are just a minor detail.
So you didn’t know about the 59/66 being part of a development programme then ? Shame on you . Same engine tarted up .
The originals were always known as "Yeoman Diesels " . Spent half their time doing demo runs for other customers . And to post a photo showing how long the loco is with no measuring stick on it is as daft as doing a layout drawing copied from Schweers and Wall and not dimensioning it .
I know how long it is , it’s about 30 years so far .
Mike
For those interested:
I checked out the Class59 and the Class66 many months ago when I first heard that Aristo was planning the engine. Goes with the territory, if it’s for the European market and the proto runs right to the Swiss border, then it’s of interest.
BTW there have been same snarky remarks in a Swiss mag of the Diesels running under catenary. Well you know those Swiss, if you have overhead wires and run Diesels … yep, it’s head shaking time.
Coincidence has it that the calendar leaf for February in my office shows two Class66 (ERS) running under cat on the double tracked main along the Rhine at St.Goarshausen. Pulling a container unit train.
Interesting wrinkle: two white markers mounted above the lower headlights. Reminds me of the white marker flags used for “Extras” in NA.
Reading the pages from EMD, the locomotive appears to be an upgraded class 59 to meet new emissions standards…much as the US locomotives had to be upgraded to meet the new standards. ie SD70M vs SD70M-2.
Warren Mumpower said:Warren,
Reading the pages from EMD, the locomotive appears to be an upgraded class 59 to meet new emissions standards...much as the US locomotives had to be upgraded to meet the new standards. ie SD70M vs SD70M-2.
The one that meets the emission standards is an upgraded Class66 (the additional “M” in that cryptic type designation stands for modified).
Chris Vernell said:Actually, Chris, it wasn't more space and longer trains that caused US railroads to MU several dismal locomotives together, it was the sure and certain knowledge, based on experience with earlier dismals, that one or more of the units would break, and the road foreman wanted to make sure that there was at least one power unit that limp the train to the end of the run.Steve Featherkile said:Essentially an SD-40 built to British loading gauge, IIRC. Europeans went cab-at-both-ends because they tend to use single-unit motive power, where American RRs would MU a bunch of units together (A-A, etc) and get two cabs that way. More space in America (and heavier trains).
That locomotive is far too sensible looking to be popular here in America. A cab on both ends? Preposterous! :D Still, that sentiment is 'way too close to the truth, ain't it? A proper locomotive has almost no visibility. madwolf
At least, that is what my uncle told me. He retired as a steam engineer when the dismals were becoming popular and he ought to know.
madwolf
Just to set the record straight for all of you out there with stars in your eyes - two members of my 7.25" gauge society are engineers on the Class 66.
Apart from the lower car body and double ended format, they are about as American/Canadian as it is possible to be. EXCEPT for one very important feature.
They are left-hand drive.
This means that the cab interior has many features that are not mirror-imaged, but rotated so they face the other way - this is VERY awkward ergonomically, as you can imagine.
The profiled doors, to make them fit into the noticably-curved roof profile, are killers. They have simple stamped edges, and WILL open your forehead from one side to the other if you are not careful. Dave Smith has such a scar - called the 66-kiss.
The cabs are extremely cold in winter, and yes, we DO get winter here. Add to that the wind-chill factor of up to -20C at 55mph, the fumes from the poorly-insulated engine compartment, the rough ride because they weigh about 60 tonnes less than they should, and you have many reasons for going on strike for improvements to happen.
Basically, the mechanical parts are ok, but the rest of it is a POS.
Oh, and as Mike points out, they more than pretty big by UK standards, they are big by ANY standards - in fact, they are nigh on a foot and a half longer than a Dash 9.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Terry A de C Foley said:Now you'd think a Canadian could do better than that :(
... they are about as American/Canadian as it is possible to be ... The cabs are extremely cold in winter ...
As to the backhanded controls, does that also apply to the European (right-hand running) versions? Slipshod engineering (beancounting?), in any case.
I have my own memory of broken-down diesels, on the school train at the beginning of term (a dismal enough occasion in itself), when the brand-new Hymek diseasel-hydrophobic broke down after sunset in the wilds of Wiltshire, and we sat for an hour or two cooling off until they could bring a silly old Castle from Swindon to rescue the bright new promise of the future. As I recall, on other trains, the Hymeks could barely make it up the Stroud bank on trains the Castles had handled without trouble, even in the low-maintenance, dirty days toward the end of steam. The Hymeks didn’t last long on those trains; I forget whether they were replaced with Warships or Westerns; something that had a bit more oomph, anyway, when it was working.