Large Scale Central

Want to see something ugly?

Prototypes
#1

I scanned these photos from a train book I have. They were the first Santa Fe passenger diesels. EMD made them in 1941. First time I’ve seen these. Does anyone have a classification number for them? The author didn’t specify. jb

#2

Yow! If I had a dog that looked like that, I’d shave its butt and make it walk backwards.

#3

John,

According to the “Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide” that is ATSF #1 after the rebuild in 1938. Butt ugly is right!

#1 and #1A were built in Sept 1935 (EMD). Originally B-B 1800HP units, after rebuild 1B-B for #1 unit. First diesels to power the Super Chief.

#4

That is ugly enough to make a freight train take a dirt road.

No uglier than any other dismal. :smiley:

#5

Thanks, HJ! With the additional info I found this:

#6
Steve Featherkile said:
That is ugly enough to make a freight train take a dirt road. No uglier than any other dismal. :D
Tut tut. I've always thought (Wife: "You had a thought?") the Es and Fs were handsome beasties, so EMD designers must have learned something after that ATSF horror.
#7

I’d love to have a model of it! I prefer unusual diesels to ones that look exactly the same except for a different radiator bulge, etc.

They are weird looking, like a pug dog… but what the heck…

Regards, Greg

#8

Steve, Dismals don’t have ugly on their own.

Not exactly what I would call fast passenger service.

#9

TonyWalsham said:
Steve, Dismals don’t have ugly on their own. Not exactly what I would call fast passenger service.

Heck, isn’t that the Gotthard Express? (Dons flak jacket in anticipation of Coldstream missile)

#10
Chris Vernell said:
TonyWalsham said:
Steve, Dismals don't have ugly on their own. Not exactly what I would call fast passenger service.
Heck, isn't that the Gotthard Express? (Dons flak jacket in anticipation of Coldstream missile)
Why a flack jacket? I didn't know you were a publicist. Sheesh as if there aren't enough of those already! Who you working for? Harper? :lol: :lol: ;) :lol:
#11
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Who you working for? Harper? :lol: :lol: ;) :lol:
Shhhhhh! You'll blow my cover! We have a secret agenda to impose before The Chief returns.
#12

Chris Vernell said:

TonyWalsham said:
Steve, Dismals don’t have ugly on their own. Not exactly what I would call fast passenger service.

Heck, isn’t that the Gotthard Express? (Dons flak jacket in anticipation of Coldstream missile)

Nope Chris. Just some good old Aussie ingenuity being applied to solve the problem of removing logs from the forest and carrying workers for the lowest possible cost.

#13
Chris Vernell said:
TonyWalsham said:
Heck, isn't that the Gotthard Express?
Nope Chris. Just some good old Aussie ingenuity being applied to solve the problem of removing logs from the forest and carrying workers for the lowest possible cost.
Yes, Tony, I saw the Prototype-OZ in properties, and reckoned it wasn't one of L. Frank Baum's creations. Every so often my evil twin Skippy gets the urge to rib the Rhaetischebahnmeister.

The Thing has definite possibilities. It’s so ugly you gotta love it.

#14

Chris, Prototype-OZ is just part of the filing method I use on my website. Did you notice the actual name of the device? That was what they called her in Tasmania. I guess I should dig out some more of the oddball stuff I have. Like: How is this for a super elevated 2’ gauge RR on the west coast of Tasmania?

It survived until the ‘60s’ as there were no roads into Tullah until then.

#15
TonyWalsham said:
Chris, Like: How is this for a super elevated 2' gauge RR on the west coast of Tasmania?
Wow. Could be the angle of the camera, but that looks like a roller-coaster.
#16
Chris Vernell said:
TonyWalsham said:
Chris, Like: How is this for a super elevated 2' gauge RR on the west coast of Tasmania?
Wow. Could be the angle of the camera, but that looks like a roller-coaster.
Chris,

A Tasmanian devil got the photographer’s posterior just as he relased the shutter. You’d tilt too!

Tony,

OK, so how come the crew on that contraption looks normal? Are you sure that’s in Tas?? :confused: :wink: :slight_smile:

#17

That is not a distorted view of the Tullah tramway trackage. It really did have such a vertical curve and twist.

More info is here. http://www.railtrails.org.au/states/trails.php3?action=trail&trail=71

More 2’ gauge stuff Worldwide. http://members.shaw.ca/twofooter/ww2ftrrA-C.htm

#18

You have heard of a boneshaker. Perhaps this is where the name came from.

Aaaah!!! the joys of Tasmanian motoring in the early 20th Century

#19

I reckon modern day work safety inspectors would have something to say about this Tasmanian mine.

#20

This is kind of cute though.