What's your favourite modern freight Workshorse?

[GNERman]

What is your favourite freight workshorse of the modern era. Here are some diesel and electric locos. I've voted for the class 37.
Oh and I bet you don't know whether the first class 47 was withdrawn bfore the first class 50 or after...

 

[Proud Salopian]

I do love the 37, but I wouldn't call it "modern"...

I've voted for the 66! I can hear the gasps and noises of disapproval, but I've slowly grown more fond of the sheds. Can't wait for the first preserved one... :roll:

 

[90019]

I would go for 37, but at 50 years old, i wouldnt really say they're modern.

So, i've gone for 67, because i've always liked them

 

[Phoenix]

Probably the class 86 as the class are pretty damn old but don't really complain much about it.

 

[GNERman]

I've only put the 37 because it was a main engine and they are still in use today,

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

67

 

[Mr Alex]

Class 60 for me

 

[P156KWJ]

59s and 66s (well, not from a crank's point of view - from a hauliers' view. I hate it when people just say ''they're crap'' and the like. If they were that crap we wouldn't have over 450 of them in the UK combined for Mendip Rail, Yeoman, Hanson, DB Schenker, Freightliner, GBRf, DRS and Fastline. Why do you think they keep ordering more? Well done to General Motors for producing the most poerful locos in the UK, 3300bhp of quality).

 

[GNERman]

That's a fair enough point but my problem with them is the amount of locomotives they ahve replaced and they don't look British due to their basic shape. Apart from that there's nothing wrong with them.

 

[P156KWJ]

That's a fair enough point but my problem with them is the amount of locomotives they ahve replaced and they don't look British due to their basic shape. Apart from that there's nothing wrong with them.

Don't take this the wrong way but so what? They look fine to me, and to be honest, railfreight is ever increasing with new intermodal and coal contracts recently being won by DB Schenker and Fastline respective, it's really taking off and the older locomotives simply don't meet the haulier's or the customer's standards and the modern variants are so much more powerful and reliable

 

[GNERman]

Fair enough but as a proper enthusiast and lover of older train this is just my personal opinion. But why buy new if you have got perfectly good class 56, 58 and 60 in store which do the job just as well?

 

[Chilled Phill]

Class 92 for me.

 

[EE Type 3]

Fair enough but as a proper enthusiast and lover of older train this is just my personal opinion. But why buy new if you have got perfectly good class 56, 58 and 60 in store which do the job just as well?

Because they cost the earth to maintain, and are non standard. The only reason the 60s are still going is because they pack one hell of a punch and can out pull the sheds.

Why oh why is the 67 up there? Hardly a freight workhorse now is it? :roll:

 

[Turbostar]

Gotta be the 60 for me, sheer power!

 

[curly42]

Class 56 - oh yes indeed,wonderful machines to work with,although I still think that modern should include a real touch of class -

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

I voted for the 37 because it was my favourite one on the list - although I would'nt describe it as a modern freight locomotive as it was introduced almost 50 years ago - it is stil used in 'modern' times so I can see where your coming from. Direct Rails Services, West Coast Railway Company and EWS still operate with them - all be it ableitly.

Quite suprised to see so many votes for the 60 though!

 

[westcoaster]

Gone for the donought personally, a real freight loco although the 66's are not far behind, i know they get a real slating but i think there a good all round loco.

 

[P156KWJ]

Fair enough but as a proper enthusiast and lover of older train this is just my personal opinion. But why buy new if you have got perfectly good class 56, 58 and 60 in store which do the job just as well?

58s?! Have you seen class 58s recently? All the ones at Toton have on average about 3 trees growing out of the engine room Now which looks better and and which would be easier and cheaper to run from a haulier's point of view:

http://www.jefflubchanskycpa.com/uk-58022crewe-no10-7d206.jpg
class 58

http://www.raycam.co.uk/59201bel.jpg
class 59/2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/images/2007/12/20/drs_class_66_470x287.jpg
DRS class 66

 

[GB]

59s and 66s (well, not from a crank's point of view - from a hauliers' view. I hate it when people just say ''they're crap'' and the like. If they were that crap we wouldn't have over 450 of them in the UK combined for Mendip Rail, Yeoman, Hanson, DB Schenker, Freightliner, GBRf, DRS and Fastline. Why do you think they keep ordering more? Well done to General Motors for producing the most poerful locos in the UK, 3300bhp of quality).

Im with you mate on the 66's. Not good for enthusiasts, but one hell of a loco that can haul pretty much anything anywhere with probably the lowest diesel loco failure rate on the network.

 

[D306]

honestly, forgotten DRS and their 20s seeing as they run a nuclear flask each day from the south to Sellafield :roll:

from the list though, it'd have to be the 56, 60, 86 and 90.

 

[mbonwick]

I went for the 60.

You've got to remember, FOCs prefer to standardise on only a few types of loco, as it helps them with maintainence and training. EWS went with the 60/60 mainly, with a few 67s and the odd 90/92

The Grids would have been fine to standardise on, if they'd been more reliable and cheaper to maintain. With the 66s they pretty much arrived at Newport "ready to run"
The 58s were perhaps a bit too small in number to have a future. There were 50 of them, and EWS required 250 66s. Easier to maintain 1 type rather than 2.

Personally, I think DRS' locos are a very mixed bag; they have 20/37/47/55/57/66. IMHO, they'd be better with 37/57/66

 

[EE Type 3]

The 58s were perhaps a bit too small in number to have a future. There were 50 of them, and EWS required 250 66s. Easier to maintain 1 type rather than 2.

Also take into account that the GEC electrical equipment was extremely unreliable, most drivers would be hoping and praying that a 58 would last out a days work. They were alot like the 56s, abeit on a smaller scale. Powerful, but heavy, maintainence hungry, non-standard and tempermental.

 

[mbonwick]

Well there you go. Another reason not to keep them.


Personally, I'd say that 66s are a good thing; they show that companies evidently see a future in rail operations and are prepared to invest in it.

 

[Coronation 229.]

It has got to be the class 92 for me, they look and sound good.

 

[westcoaster]

It has got to be the class 92 for me, they look and sound good.

sorry could not quiet here you over the dyson going by.

 

[wensley]

It has to be the class 47. This is coming from a photographers point of view but which class can beat the picture below?

The 37s are nice locomotives but class 47s are slightly more common and I feel they sound better with a heavy load or on the grade. The noise from a 37 is probably because it's just about dead

Unfortunately the best class 47 sight was not caught on my camera which was 47703 acting flamethrower when being started after 3 months in store! That's what happens when you're trying to do 3 things at once .

Below is my second favourite class 47 pic in my own collection and you must agree that it is pretty spectacular.

 

[37402]

Also take into account that the GEC electrical equipment was extremely unreliable, most drivers would be hoping and praying that a 58 would last out a days work. They were alot like the 56s, abeit on a smaller scale. Powerful, but heavy, maintainence hungry, non-standard and tempermental.

GEC equipment, would that be any of the following?:
Brush Traction Motors
Brush Main Alternator
Brush Aux Alternator

Obviously a major component then...seems pretty Brush orientated to me...same with the 56s.

 

[Techniquest]

Out of the choices, I'm going for the 60 as it asked for modern traction. Lovely noise off them and they can pull a helluva lot more than any 66.

On a pure noise and enjoyment factor, the 37 wins. Absolutely monsterous on freight from an enthusiast POV. Never seen many 37s on freights due to when I got into rail, but the few I've seen I liked.

Miles: 66s, quality? There's an awful lot of drivers who'll disagree with you there!

 

[GWRtom]

47

 

[60081 50B]

Class 59 precursor to the ubiquitous class 66 which have revolutionised the reliability of the UK's rail-freight industry.