I liked the F40 alot too. Not at first but they kind of grew on me over the years. I'm glad that one is being preserved here in North Carolina.
Just yesterday I noticed the Kato is selling model Amtrak F40's in N scale. I think I'll get one just because.
As for locomotive style.....I much preferred the FP7 but then that's a generatonal thing!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I've never really understood the appeal of the F40, myself. I realize they were reliable workhorses, but they're boxy looking, more like a freight locomotive than a passenger locomotive. They just look slow. I think the Genesis series, expecially in Phase V paint, puts a more appealing face on a modern passenger train. Just my opinion, which ain't worth much outside of my own mind.
There is something rather endearing about those boxy looking F40's and I always like it when one is pulling or pushing my Metra train into Chicago or back. They were incredibly reliable over the years and I don't remember failures occuring as often as the Genesis engines are failing lately.
There's just something about their powerful whine that lets you know it's "impatient to get out of Dodge!"
I know many an Amtrak engineer who misses the old F40's...they seemed to grab and get to speed faster than the GE's.
Posts: 171 | From: Aurora, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2005
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Got that rite! F40s realy do get up to speed ALOT faster than F59PHI or the Genesis, The Genesis is built by G.E. so you know from the start its a High Maintnance Locomotive, and the F59PHI has a Computer Controled Fuel injection that can cause it's acceleration to drop, but the F40 can Speed up Without troubble, I got off the Surfliner in Fullerton and herd a Hum I hadnt heard since The San Diegan was in Service, so I turned aroun and seen Metrolink 800 (SCAX 800) , Metrolink's only F40, an X-Amtrak Locomotive, it was nice to see an F40 again, I was only able to get 1 picture, to show just how Fast the F40 is, I took a front Shot and tried to switch my Camera to Video mode when the Train took off, it got up to speed so fast I couldnt Focus in Video Mode in time, so I tried 2 swtich back to Portrait and could only get a Shot of the Rear, thats pretty Fast!
The Picture I took, I made it into a Desktop Icon that you can Download from My Web Site Here
quote:Originally posted by jgart56: I know many an Amtrak engineer who misses the old F40's...they seemed to grab and get to speed faster than the GE's.
That's the part I liked about the F40. Yeah, they looked boxy....like a freight locomotive....but they did perform like a passenger locomotive! Particularly when accelerating out of a rural station stop.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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