@cwsheard
As a kid of 8 years old, my grandmother lived on the mainline of the Boston & Albany (NEW YORK CENTRAL). Every time I heard and felt that low rumble under my feet in Framingham, Massachusetts I knew a train was coming. I would climb a tree in her back yard and get about 10 feet up and then watch as a thundering lashup of F7''s, E7's, E-8's or Alco FA units went blasting by her back yard. I loved it; I could feel the power and those "covered wagon" F units just fascinated me. You could physically feel the power through the ground and hear it when your ears rang with the awesome thunder when 3, 4, or 5 units went by in an ear-splitting cloud of power. My best memories, ever. I'll never forget growing up and experiencing that sheer sound of horsepower and strength. I became a fan of F units 67 years ago and I still am. Today's locomotives don't have the same sound level or power of the exhaust that those units did. I miss climbing that tree and feeling that immense power... forever, a part of my childhood continuing on to this day.
@williammetcalf7239
F units are by far finest looking diesel locomotives ever made.
@jamesgovett3225
Good to see you included one of our Australian built (under licence) GM Bulldogs by Clyde Engineering in NSW from 1951 and aptly named “GM” series, the unit pictured looks like it is “GM17” and looks like to be a relatively recent photo as a large amount of these “Bulldogs” are still in service with various railways to this day and as a matter of fact Australia was the last place in the world to build a “Bulldog” streamliner for Australian National the first leaving the Sydney factory in 1970! With modern underpinnings based on a EMD SD-40 model from the USA but with the old “F” type series cab! these very successful locomotives are still in mainline service to this day in many states of Australia with several operators! Probably the last place in the world where you will see this mostly in the eastern states on a regular basis and are known as the CLP (originally for passenger) and CLF for freight But the first GM’s from 1951 were originally a six axle in A1A for the first ten or so then all six powered axle CoCo for Australia’s then Commonwealth Railways back in the early 1950’s, The Federal government owned railway, then most states of Australia bought Aussie built GM locomotives with the state of Victoria operating a near fully owned General Motors fleet with a large variety of Australian built GM locomotives bar a very small amount of diesel yard shunters from a couple of other manufacturers, Victoria also ordered the first “Double ended” “F” type cab at both ends from Clyde engineering in Sydney in the early 1950’s to replace steam in mainline passenger service and was the first to operate the six powered axle or CoCo in a streamliner in the world as the US versions were BoBo, also our Bulldogs were lower and longer than the US versions mostly due to loading gauge and height restrictions, Australia especially Victoria state operated and still operates a large amount of these fantastic looking locos from long ago albeit modernised and many modified many times over near 70 years and still going strong!
@petersmith4455
hi from england, the F series locos were brilliant and good looking.glad some are preserved. ! wish we had some overhere
@kenschwentker4446
Once, while traveling with my Mom, Dad and Sister in the mid western US, circa 1959 - 60, we stopped at a motel for the night. There was a Santa Fe brochure in the lobby which featured the classic "War Bonnet" livery on an F unit. I had loved the "Casey Jones" TV show starring Alan Hale, and the steam locomotive he operated, but didn't know much if anything about Diesels. That picture really impressed me! I have appreciated the "cab units" ever since then. I get that they were not very efficient for switching duties, but for long haul forward operation, they sure gave the railroads a lot of class!
@demartin5366
What a wonderful presentation of the F unit series! It is very informative with excellent explanations of the differences in F units. I learned a lot from this video and have been a rail fan for a long time. Thank you for posting this. Well done!
@PeterHonig.
The F-series have been my all-time favorite locomotives. I remember as a young child how I was both fascinated and frightened of it, as its appearance was a bit like a roaring creature with windows resembling eyes and the large headlight resembling a nose.
@patrickvillers6454
I miss passenger rail service in northeastern Wisconsin as a boy I have fond memories of those Chicago & Northwestern green and yellow F-7s with the double decker cars in the distance with the mars light going back and forth like a mighty cyclops and then that loud horn as it neared the crossing gates then pulling into the station like a mighty leviathan it was awesome.
@tim3172
0:40 "... no refueling stops..." How, exactly, do you think diesel engines work?
@cmbart1
One thing not mentioned was how GM sought out and received a contract to produce diesel engines for US submarines, GM knew that a reliable diesel small enough to fit in a sub would also fit in a locomotive. Their R&D into reliable diesels for the war effort helped their market share after the war.
@ghtrains1985
Alco created the road switcher. GM started building a version after alco started it. Alco also created things like the walking board on the side of the locomotive for the crew that is still used today. Thankyou Alco
@crsrdash-840b5
This is a bad video as it can't get is images straight. It says American steam, but shows British class. It says FT by shows E units and F7/9 units. Then they insult us by showing Alco PA units and says its EMD...WTF!?!
@jamesstuart3346
Awesome. Veteran riders of Ontario's GO Transit will fondly remember the F7's and FP7's they used as cab cars ❤
@natehill8069
Actually, an "A-A" pair was quasi-permanently linked and considered a single locomotive, that way railroads didnt have to have an engineer and a fireman and another engineer and another fireman in the other cab (doing absolutely nothing, since both were controlled from the front cab) per union rules.
@Narrowgaugefilms
Then again there is the most exotic F-unit variant of all: Victorian Railways B class -It is Australian (built there under license) -It has a cab at both ends -It has 3 axle trucks to lighten the axle loading -It is 5'6" broad gauge as opposed to standard gauge
@adamtereska8734
The F units are my favorite, and best looking engines ever made. I love the one used in the movie Silverstreak. I heard the lead unit is still in Ontario under a different livery, but the second unit was scrapped in 1984. It would be great to see it restored, being in a movie.
@76629online
I think it should be made clear that "diesel" did not kill Steam. As far as I know, there has never been a diesel locomotive designed and built that could out pull the state of the art steam locomotives of the day. The only reason that diesels eventually prevailed was because they were much simpler to operate and could be turned around much quicker.
@cyniqueetsérieux
Dieselization came later in Canada than in the USA. So I never saw these shape of diesel electric engines on freight but I saw them on passenger into the 1980s and commuter into 2000. Steam loco are in my memory when I was less than six years old. Fortunately I was treated to mainline steam in 1986 China.
@MrGGPRI
The Demo FT-103 did have the usual proto problems but with on-board mechanics and techs, problems were resolved on-line during operation and before breakdowns; still an amazing feat and without digital computers.
@speedbirdoneone