Class 66 diesel

Do I sense a modicum of gloating, RRoger? ;-)

"Enzo Matrix"

A modicum of gloat? It's a full blown Gloat, with a dash of "I told you so!" thrown in for good measure. :-)

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

In message , Roger T. writes

Tis a sad day (one of many) when the colonials beat us at our own game.

But heh, when the Empire rises again (strikes back?) all will be well with the world again.....

FX: Pulls on the Khakis, the long socks and puts on his Pith helmet....

:-)

"Roger T." wrote

Why is a Canadian gloating over a USA designed product? Alright I know they're built in Canada and are a pretty good product, and I've even got a soft spot for them, but they are sooooooo boooring! ;-)

John.

But they still can't pull the skin off a rice pudding when compared to 60's. The only time I've seen a train stall on the 1/120 by my back door was a 66. The only way to get it going was to summon another driver to come along and start up the one on the back of the train............

And the cab doors are already rusting away on a 66. Crap pre-paint preparation. :-)

Cheers, Mick

Okay, I'm genuinely ignorant here. Was any UK manufacturer even asked to produce a loco with similar operational characterisitcs to the GM?

(kim)

They always remind me of Mr. Bulleid's Leader class locos but they sound at times like an old Hotpoint twin-tub washing machine on the spin cycle.

They must be fast though 'cos the EWS ones round our way seem to be getting fitted with mirrors and when I enquired of a shunter at Edge Hill what the mirrors were for he said they for overtaking!

Tommy

Boooring they may be. However, like almost all North American diesels and most unlike the majority of UK diesels, they work first time, every time.

As for the American product, are most so called "British" cars built by American owned companies?

Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

But Mick, they were never meant to be compared to a 60!!! ;o)

Cheers, John.

Like Daimler-Chrysler?

Most of the "American" cars seen in Britain are imported from Canada.

Brian Mulroney? Sheila Copps? Jean Chrétien? Preston Manning? Stockwell Day? Saskatoon? Medicine Hat? Mississauga? Restigouche? Placentia? Victoria??

Come By Chance?

Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

No, I came on purpose.

'Ere... wot group are we in? ;-)

message

Hi John, I know that, but many others don't. Especially when 66 is a larger number than 60, which (sort of) assumes that a 66 is better than a 60. The sheds were meant as a "go-anywhere" cheapie option that could be obtained reasonably quickly.

If you look way back in the archives somewhere, I once predicted that there would be a modified 66 to haul heavier trains and not long after that, the

Traction was sacrificed for operational distance, as lighter electrical transmission components were used to allow large fuel tanks to be carried. How long before a few 66's are rebuilt with 59 style heavy rated electric transmission systems? 66901 anyone??

Even the older 59's are far more capable at load-lugging than a 66 - but they are still not as good as a 60, as trials on the Port Talbot-Llanwern iron ore trains proved.

When the "old" BR wanted some heavy-haul locos, they simply re-issued the 59 specification. Brush/Mirrlees won the contract, not on new build loco cost, but on the whole life cost of the loco, including fuel and maintenance. Principally on the fuel because the Mirrlees engine is particularly fuel efficient, when compared to the cr*ppy GM gas-guzzlers.

Cheers, Mick

"Mick Bryan" wrote

A usually reliable source has suggested that EWS are in need of some heavy haul freight locos. The original concept was that a number of class 60s would be re-engined with GM power plants, but it is now being said that this would not be cost-effective.

The current thinking is for a new batch of GM built 4,000hp locomotives, which are likely to be alloacted TOPS class 68.

Watch this space.

John.

Bryan Adams? :-S

Yeah, the guy from Kingston ON who ran afoul of Canadian Content rules.

William Shatner?!? Shania Twain....?