Homely gets replaced with just plain ugly....

[Puddington]

I miss my local GP9u....sigh

Now I get to look at this thing.........what, they had a committee design this thing; and the committee never talked to each other... yuck...!

This "thing" is a 3GS21B-DE...whatever the hell that stands for (and please don't tell me 'cause I still think it looks like a toaster with wheels....)



I want my geep back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bob Bufkin]

Hey, it's an Aztek on steel rails!

[mike in bc]

It may be ugly but i wish they were made in N 

Mike

[C855B]

National Railroad Equipment (the 3rd- or 4th-generation descendant of Alco) builds these POS in the town next to us. Aesthetics aside, I have heard nothing but complaints from railroaders, especially that they're cranky and unresponsive, and make precision switching a teeth-gritting task.

If it looks like a Frankenstein conglomeration of parts, it is. That's NRE's business - parting out retired power. With the Gensets they're picking the best parts they happen to have on-hand, dropping new prime movers and generators on the refurbished superstructure, and calling the abortive result a locomotive. These will be maintenance nightmares for the railroads.

As far as wishing for an N model, the problem for modeling is "parts they happen to have on-hand" - very few are going to be alike. If you want to model one, it's going to have to be a specific unit for a specific railroad, by the numbers. I think the first few for BNSF and UP they tried to standardize, but that has clearly gone by the wayside. As I said, NRE is the current incarnation (or ghost) of Alco, who was also somewhat bad about poor standardization within a model, with visible details varying by RR.

Here is a drive-by shot of their facility. Relative to a Progress Rail or GE, this is a mom-and-pop operation:

[C855B]

This "thing" is a 3GS21B-DE...whatever the hell that stands for (and please don't tell me 'cause I still think it looks like a toaster with wheels....)

You're going to find out anyway.   

IIRC, '3' means three prime-mover/generator sets. 'GS' is "genset". '21' is total HP, 2100, from the three 700 HP motors. 'B' is the B-B trucks (there are two 'C' models, for L.A. Harbor Lines). The '-D' represents dynamic braking. I don't know what the 'E' means yet, could represent extended dynamic brakes (a la EMD Dash-2's) or an additional "efficiency" option.

[Iain]

I spy a Whitcomb!  I want it!

[packers#1]

Maybe the E stands for environmental?
Anyways, forgive me for being the odd guy out, but I actually like the look, it combines that correct amount of familiar GP design with a futuristic-looking long hood. Oh well, to each their own

[wm3798]

They need to move the grilles so the lettering can be seen above the weeds...

[Scottl]

Even the sunshade is not placed properly.  Sad state of affairs at CP these days...

[reinhardtjh]

I still think it looks like a toaster with wheels....)

[C855B]

IMO the NRE Genset looks more like a modern incarnation of an Alco, continuing their Rube Goldberg approach to locomotive design. The GE locos of the last 20 years are toasters. They even have "GE" on the sides.