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RE: (erielack) The F5

> I don't know how "ignorant" it is if designations like "F-5" 
> or even "F-2" (B&M had them, too) are confined to helping 
> buffs and modelers. Just like the phase designations, which 
> are largely an invention of buffs, they have meaning and use 
> in our circles.


By the way, "F2" *was* an official EMD designation... (publicly, too!)


 
> The trick is to be able to speak the languages of the buff 
> and the railroad to fully decipher the subject of your research.

True, but to that extent, phase designations don't completely fit the bill. Railfan-assigned phases usually point to major variations in appearance usually (remember, most fans don't really care about the innards of a locomotive). I'd consider "phase designations" as the second tier of a three tier descriptive structure. Top tier is the "official" model designation (i.e., "F3", "E8", etc.)  The lowest tier are the specific options on a unit (the aforementioned numberboards are a good example). Remember also that, unlike your average automobile, with a fixed set of options, railroad locomotives are much shorter production (and much more customizable), and many roads made their own requests to builders (think EL SDP45 and extended fuel tank SD45-2!)  This lowest tier of description is usually at a per-railroad (or in some cases, per-railroad-function) basis.

What does that all mean? You're best to describe a unit most accurately by mentioning all its "deviations from the norm," or even which stock options are selected. The Erie's "F5's" could be described as a "Phase IV F3 with large numberboards and dynamic brakes."


> Then, of course, there are always ways to get in trouble, 
> like the Reading's RS-3's, which were class RS-1!

Let's not get started on railroad-specific classes! (would this be an even lower "fourth tier?" :)


Speaking of railroad classes, does anyone know if EL employees REALLY used EL classes to refer to engines? Or did they use the "official" class? (i.e., RS3, GP7)  Or (most likely), just by number? (i.e., "the 1200's")

	- Paul

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