RE: (erielack) The sounds of F-Units.

["Paul R. Tupaczewski" <paultup_@_comcast.net>]

Bill Weibel commented:

> Here in lies my topic. The FT's to my critical ear could always be
> distinguished by their sound as they approached from the Nay Aug tunnel, I
> don't know if it was the 4 stack manifolds, as opposed to the two stack
> manifolds on later F's but the FT's had a sound of their own much like a
more
> gutty hot rod sound where the two stackers were a little more subdued.
> Then the world was turned on end when they started putting two or even
> three Train Masters on the head end. What a sound they made and they
> could literally shake the pinnings of the footbridge. E-8's also had a
distinctive
> sound and could be told right away as they left the tunnel. But I guess
the
> signature noisemaker of the entire E-L era was the SD45 series which would
> announce to all that the king of all diesels was taking the Pocono grade
by
> storm. Like to hear from others out there on their experiences. Also for
the
> opposite side of the coin coming down the grade you could always tell if
F-
> units were in the lead by the dynamic brake whine they had. The Geeps
> were just a little quieter, but again when the SD45's arrived their
dynamics
> would be right up their.

I've never heard an FT (only one operable one exists in the world, and it's
in Mexico!), but from those who had first-hand experience, they've told me
the same thing - FT's didn't sound exactly like their successor F3s or F7s.
Perhaps it is that four-barrel exhaust, as opposed to the paired exhaust on
the other F-units.

I envy you hearing what Train Masters sound. Here's a video of some Russian
units built with F-M OP prime movers (or at least licensed versions thereof)
- - I hear a bit of turbocharger noise in there, but how close does this sound
to the H24-66?

http://bit.ly/QT03GV

I also got to ride in the R&GV Museum's H12-44, which has a very smooth
purring sound to it. It seems that all the F-M sound decoders have the same
sound to them (perhaps since there aren't any 2400hp prime movers to
record?)


Growing up in Boonton, I had no idea what engines were what (cut me some
slack, I was 5 years old :), but the sonic memories became burnt into my
brain. Of course the U34CHs were unmistakable, but the other sounds that I
will forever remember are the SD45/SDP45/SD45-2s. From the ground they had
that notable "bass" component mixed with that "tinny" turbocharger whistle.
That combination of bass and treble created what is perhaps the most
unmistakable sound in US dieseldom.

Sometime when we'd walk back from my grandparents' apartment on Main St.
we'd happen to walk over the EL main as a train was coming by. It was always
dark as I remember, so it could have been an early NY-99. But since I'd be
looking down I'd have no clue what engine it was, but when that exhaust
stack rolled underneath my feet, blowing a warm cloud of diesel fumes past
my nostrils, there it was - louder than ever until it got muffled by the
underside of the Main St. overpass - the sound of SD45s. Ahhhhh.....

All these wonderful memories came flooding back when the Susquehanna
purchased many ex-BN SD45s to roll over EL trackage once again (and just
like the EL, chose to ultimately number them in the 3600-series). During my
college years I was out quite a bit chasing these trains - recreating the
feel of the EL in my youth.  The SD45s lasted longer than I expected, and
for that I was glad.

The combination of that 20-cylinder prime mover and that turbo is
unmistakeable, and nothing else out there is like it today.

Oh yes, I was also pretty familiar with the sound of non-turbo EMD 567s, as
the Boonton Drill always had a 1200 on it. But to me, that sound was pretty
boring.  Of course, as I got older I learned to appreciate the simple sounds
of the 567, but as a child, it was just "another plain diesel." Nothing like
the animated and vociferous SD45s and U34CHs.

But that's my aural recollection of the EL. :)

	- Paul





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