GE BQ23-7

[Hamish K]

Beauty (or ugly) is indeed in the eye of the beholder. I do not agree however that it looks a lot like a foreign locomotive. While the cab may look like that on some foreign locos, it has a narrow body typical of American "hood" locomotives. Most British and european locos have full width bodies. Those that have narrow bodies do not have that type of cab.

Hamish

[RFPville]

Some people called them the "Aegis Cruiser" because it looked the bridge deck of a Navy guided missile cruiser, but calling it the "Burger Queen"  that was hillarious!  What was more hillarious was that once SCL became CSX, they repainted a couple of them and CSX being themselves couldn't keep them on the track. They abused the heck out of them  and they flipped over.  They  (GE) only made 10 like this.   Since the 5131 was the Bachmann product, I have obtained real photos of the real locomotives, they have historical value to me.

[Skarloey Railway]

It looks a lot like a foreign locomotive (which are very un-attractive in my opinion).

I do find that line really very odd. Locomotives, whether steam, diesel or electric come in a huge variety but for me discriminating between one's own country's locomotives and 'foreign' is just bizarre. Every country's locomotive manufacturers have turned out some beautiful machines and a share of the ugly ducklings.
And I speak as a Brit who likes British, French, American, German and Spanish locomotives, albeit with a strong preference for steam and overhead electric.

[J3a-614]

Hmm, that unit's "face" doesn't look too far off from something some people around here wish Bachmann would make:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_E60

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_BQ23-7

Trying to find cab interior shots--may not have a lot available, let's see what we find:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3431896

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1147505

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3348303

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1147509

[Jhanecker2]

I was always of the opinion that form should follow function.    Locomotives  are designed  to move trains as economically as possible . They are constructed to house the mechanisms , fuel , and crew ,  aesthetics  is rarely a consideration .  Streamlining  to reduce friction  at speeds is sometimes  utilized for  trains that attain high speeds but rarely  a necessity  for freight trains .  Some railroads ran their hood engines long end forward to provide more crew safety , rather than short end forward to provide better forward vision. . John2.