Modern Diesel Locomotives (Enthusiast Color Series) - Softcover

If National Geographic were ever to devote an entire issue of their magazine to diesel locomotives, I doubt they could do as good a job as Hans Halberstadt has done with this nifty little volume. The photography is first-rate, and Mr. Halberstadt not only fills his book with wonderful pictures of the most modern offerings from General Electric and General Motors, but has many illustrations of rarely seen views, such as a shop filled with rebuilt traction motors and men busily at work repairing various locomotives. There is even a close-up of a broken crankshaft! The book has a wonderfully light, refreshing text that nicely compliments the beautiful photos. The author makes good use of various anecdotes from several railroad engineers about such diverse topics as grade crossing mishaps to their favorite engines. I know of no other book where one can find out why Santa Fe engineers love the EMD GP60's, but loath the very similar GP60M's. Also you'll find out why a Soo Line engineer's favorite diesel is the rather mundane SD35. I highly recommend this book to all persons who are as fascinated as I am by today's modern diesel locomotives. And yes, the EMD SD90MAC and GE AC6000CW are covered as well. Excellent quality work. My one gripe: I wish it were longer than its too-short 96 pages --ztman

This book has everything I ever wanted to know about trains, the difference between AC and DC motors, how the modern locos operate and too much more to type! --eddea

Very nice photography, I love it yeah, yeah, yeah, I love it yeah, yeah, yeah, I love it yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. As usual with Hans Halberstat, the text isn't great, but it passes the F test. He talks of the early geeps and the latest MACs, and the full body locos (F-units). He also interviews engineers, and they give him the goods and the bads of driving trains. Personally, I am a fan of GM's locos much more than GE's, and now that I have read this book, it seems that many engineers agree with me. Trevor --Trevor Jordan Heald

Exceptional photography captures modern diesel locomotives hard at work moving trains on tracks everywhere from California to Boston. Major railroads are brought to life including the Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Conrail, Southern Pacific, and Burlington Northern. Modern Diesel Locomotives even gets under the skin of the locomotive and shows 12-foot-long diesel engines being rebuilt! Includes a short history of the rise of diesel technology.