Western Railroad Discussion > A new duck in Kansas.

Well what can you say. This train set has always interested me. In a world with nothing but Gevo's and Ace's this, no matter how ugly, is something fresh to look at. I hope to go where ever these things run and go for a ride. It's got to be better than a sharp stick in the eye. And yes, I think it looks a little like a duck.

Thanks for looking, Wes

Wes Chiles
Topeka, KS

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10-4 on the duck analogy...

BTB

I get the duck analogy but is anyone else having a hard time distinguishing which end of the duck it represents?

There is one already running on the Cascades. This is probably a replacement set for the wrecked train south of Tacoma last month.

Great Plains mater!

Yes, a ugly ducking. upkpfan

Probably a one-time shot through Kansas, and you got it! Nice location too.
Brian Stevens

My observation as a non-rail, it looks to me like an engineer in that thing would be sitting at a considerably lower elevation than an engineer in a freight or conventional Amtrak locomotive. Which poses a deadlier risk for that person in event of collision with something at a road crossing?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/18 18:54 by GeneL.

gandydancer4 Wrote:
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> I get the duck analogy but is anyone else having a
> hard time distinguishing which end of the duck it
> represents?

LOLOL! Comment Of the Month! However -- it's front is flat, so it has to be the front end of a duck. I think it is just plain weird-looking. Nonetheless, it will be very interesting to see what engineers have to say about these "mater" things -- how rellable they are, their ergonomics, performance, etc.

Never saw a duck that was that ugly, however.

And then there was this lame "mallard" of the past with the 1955/57 Chevy windshield!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/18 19:44 by rrman6.

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Great shot.

Ronda Thomas

That's about the silliest looking train I've ever seen, glad I missed it.

rrman6 Wrote:
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> And then there was this lame "mallard" of the past
> with the 1955/57 Chevy windshield!

I am old enough to have seen this trainset roll through my hometown of Whiting, IN, back in the '50s. I think that at the time it was in Chicago-Detroit service on the NYC. I actually kind of like the looks of the Aerotrain (in a retro sort of way), even if it was something of a disaster technologically. At least it was an attempt to compete and attract passengers. Of course, given the poor ride, it was not likely to accomplish that.

Poly wanna quacker? Actually, considering recent experiences it sorta looks like a Jack Russell sitting with ears perked, waiting patiently for another treat...

Lance

Supposedly the reason for the ugly is to provide crashworthiness for the engineer. Persoanlly there are enough other designs around that the looks of this thing is ridiculous safe or not. It would look much better with gull wings and a new Siemens Charger pulling it.
Gonut