Passenger Trains > Just for the heck of it

Why do passenger units have enclosed
bodies and freight units do not?

Uncle Joe

You need the visiblity for switching cars around on freight trains. Yes F series were originally used in frieght service but as you can see cowl units went out of preference for regular body units. 

With multiple units in a consist you need to be able to physically get to the other units.

exhaustED Wrote:
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> With multiple units in a consist you need to be
> able to physically get to the other units.

Well,,,,,,,,one can do that pretty easily on freight units, however the "full width carbody" passenger units of today no longer have nose-doors!

retcsxcfm Wrote:
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> Why do passenger units have enclosed
> bodies and freight units do not?
>
> Uncle Joe

I think some of the "newer" passenger locomotives (Genesis, Chargers, maybe the F125) tend to be somewhat lighter so that they won't bash the track as much at higher sustained speeds.  To save some weight, the carbody (sides/roof) would become an integral structural member.  In this aspect, these locomotives share some similarities to E-units and F-units.

On a freight unit, I believe the frame is basically the sole major structural element.  F40PHs, FP45s, SDP40F were directly derived from freight locomotives (GP40-2, SD45, etc) and their carbodies are merely shells sitting on a beefy frame.  It's more about aesthetics for these 1960s-1970s era locomotives.  But then they weren't really intended to go much above 90 mph in regular service.  Weren't the "Genies" and Chargers designed for up to 125 mph?

This probably doesn't explain the NJT dual modes which I understand are very heavy 4-axle locomotives.  So corrections to anything I've stated are certainly welcome.

The LIRR Super Steel locos are not exactly beneficiaries of Atkins Diet, weight in the range of 291,735 to 299,844 lbs

Above my Captain Obvious limit

I believe that passenger train speed has always been "implied" with streamlining. And much of this God awful looking current streamlined design with fewer curves and cabs as far at front as possible, comes from Europe. In Europe there are few road crossings on high-speed routes with the windshields practically in line with the front bumper not much of a safety issue with engine crews as here in the U.S. 
Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/21 13:57 by wabash2800.