ugly trains

It's a track test car for testing track geometry etc. It has an onboard generator as to tax the HEP of the train.

It is also used as an officers car. When Amtrak's president came to California for the unvieling of the ACS-64, thats what he came in.
 
I've been going through the pages but I haven't seen one of these yet:

Allegheny 2-6-6-6. Like the Challengers only two left one at the Henry Ford and the other at the B&O Museum. Probably much more utilitarian in terms of looks than a Big Boy or a Challenger.

800px-CandOLocomotive-1601.jpg

this is just a personal taste thing, but frankly I'd call that more "brutish" than ugly. It definitely has a face only a mother could love though.
 
Oh come on, admit it, Pacers are gorgeous ;) (perhaps not that one though. Shares the 323's hideous mouth!)
I like the 143's, but this Pacer basically ticks all the boxes that make any train a disaster...
[√] use a bus body
[√] modify it to look "more stylish"
[√] paint it beige
 
That's LEV-1, the first Pacer prototype. I have to say, the later ones and the Pacer itself are prettier. It's so sad that after all the years of development that led to the Class 142s, 143s and 144s, they'll all have to be retired by 2020. Hopefully a few will go to preservation, but they have a bit of an image problem with commuters and the general public, who would no doubt want to see them all scrapped. :( What could possibly replace them once their gone?
 
I'm pretty sure deadpool is 60% troll. He shouldn't be allowed to post in this thread, everything he posts here is going to cause a flame war! .
Actually it's more like I cant state my opinions without other people not respecting my opinion and telling why my opinions are wrong.
I absolutely hate Amtrak or any commuter rail. I even gave Amtrak a fair trial. All Amtrak is to me is a sad remnant of what passenger service once was back in the glory days. it was the worst decision i have ever made to ride it. I would rather drive or hitchhike. just my opinion.

5228374450_76f67012ee_z.jpg
 
Last edited:
I like the 143's, but this Pacer basically ticks all the boxes that make any train a disaster...
[√] use a bus body
[√] modify it to look "more stylish"
[√] paint it beige

Oh I completely agree, it's an awful colour. It's uncanny how similar the shape is, though. Especially back from the front doors. Those windows and that AC unit on top look strikingly similar to the 142. Never been a fan of the double-folding doors, though. I hear they had appalling mechanical issues.

That's LEV-1, the first Pacer prototype. I have to say, the later ones and the Pacer itself are prettier. It's so sad that after all the years of development that led to the Class 142s, 143s and 144s, they'll all have to be retired by 2020. Hopefully a few will go to preservation, but they have a bit of an image problem with commuters and the general public, who would no doubt want to see them all scrapped. :( What could possibly replace them once their gone?

I certainly don't want to see them scrapped. I've lived in Oldham, Manchester all my life, back when the Oldham Loop Line was running, so up until 2009 I rode them very often. I already miss them on this line, and to say that eventually they'll be off all lines in the UK is quite upsetting. I do love a Sprinter, don't get me wrong, but Pacers have so much more character. Lets hope one of each model is preserved, along with one of the old Manchester Metrolink trams :)
 
Now that is a freight loco! I might put this photo in the Pretty/Beautiful trains thread.:p The ES44 may be designed to be functional, but the SD70Mac looks far better than the ES44, even when it's in CSX livery! Some further ugly trains:
300px-6399_Fury_(Wonder_Book_of_Engineering_Wonders,_1931).jpg

LMS 6399 Fury. A catastrophic failure, and it's ugly too!
Pic-1.-How-the-new-Class-68-for-DRS-will-look.jpg

DRS Class 68. Ugghh...
 
How are they designing locomotives these days? The 68 looks like it was designed when somebody put the computer models of a 67, a Voyager and a minivan of some sort on top of each other and pressed "render" :D
 
It is also used as an officers car. When Amtrak's president came to California for the unvieling of the ACS-64, thats what he came in.

It's funny you should mention that. Boardman does use it for those purposes but there's a much nicer Pullman that Obama used when coming in for his inauguration. It's usually kept at Union Station in DC. That's what I'd roll vs the modified Amfleet 2 coach.
 
Don't they own a Dust mob or some thing she is dusty there :hehe:

What the 1601? Presumably it rolled off the rail lines like that. The Docents at the Henry Ford are also quite knowledgeable about it, one told me that if they put coal and water in it that it would still run. It's been indoors in that spot since 1956 so I have to believe it's in great shape.

The sad thing about the H-8s is that they retired long before the last of the Challengers and Big Boys were of the UPRR lines.

http://www.thehenryford.org/research/alleghenyLocomotive.aspx


The other Allegheny at the B&O museum in Baltimore is in great condition and if you ever get to the East Coast of the US, you need to see that museum and Steamtown in PA.
 
I've been going through the pages but I haven't seen one of these yet:

Allegheny 2-6-6-6. Like the Challengers only two left one at the Henry Ford and the other at the B&O Museum. Probably much more utilitarian in terms of looks than a Big Boy or a Challenger.

800px-CandOLocomotive-1601.jpg



Woo woo woo....this is a thread for UGLY trains. And this good sir, is far from ugly. I mean just look at it. The huge piping to hold the steam, the air pumps to keep the air up on coal drags, the massive sand domes to help get a grip. This good sir is no ordinary locomotive, but a work of art that rivals even the Mona Lisa her self.
 
Oh I completely agree, it's an awful colour. It's uncanny how similar the shape is, though. Especially back from the front doors. Those windows and that AC unit on top look strikingly similar to the 142. Never been a fan of the double-folding doors, though. I hear they had appalling mechanical issues.



I certainly don't want to see them scrapped. I've lived in Oldham, Manchester all my life, back when the Oldham Loop Line was running, so up until 2009 I rode them very often. I already miss them on this line, and to say that eventually they'll be off all lines in the UK is quite upsetting. I do love a Sprinter, don't get me wrong, but Pacers have so much more character. Lets hope one of each model is preserved, along with one of the old Manchester Metrolink trams :)
Well I could see why you say that, JackClare a.k.a PacerNut! I think LEV1 and associated prototypes were revolutionary (although not always for the right reasons) but in 2013 Pacers just aren't acceptable. I think they were going the right way with the Class 140,although it was ugly, it had the body of an actual train, and a slightly better suspension so that should of been the basis of them, not the 141 which was also horrid
 
Woo woo woo....this is a thread for UGLY trains. And this good sir, is far from ugly. I mean just look at it. The huge piping to hold the steam, the air pumps to keep the air up on coal drags, the massive sand domes to help get a grip. This good sir is no ordinary locomotive, but a work of art that rivals even the Mona Lisa her self.

For me, it's the pipes, air compressors and domes that make it ugly.

However, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I believe every ugly train (and lots posted because it's from a different country or people want to offend others) out there has been posted in this thread now....
 
Woo woo woo....this is a thread for UGLY trains. And this good sir, is far from ugly. I mean just look at it. The huge piping to hold the steam, the air pumps to keep the air up on coal drags, the massive sand domes to help get a grip. This good sir is no ordinary locomotive, but a work of art that rivals even the Mona Lisa her self.

I've seen the Mona Lisa, she's not that big. :D
 
4196541573_681c8133f2_z.jpg

Had a German friend of mine, come over to Britain for the first time. The first ever time he saw a Class 165 he thought it was ugly. I don't think they're ugly but at the same time I don't think they're stylish, to be honest I can't decide as I've been around them all my life due to living in Reading. Opinions people? Ugly or Not?

Vandalised_Class_465.jpg

The third rail electric version of the 165, the Class 465, again opinions people? Yes I know this picture does it no favours.
 
Last edited:
Not ugly at all klambert. A simple, modern and attractive train.

What did surprise me about the matter of ugly trains was on American diesels. When younger, I thought the streamliner engines pulling trains looked great and in later times when I seen the inside the cabs looked awful. The modern US diesels seem to me a bit clunky and boxed but there again different country and different traditions.
 
Back
Top