The Ugliest Trains

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by inversnecky, Feb 8, 2021.

  1. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Our brains are wired to see faces in everything, including trains!

    While many locomotives and MUs are a joy to behold, many, though of course functional, have the archetypal "face that only a mother could love".

    We instinctively feel a train looks "happy" or "sad", "weird" or just plain ugly!

    Here's my personal nominees for the most egregious offenders. Look forward to seeing your suggestions too.

    CATEGORY 1 - DIESEL HYDRAULIC

    There's something about the sad looking face of the Class 42 "Warships" that don't quite do it for me:

    Crowcombe_832_light_engine_to_Bishops_Lydeard.jpg

    CATEGORY 2: DIESEL ELECTRIC

    No question about it: the Class 20:

    hornbyclass20_header1.jpg


    CATEGORY 3: HSTs

    The HST prototype...what were they thinking :)

    800px-252001_at_NRM_York_-_DSC07812.JPG

    CATEGORY 4: ELECTRIC LOCOS

    No contest: sorry, 76

    21A81492-3CBD-4E81-B02E-96EE9BBD3B7E.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
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  2. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    CATEGORY 5: DMU

    Some of these look like carriages that someone has just carved windows out of.

    The Class 126 just edges it over the Class 128:

    126.jpg
    class 128.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
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  3. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    CAT 6: EMUs

    This sadly has rich and varied competition. Here are some of the worst offenders :)

    380.jpg 450.jpg 506.jpg hal.jpg Image-British-Rail-Class-503.jpg

    Over to you :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
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  4. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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    Over across the pond we have some of our own.
    Passenger Diesels:

    No doubt the new Siemens Charger SC-44:
    [​IMG]

    Also the F125:
    [​IMG]
    In my personal opinion, I do like the look of these more than the Charger.
    Freight Diesels:
    In history we did have some oddballs, though most have conformed to a pretty elegant widecab form.
    BQ23-7: Built in the mid 70s as a way to conform to crew sizes after the removal of cabooses. In the end it was deemed useless as the crew size changed instead to simply a conductor and engineer.[​IMG]

    BL2: Ugly little thing... nuff said.
    [​IMG]

    GP15D: Weird switcher (shunter).
    [​IMG]
     
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  5. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    Oi! Leave the Hadfield units alone!
     
  6. DIFFLOCK

    DIFFLOCK Active Member

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    "The HST prototype...what were they thinking :)"

    Minion - Stuart!

    stuart.jpg

    Or perhaps Among Us?
    amonngusyellow.png
     
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  7. Peter Hayes

    Peter Hayes Well-Known Member

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    The BR Class 14


    dtg br class 14.png
     
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  8. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Apart from the one below, they look pretty good to me!

     
  9. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I always thought that looked rather continental: a very different design from typical here. Don’t think it lasted very long though, or the 07s.
     
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  10. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Just came across this stronger contender:

    The 126 on the left almost looks like it’s a coach wearing a mask, pretending to be a MU!

    880C72E7-2CBA-428F-95EA-86271F51980E.jpeg
     
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  11. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    There is a strong resemblance :)

    FCBE2559-997A-4785-937B-BBD728764D6F.jpeg

    29F08CFA-AEFE-42FD-B078-5BA365EC44D8.jpeg
     
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  12. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    I read that the not in-house BR, design company who were designing the HST coach interiors suggested they redesign the of the front end of the HST. Thankfully BR adopted it.

    I like the idiosyncratic variety of so called ugly trains. Let's face it, nostalgia is part of the appeal of TS. They might have been aesthetically challenged but were a welcome sight on a cold platform in February..
    My vote for the ugliest train is the Class 175.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
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  13. UP13

    UP13 Well-Known Member

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    Not a big fan of the Southern 455/8s with the metal plating replacing the gangway. Looks like surgery that has gone wrong.

    Feel it's a very harsh some of the ones picked but I do agree with some of the those first gen DMU choices and the warships.
     
  14. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Don’t worry, it’s just a bit of fun :)
     
  15. UP13

    UP13 Well-Known Member

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    Don't worry I wasn't offended!

    Surprised nobody has mentioned the Bulleid Q1 class yet...
     
  16. Aryffordd

    Aryffordd Guest

    As much as I enjoy driving it, I can't be the only person who thinks the class 68 looks like it's been punched in the nose, surely?
     
  17. DIFFLOCK

    DIFFLOCK Active Member

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    Oi! Leave the Coffee Pot alone! :D IMHO - it's a good looking engine....for a steam locomotive.
     
  18. Reef

    Reef Well-Known Member

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    Hands down the Class 70 for me..
    [​IMG]
     
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  19. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    Without a doubt the Bulleid Leader Class steam locomotive. I mean.... just.... what?

    45674567.jpg
     
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  20. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    Their uniqueness is their beauty.
     
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  21. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I’d never heard of this one till today, thought it was another type of diesel hydraulic, a baby ‘Baby Warship’ (Class 42), but it’s a Class 28 ‘Loaf’ - Metro-Vick Type 2 - a rare Co-Bo arrangement.
    1858A231-BA0D-44EC-BB25-8F6D596ADF24.jpeg
     
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  22. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    The 28 was available on TS, made by IronHorseHouse who made the classes 27, 33 and others that are still available. DTG now hold the IHH library. Myself and others badger DTG to update and re release some of that library but to no avail.
    Personally I like the 28 because of its idiosyncrasies.
     
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  23. triznya.andras

    triznya.andras Well-Known Member

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    If you compare it to the V 200, which isn't particularly nice to start with, it feels like some kid tried to draw one, and this is what happened.
    At least that's my first thought :)
    At least I hope the visibility is good.

    ... and so, what about everyone's favorite literal railcar, the Aerotrain?
    20180327004505_1.jpg
    Okay, it's not excessively ugly, but total weird.
    If somebody would release a pink physical HO version, I would have to buy it simply to capture expressions when I proudly present them my newest family member.
     
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  24. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    It wasn't ugly by any means, but was a horrible design, they rode rough and were very uncomfortable. They also had issues tackling grades as well, as this photo from Cajon Pass shows....
    unnamed.jpg
     
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  25. They hit a mattress that was laying on the tracks . . .
    [​IMG]
     
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  26. trev123

    trev123 Active Member

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    You forgot the Japanese High Speed Trains, 2-shinkansen-7.jpg
     
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  27. DIFFLOCK

    DIFFLOCK Active Member

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    Trev - that's just an experimental maglev one though isn't it? (Still ugly though IMHO) The line's not yet complete. However, some of the newer Shinkansens have that ugly snout.
     
  28. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    The ALFA-X doesn't really look that bad from the front though....
    n94-Alfa-X-Shinkansen4.jpg
     
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  29. DIFFLOCK

    DIFFLOCK Active Member

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    Can't hold a candle to the JR500 however, but we are now digressing from ugly trains. The JR500 is a thing of beauty.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/500_Series_Shinkansen
     
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  30. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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  31. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    All these high speed multiple units look the same. About as much character as a fridge, or a washing machine.
     
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  32. trev123

    trev123 Active Member

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    Yes, it is. I saw a program on TV about them and the Japanese were experimenting with them something to do with the air pressure when going into a tunnel at high speeds.
     
  33. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    From my understanding the traditional design of older Shinkansens cause noise disturbances entering and exiting tunnels, the newer nose designs are supposed to reduce this effect.
     
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  34. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    It almost reminds me of a hoover attachment, for getting into those books and crannies.
     
  35. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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  36. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    B0AF31E0-C480-4EE1-853A-61AE9ACB9564.jpeg

    And the front of that one reminds me of a slug or snail :)
     
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  37. JJTimothy

    JJTimothy Well-Known Member

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    I was getting a bit confused here (it doesn't take much) because I had nominated the Q1 and Class 70 and mentioned the link between bullet trains and kingfishers but it seems there's two ugly train discussions.
     
  38. DIFFLOCK

    DIFFLOCK Active Member

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    Function over form - it's ugly but efficient for its purpose. a bit like the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the F-35, but that's for a completely different forum ;)
     
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  39. trev123

    trev123 Active Member

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    Will, we shall call it category 7 Japanese High-Speed Trains.
     
  40. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I was reminded of this thread after I came across another photo of what must surely be the most haphazardly ‘designed’ and least aesthetically pleasing cab end ever made.

    Take a bow, class 126:

    483982F4-6350-41F2-A49B-A2DD540DE12F.jpeg
     
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  41. martschuffing

    martschuffing Well-Known Member

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    Class 70 for me, Edsel of the rails!
     
  42. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    This just appeared on my YouTube app. Looks like a telepod mishap akin to that in The Fly - a loco and a carriage had their DNA mixed during teleportation!

    96F01F46-2C41-43CA-9A7D-320BDCE33740.jpeg

    https://youtube.com/shorts/eB5HcSpeXXU
     
  43. JJTimothy

    JJTimothy Well-Known Member

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    I'm with you there. More used to them now but I remember actually recoiling the first time I saw a picture of one. It reminds me of what pilots used to say about the Shackleton- a good old 'bus but ugly as a box of frogs.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
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  44. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    The 126 looks poor when you see them after the end corridor was removed but they were not always like that
    126a.jpg The front is not much different to a 4 Cep/Vep/Cig etc
     
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  45. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Honestly, I can’t characterise that as much of an improvement, Peter!

    Looks like it’s been hit in the face with an iron!
     
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  46. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    So why has a Southern EMU with a gangway and pipes hanging not made your ugly list?
    411 7169.JPG
     
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  47. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I guess it has a certain symmetry and proportion.

    Disclaimer: any ‘ugly list’ is naturally entirely subjective and not to be taken seriously!
     
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  48. PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā

    PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā Well-Known Member

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    You want Ugly trains?

    You should see some of the things we have in Australia.

    Mostly locos though as I think our EMUs are pretty good - but they vary from state to state.

    Victorian Railways M Class Diesel-Hydraulic shunter 0-6-0 - Not sure if it still exists - ran on Irish 5'3" gauge.
    m232_feb1965.jpg

    Pacific National 88 Class (CSR Qishuyan SDA2) - Usually hauls sugar in the north of Queensland on 3'6" cape gauge tracks
    dc7b82cbc21cdc5ba0bf3400a7aaf96f.jpg

    Pacific National PB Class (NRE 2GS16B-AU) - Port Kembla Steelworks Shunter - Standard gauge.
    Pacific_National_PB_Class.jpg

    UGL Rail/Pacific National PH Class (UGL PH37ACmai) - The Aussie version of a class 70.

    The locos are in services but can't find any decent pics, so here's one in works condition. As you can see, it's not easy on the eye, so someone came up with the brilliant idea to photoshop an extra letter onto the end of the company logo.
    30052362_1628078557279147_8245205817919475193_o.jpg

    Note those are works bogies, it's a 6 axle loco running on cape gague track.

    And the last and probably the ugliest of them all, is this thing - a GT46CU-ACE Gen 3! Used for hauling coal on the new Adani Coal mine in Central Queensland.
    92c4a939f32a2aed9f10ba9579bd69e6.jpg
     
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  49. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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