Saw the post about SZ311/312 on Laibach Marburg an der Drau Kkstb present-day SZ Slovenian Railways having a nickname after Peoples Republic of Poland leader Władysław Gomułka. For the fans of the Yugoslav Railways and SZ, why do locomotives get nicknames after world leaders?
Haha to be honest i don't really know why, it was probably because they were bought when they were in that position, but not all trains have nicknames like that. Let's say SŽ 711 is nicknamed "Zelenc" because of it's green color (as you can see in my profile picture), SŽ 813/814 nicknamed "Fiat" because they were produced there, SŽ 642 and 643 nicknamed "Đura" because they were made by "Đuro Đaković", and so on...
I know there were a West Country named Winston Churchill, and likely others named after politicians but as to why, I mean I don't really know to be honest.
Had a look into this the story, looks like he was offered to name it, turned it down, and they named it after him. train stuff is commonly named after “National symbols/icons/events” at least in England anyways, Jubilee line, Elizabeth line, the 395’s have Olympian names etc
Thank you for telling me about that by the way the 644 is named after Ronald Reagan the American president from Janaury 20th 1981-January 20th 1989.
Thank you for telling me about those names. By the way those Yugoslavian locos were licensed products from EMD which would explain why they resemble SD40-2 Sherman Hill Sand Patch Grade and PRR era Horseshoe Curve GP7 GP9s.
