EMD Locomotives | Brian Solomon | A History of EMD Locomotives in Photographs and Words.

EMD Locomotives | Brian Solomon | EMD Locomotives

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EMD Locomotives

	EMD Locomotives Brian Solomon Voyageur Press, 2006 - 176 pages average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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In February 2005, General Motors announced its decision to sell its Electro-Motive Division (EMD), thus ending its 75-year association with one of the most renowned brands in railroading. Looking at the heritage of the venerable EMD in light of this momentous development, this monumental volume offers an overview of the great locomotive maker unprecedented in its scope and unparalleled in the spectacular quality of its photographs. Leading railroad author and photographer Brian Solomon provides an authoritative, comprehensive account of EMD?s history, from its genesis in 1922 as the independent Electro-Motive Corporation, to GM?s acquisition of the company in 1930, and on through the age of today?s ""superpower"" locomotives. From the earliest 1920s railcars to the iconic mid-century F units, workhorse GP and SD locomotives, and Dash series; to the company?s race with its chief competitor, General Electric, to reach 6,000 horsepower, EMD?s complete story unfolds here in depth and detail, illustrated with a wealth of archival photos from across the country, as well as a remarkable collection of color photography from top railway photographers of the last half century.

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A History of EMD Locomotives in Photographs and Words.

By using photographs and words Brian Solomon's book took me on an historical journey of diesel locomotives from the beginning to now. The photographs have preserved a visual history of these locomotives and they have preserved a visual history of life in America as it was near the ever-present train tracks. The excellent photos display trains, tracks, weather, buildings, people, cities and countryside of the beautiful country known as the United States. The words in the book describe in some detail the different diesel engines that EMD has used over the years to power its locomotives. Details include horsepower ratings, RPM ranges, cylinder bore and stroke and the configurations of such engines as the Winton, the 567, the 645 and the 710. On page 50 there is a mechanical drawing of the inside of an E9 locomotive detailing the two engines, the genrators and other devices. Also present is a chart on gear ratios and a chart on the Speed Tractive Effort Curve. The captions for the many photographs throughout the book give detailed information. This information is supplemental to the text and not a restatement. This is an excellent book for casual reading, learning details about diesel engines and for enjoying excellent photographs of America and trains.

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EMD Locomotives

What a fantastic reference book for those of us who grew up playing by the railroad tracks and waving to the crews as they rocketed by in those glistening EMD locomotives!

EMD A CLASS ACT

"EMD" is short for "Electro-Motive Division [of General Motors]," and this beautiful and informative book is a class act all the way. Authored by rail photographer / writer Brian Solomon, EMD covers the entire period from EMD diesel-electrics' first long-haul appearance on American railroads just prior to our nation's entry into World War II, until the point in 2005 when the division "went private" and no longer belonged to GM. During this period EMD's ruled the road, and for most of the time either vanquished the diesel-electric competition (Morrison-Knudsen, Fairbanks-Morse) or relegated it to a very junior number two (General Electric).

But EMD is more than just a string of diesels. At various times and in various parts around the world the company also built "pure" electric locomotives (or "motors" to the purist). The leading example is probably Amtrak's AEM-7, workhorse for the Boston-Washington Northeast Corridor ("NEC").

Throughout, this book's photos, most of them taken by author Solomon himself, are spectacular. The wrap-around text is, if anything, even better. So often in this field there are books for buffs and books for newbies -- this serves both areas of interest. Of particular note is its outsized "coffee-table book" format, its beautiful binding, and the crisp and accurate reproduction of its color plates. While not an inexpensive introduction, Amazon brings the price down to affordability for even the casually interested.

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Started well but got lost in the pack.

The usual well written, well documented Brian Solomon output. Tells the story of General Motors entering the Locomotive market, leading the field for years but losing interest and allowing EMD to fall into the rank of "Has Beens".

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