Inside a High Hood Locomotive

See the full video here: • The Chesapeake & India...
Engineer Austin Sasse shows our viewers what it's like to operate a former Southern Railway EMD GP38-2 High Hood Locomotive.
Contribute via CashApp: cash.app/$DelayInBlockMedia
Contribute via PayPal: www.paypal.me/DelayInBlockMedia
Contribute via Patreon: / delayinblockmedia
Start investing in railroads and get a free stock: Bit.ly/DelayInBlockInvesting
Subscribers: help support us by crowdfunding through Patreon, PayPal, or CashApp. With your support, we can continue to produce high-quality railroad media for you to enjoy. Even just $1 per month is a huge help. Plus, contributing patrons receive exclusive content and early access to Delay In Block™ videos.
Thanks for watching! Please comment, rate, and subscribe!
Copyright 2022 Delay In Block Productions™. Any illegal reproduction of this video and its content is strictly prohibited. Full legal action will take place if necessary if reproduced or published without expressed written permission from Delay In Block Productions.
Delay In Block™ is a Trademark of Delay In Block Productions

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

If you enjoyed this clip, you can see the full video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2nIop6pjMmUaas

[@captainpicard1701e]

I just didn't realize this type of locomotive was primarily designed to operate long hood forward. I've definitely learned something here!

[@PGHammer21A]

It's why the CSX freight operations is a challenge (in TSW 2) - because you will do operations - with both ways (short hood forward AND long hood forward).

[@alexjones9308]

@@PGHammer21A a fellow man of class !

[@ro6742]

When we really consider the viewing angles it makes sense. But it’s not apparent at first.

[@shroomzed2947]

A holdover from the steam locomotive days where crews preferred to be towards the back of the locomotive in case of collisions.

[@TheBeeMan1994]

Their not designed to operate high hood forward, they were optioned by southern to operate high hood forward.

[@markydee48]

As a former Engineer, I would say that I wouldn't appreciate my Conductor yelling "Stop" over the radio like that. I would have a few words with him later. We don't stop like that. We give car lengths and we slow to a stop.

[@skullcrusher301]

Okay, tell me how you would give car counts to a gentle stop when a truck backs out in front of you.

[@markydee48]

@@skullcrusher301 I didn't hear the Conductor say anything about a truck crossing in front. All I heard was him saying something ---- here, STOP. I would expect him to say stop stop in that case but in the video it seems as if he was backing a string of cars and told him to stop suddenly as he was approaching to hitch. It was just the perception of the video. If there was something there, I really didn't hear it . Obviously if we hear stop we stop, but I had many a times where some new Conductors are at the rear on a reverse move and misjudge the stopping distance. Like I said. It was the perception I got from the video and how the video cut and continued on its merry way

[@JustAGamerA]

​@@skullcrusher301 usually a specific command for an emergency stop. Where i work its "all stop" repeated at least 3 times, in the moment its usually more. When the engineer hears that the train is put into emergency brake application.

[@seymoarsalvage]

I guess it depends on how salty you are. I like clear and simple signals and commands. If I'm moving something, and that something needs to be not moving, yelling STOP is a great and sure way for that to happen. No misunderstanding that command. Then again, I dont work on class 1 (or even 2 lol) and dont get yalls pay........

[@treos17]

as a former engineer, you didnt realize he dumped it either?

[@stephenp8086]

Worked at EMD as a Toolmaker from 1979-1981. That recession killed EMD. At that time we had a 6 year order backlog building 6 1/2 locomotives a day. My Dad retired from EMD in 1977 in the research and development department after 30 years.

[@ECsponger2]

I dont think anyone said it... but Austin is a badass conductor!

[@ACLTony]

This is so cool with good pacing from the drone! I've wondered what the inside of the high hood (high nose) looked like on EMD's equipped with them. High 5 to this engineer for being down to earth and professional.

[@samueledgarpegram7088]

My father was a Southern Railway train man. He said the Southern had high hood so either end would be the head end. No turning the engines or turning them on a wye. The were bi- directional.

[@MailmanRailfan]

The high hoods look so cool!

[@KRNpics]

Fun to see the old DM&IR units still in use.

[@dmorgan28]

I’ve ran these before. They are rather unique. I’ve run a lot of the SD-9s Some for the SP but mostly for the NWP RR. Very unique locomotives. Hey I enjoyed your video. Thanks 👍👍👍❤️

[@martintrodden2743]

In Ireland when double heading the EMD units they were placed bonnet to bonnet so that there was a cab at each end regardless of the running direction check out Irish rail GM 121 class locomotives

[@epacm50]

This clip reminds so much of the Southern Pacific days. They had some high hood units as well.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

SP had the absolute best-looking SD9s and GP9s. Hands down. Check out one of our most-recent videos from the Portland & Western Railroad out in Oregon. They have a few former SP EMD SD7/9 units and we recorded them switching.

[@gabrielbennett5162]

I once sat in the engineer's seat of an ex-Southern Pacific high hood SD-9 that was running short hood-forward. It was surprised me how little it actually restricted the view.

[@NKP-1985]

I'm glad I grew up when high hoods were common

[@shawnpowell5876]

Great catch of High Hood 5093 and tutorial abt the design of it! That was awesome you got to ride shotgun and that would be a dream come true for most railfans and me especially! Thanks again for sharing your videos along with your time and effort DIB!

[@NJCommutr]

Thank you, this was a very interesting look inside, and the narration and drone pacing were excellent.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Wow. Operating one of those things long hood forward seems like an alien concept these days. Good to know not only the reason behind it but to see in side the short hood of a high hood unit. I recently got to take a look in the nose of a short hood GP38 and after climbing my way in there I could see the benefit of having a high hood. Although, for me, i'm not sure it'd be worth the loss in visibility. Excellent camera, drone, and commentary work as always.

[@shawnwarneke5536]

Love those ex DMIR units in the video. 🙂

[@litz13]

We used to have a high hood unit on the Blue Ridge Scenic ... ran just fine, pulled great, but obviously there's no visibility at all to the left out the front end.

[@BertLensch]

I have often wondered if there was a bathroom in the engine of most freight trains, and now I know at least the high hoods do.

[@ChainsawNW1218]

ChainsawN&W1218, I like the high hood engines, like seeing them run them long hood forward also ,reminds Me of the branch line in the town in Galax VA were We live,they tore the tracks up back in 87 I think, former N&W and then the merger in 82 with SRR to form NS,alot of vintage Railroading 👍.

[@leohopkins71]

I remember in the 70s living in Tazewell, N&W still had freight cars from the former Virginian RR.

[@NDVC.]

Nice video my friend. Thank you for sharing! Happy weekend!

[@JackCarsonsRailroadVideos]

Excellent footage as always

[@bbtrainproductions4203]

WoW looks fun!

[@John-ru5ud]

The absolute worst visibility for the train crew was the PRR GG-1, both directions. But during most of the time that they operated the "full crew law" had a "fireman" sitting on the left side, which gave them observation on that side.

[@dogmando22000]

Just a superb video and great narrative. Very professional.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

If you enjoyed this version, be sure to check out the full video by clicking the link in the description. Thanks for watching!

[@thomasaley8839]

Thank you very much on this educational viedo

[@PGHammer21A]

And here is the "Chicken" literally crossing the "road"

[@paulsadler3138]

I enjoy your fine camera work and editing. Being a film and video camera man, some other u-tubers could learn from your work.

[@louGriggs1944]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[@55nimrod55]

Great horn!

[@nancy8521]

Nice catch

[@stradplayer90]

I love how the most viewed part is that one behind the hood.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Awesome video

[@thess344]

Nice drone work.

[@TheJDLonline]

Nice Nathan P3 old cast horn!!!

[@Ridealonggang]

Great video

[@GE-AC4400CW]

Valid point

[@brianfalzon6739]

Wow, that’s very interesting!

[@derrickconnor1303]

Those are Awesome locomotives to bad you dont see to many now

[@hamiltonsullivan6563]

That's a nice sd9 also

[@bobbyferrell2214]

It does!

[@jasonjanise]

We just got 2 of these in Norfolk, Nebraska for the Nebraska Central. I have a couple of pictures and a short video of them on their first run

[@cedricrummell5986]

There's a non-zero chance that those units came from the railroad I work for. We just sold 4 High hood GP38-2s set up just like this.

[@LuFeDuTi]

Awesome

[@carp8683]

Great!

[@drewrichardpenna2518]

That’s so cool cool trains

[@AMPProductionsVideo]

Nice "On Board" Video

[@vote4carp]

I feel pretty freakin' cool right now, I just pushed this video from 999 to 1k likes. 🤣🤷‍♂

[@Steven_Williams]

Cool!!

[@loritobin2578]

I was always wondering what happened to the old DMIR "Missabe" locomotives after CN ditched them. Now I know where 2 of them went lol.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

My local tourist line runs one, a crew member let me in it once, they're really comfy actually lol. The visibility was fine for me, like he said, you can't see around the other side, but then again you can't with a low hood either, the control stand and the hood are to tall to see over without standing up. From what I've heard, the union was also somehow responsible for the high hoods on the SOU? I think it was so you would need more crew members in the cab for eyes on each side. With more crew members, there was more jobs, and more people getting paid, which is what the union wanted.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

That is almost correct. The union wanted extra pay for turning locomotives around to face “forward.” Because High Hoods are considered “bi-directional,” that was Southern’s way of getting around the union contract.

[@toddgittins5692]

Nothing like dabbling in railroading. Saw it from my tablet screen, as close as I want to get to it.

[@acts2211]

I was just about to type the question why would you run the long Hood forward with the engineer on the right side in about 4 seconds later you answer the question thank you

[@joeystrains.9316]

Does osha not allow cameras to be used with locomotives? Seems like a necessity.

[@jeanniejares2783]

Hi my name is Chris I like your video

[@Shaken_AND_Stirred]

Interesting. I didn’t realize the control stand was actually on the other side of the cab, but it makes sense then if the locomotive was purposely designed to run long hood forward then. Which also puts the toilet/head at the rear instead of the front. So does the locomotive have the side “F” painted on what would normally be the rear of the locomotive now? Maybe it was on there, but I didn’t see it.

[@Shaken_AND_Stirred]

Ok, I saw one of your replies down below, and I should have caught this in the video. Since the locomotive is considered “bi-directional” , I guess there is no need for the side “F” painted on what would normally be the front. So it’s not on the locomotive at all then.

[@slendermanRblx]

I noticed these have two sets of horns, one on each end. How does the driver switch between horns? Is there a second horn lever or a valve that reroutes the air from the front horn to the rear horn?

[@robertclark6349]

I believe some of those SDMs have been scrapped.

[@voltigeurrelics]

Still see them on occasion on NS in the south. Where did you film this? I originally worked on WLE and the video looks Ohio ish. Now I’m on the C of GA territory.

[@phatboizbackyardkustomz9006]

I didn't think it mattered long end short end due to at most times there is no way turn it around unless there id a turn table or round about. In my area tracks go north and south. they go long one way and short the other.

[@taslimchoudhary1253]

Awesome 🌳🌼🇮🇳🌳🌼

[@erbewayne6868]

Austin to Lacrosse- old Milwaukee row?

[@UPRAILFANOFSOUTHERNILLINOIS]

Does Austin still work as a locomotive engineer for the Chesapeake And Indiana Railroad I'd like too meet him some time he seems like a very nice guy

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

He is no longer with them. He works for the Toledo, Peoria & Western now.

[@lxdesign1]

Just like my Alco RS-3

[@ericdaniel7069]

Wasnt this video already posted awhile back?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Yes, but the narration was horrible.

[@smalltownwireless]

What is the clicking close to the end of the video. It almost sounds like electrical.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Air spitter valve on the SD-M.

[@majobis]

Where I live in MN there is a place called the Jackson Street Round House also known as Minnesota Transportation Museum. They have a High Hood Geep GP-7 Soo Line 559 (ex Rock Island 1223) They use that mostly on the train excursions over at Osceloa WI. The 559 was the prime mover until they got a Burlington Northern 6234 - general Motors (EMD) SD9 which is now the prime mover The 559 is a backup or a short line run to Dresser WI and back to the Osceola Depot Here is a shot of the Soo 559 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6e0ma19ZZZrhbc

[@scottrayhons2537]

What town is the Minnesota Transportation Museum located? That would be fun to go see it.

[@cadenmcmexican7999]

Aka the best locomotives

[@Salvacottontail]

"Not one of you are going to make out alive after this"

[@pixelapse9613]

8:55 Ayo WTF

[@aidenttherailfanofkentucky2363]

How do you get in the cab and stuff?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Not acting like a foamer gets you places. LOL. Austin is a close friend.

[@aidenttherailfanofkentucky2363]

@@DelayInBlockProductions ohh ok

[@wb4514]

What’s all the yelling about at 1:43 ?

[@MatthewHill]

5:55 I don't think I'd want to own any of those houses immediately alongside the tracks. That continuous horn blowing is quite obnoxious. It's not too bad when it's off in the distance, but he's going full blast on that thing only a couple of dozen feet from the closest houses.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

You get used to it after awhile.

[@gdrriley420]

Interesting choice to set them up to run long way forward. That reasoning doesn’t make a ton of sense to me

[@neffam3]

TLDR: The railroad company wanted to save crew hours, therefore saving money. The railroads thought if they made the worst way to look out of the locomotive the "front", the crew wouldn't complain as much about visibility when running the locomotive backwards since they'd only have to look around the short hood. In the "normal" configuration, running backwards means you have to look all the way around the long hood from the left (US railroads are designed around engineers sitting on and looking from the right side). Therefore, train crews wouldn't have an excuse to flip the locomotive around when running a train the other direction. This saves time, which saves money.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

This is correct.

[@thomasklimchuk441]

One reason why was in some of Southern states there were a lot of rail crossing without gates or lights at crossing so if you hit a truck you wouldn't have a ton of graval on top of you NS would still have been running short high hoods but they would have had to pay extra for this since GM and GE were only building short hoods But what you expect from a backwards company That until recently they had no chemical toilets on their units They use to have bags to sh*t in then you would take the bag with you at the end of your shift

[@raymondleggs5508]

glugg glugg glugg glugg

[@HuntOfficial1776]

It feels cursed to see a C&O style logo on an ex NS engine

[@MrTommyboy68]

I always envied the engineers on trains. Just thinking of how cool it is to be sitting in front of a massive engine, pulling a boat load of cars behind you. This is a different look at how this type of train operates. I had fleeting thoughts about trying to work a large engine until I read an interview with a retired engineer who related how some ass clown drove AROUND THE ARMS AT A CROSSING and the train hit him at better than 40 mph. It killed everyone in the car and it caused the engineer a lot of nightmares. The court trial was awful. He got drug through the mud DESPITE ALL SIGNALS OPERATING, ARMS DOWN. Lawyers are truly the scum of the earth. People don't realize you don't stop a fully loaded 100 or so car train on a dime. It took him over a mile to get stopped. I spent 3 years in Germany and rode the trains and subways a LOT. Over there, you KNOW BETTER than to drive around the arms when a train is approaching. I would still like to ride in the cab for just one long haul trip. Excellent video. It takes some mad skills to be able to operate these things. My hat is off to everyone who DOES get to operate a train.

[@CombatBuckee]

Sassy daddy😍🥰

[@jamieryan9101]

You should probably blur out the graffiti at the very end....

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Whoops… I did Nazi that until you mentioned it. Ouch. Oh well.

[@caitlinf2906]

@@DelayInBlockProductions I would repost. That’s pretty bad

[@kennypeapea2256]

@@DelayInBlockProductions Well it's backasswards anyway! 😆 Fret not trolls!

[@rposton919]

Vanity can't function without its dark glasses. Anytime, anywhere.....

[@andrewbrown2956]

My dad who is locomotive engineer at southern railway in 1974-1982 and he hate it because of high hood and long hood and view wasn't better lol, my dad retired at Norfolk southern in 2007

[@loucosmotivaferromodelismo6560]

😜👍🏽🇧🇷

[@jaysonhaselton]

How the hell was this foamer allowed up on this motor with a camera while that kid was running?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

How? Simple. I didn’t act like a foamer. I was kind, courteous, stood safely around the tracks, and had all the proper PPE required to ride along. Management invited me to ride with Austin and I accepted. I hope that answers your question, Jayson.

[@brianburns7211]

I don’t know why you guys act like you’re going to orgasm over a Hhhhigh Hhhhooood. NS equipped their engines with the most uncomfortable cab appliances possible. They wanted to be as dehumanizing to the employees as possible with making them shit in a bag. This was until BLE dragged them into court.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

High Hoods pre-date NS. None were ordered new for NS post 1982.

[@3RTracing]

why do you content creators insist on calling EMD sheet metal high and low hoods?? EMD NEVER EVER called them that and in fact in all the EMD literature it refers to the sheet metal as a "car body" and in some cases a "low nose". Seems like folks who are interested in providing accurate information about locomotives would at the least use the nomenclature manufacturers, and some railroads used for decades. Sounds so silly to say hi hood and low hood.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Literally no one but you refers to them that way.

[@drewrichardpenna2518]

That’s so cool cool trains