Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #347234 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-15
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

Review
Trains, April 2007
“Another winner for author Brian Solomon. As we’ve come to expect from his previous work, this title includes detailed, comprehensive text, and crisp, vivid photography from the collections of top rail photographers all across the world. It shouldn’t be missed.”

O Scale Trains, December 2006
“Symbolizes the emergence of Voyageur Press to the front ranks of railroad book publishers … one of the top ten railroad books to emerge during 2006 … it is the perfect gift for more than just modeling fans or motive power enthusiasts; rather, it will appeal to any reader who loves railroads and the economic challenges they faced during the last half of the previous century.”

From the Inside Flap
In this lavishly illustrated book, Brian Solomon recounts the heritage of some of the greatest locomotives ever produced by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, including its F units, workhorse GPs and SDs, and the high-tech three-phase AC traction machines of today.

In addition to thoroughly explaining the performance capabilities of these legendary locomotives, Solomon also chronicles EMD’s history in light of GM’s decision to sell the division in 2005. He not only highlights the locomotive maker’s glory years—from when it introduced its high-quality diesel offerings in the 1930s to the zenith of its locomotive production in the 1960s—but also its struggle to stay competitive in the locomotive market in the 1980s and 1990s.

EMD Locomotives is the most detailed look at this locomotive manufacturer ever published, with more than 200 stunning photographs that every railfan will enjoy.

From the Back Cover
Celebrating one of the most renowned railroad locomotive manufacturers, EMD Locomotives offers an unprecedented look at the legendary Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Sold off in 2005 after a 75-year partnership with GM, EMD sparked a revolution in railroading, effectively replacing steam with its post–World War II diesel-electrics. These powerful machines greatly improved productivity and helped railroads survive in the fiercely competitive transportation market.

In this book, Brian Solomon not only presents a detailed history of EMD but also a stunning collection of photography, highlighting many significant EMD locomotives—from the earliest 1920s railcars and the iconic midcentury F units to the workhorse GPs and SDs and the high-tech three-phase AC traction machines of today. Many of the photos come from the top railway photographers of the last half century.

Customer Reviews

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.

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".

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.