Talk:Montreal Locomotive Works

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Cab design[edit]

The crew comfort cab, soon redesignated as 'safety cab", was a result of a committee set up by the railways and the BLE that worked with the builders to produce an improved cab design. The first units were GMD GP38-2F 5560 6/23/73 possibly an add-on unit of an order for 60 units, followed by an order for 50 units later in the year. At the same time MLW 2500 6/14/73 was the first of an order for 80 units. The designation F was for "Full" width cab front. W is a railfan designation for "wide" cab, a misnomer since the cab cannot be "wide" beyond standard measure. In railway parlance anything "wide" is considered a dimensional load beyond normal and may require special handling.

R.L.Kennedy 02:34, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)

R.L., this brings up a good point. I've seen at least a dozen articles that variously refer to "Safety cabs", "North American safety cabs", "wide cabs", "North American cabs", "CN cabs", etc. Maybe it is time for a little article that all of these could link to. The term "Draper taper" also comes up repeatedly. Fawcett5 03:09, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Jet locomotive design[edit]

The statement near the end of this page about the Jet locomotive being based on old MLW/Alco designs is, I believe, quite incorrect. This locomotive is an entirely new design like nothing else on the rails. It is being tested and waiting orders. It is the outcome of a desire for a high speed locomotive not requiring overhead wires and is similar in appearance to the model HHP-8 8000HP electric locomotives built for Amtrak 1999-2002.

R.L.Kennedy 22:24, 31 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Nav box templates[edit]

The diesel models template is still incomplete - need to add foreign/export models, and possibly some missing domestic units. A steam models template should also be created by someone knowledgeable in this area, although I might try in a few weeks after some research. Plasma east 09:36, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I haven't created templates for steam models by any manufacturer mostly because I see them discussed by wheel arrangement more than by manufacturer's model number (so we've got Template:Whyte types, but not Template:Baldwin steam engines or Template:ALCO steam engines for example). If we can put together enough information on specific steam engine models based on manufacturer specs, then we can build steam engine nav box templates. slambo 14:19, Mar 9, 2005 (UTC)


Steam locomotive construction was very different than that of diesel locomotives. There really weren't any steam models the way diesel models exist due to production line manufacture. I think you are best to stay with wheel arrangements based upon the Whyte System. Steam locomotives were more the design of either the railroad itself, or in the case of small roads they used standard designs of the builder or designs taken directly from locomotives previously built for a major road. The CPR was big on "Standards" and they had identical locomotives built by a number of builders including their own shops. You could not tell them apart from one another. The same part fit every engine. Blueprints in the cabinet identified the class and sub class of the engine, not the actual builder. I worked in the CPR Locomotive Department and saw these blueprints.


I could swear that during the time that I worked there I saw ALCO engine drawings, but I could be mistaken. It's almost 26 years ago since I "left" there. --Peter Horn 02:44, 17 July 2006 (UTC)--Peter Horn 02:47, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

Montreal Locomotive Works Works Plate 53632 / 1913[edit]

This "Birth Certification" belonged to Western Coal & Coke Company Nr.1. Locomotive in question was a standard gauge 4-6-0 (2C) weight 50.85 tons, cylinders (dia & stroke) 18x24 in driving wheels (dia) 50 in. This locomotive was purchased from user by Mr. Doude for Mid Contincutel? Railway Museum (hand written addition note in ALCo works list).

Cleanup tag[edit]

I am re-adding the cleanup tag to this page; I probably should have explained my rationale the first time I did so. Anyway, I added the cleanup tag because there are a number of passages in the text of the article, enclosed in brackets, which appear to be commentary on or corrections to the text of the article (such as "Wrong. The safety cab was never..." and "This is incorrect. The 251V18 M640..."). However, neither these bracketed comments, nor the article itself are referenced, so it would be inappropriate for me to simply merge the bracketed comments with the text of the article. Thus, it seems to me that there are two reasonable courses of action: remove the bracketed comments from the article, and move them to a new section on the Talk page, or, conduct the necessary research to either support or refute the assertions made in the bracketed comments, edit the article appropriately, and add references to support those facts. The first is more of a "quick fix", and the second would require a certain amount of labor.

CANDU steam generators[edit]

The article should mention AECL awarded construction of CANDU steam generators to MLW. I'm also trying to track down their hydroelectric turbines. --69.46.127.7 (talk) 14:22, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]