I totally agree with Doug Hartman concerning the difficulties associated with climbing up on a GE AND the difficulties attendant to finally GETTIN' in the cab !
The throttle was a never-ending amazement to me. Why 16 notches?, few of them worked !!! A gauge light "dimmer" that wouldn't dim the gauge lights. A ground relay reset that was inaccessable from the cab. Transition events that registered at least 7.5 on the Richter Scale, an empty boiler room and a toilet STUFFED into the nose rendering it nearly unusable plus myriad other issues unique to these "things" !!
I can say that the arrival of the C30-7's was a welcomed day. THOSE were some fine locomotives !! Quiet in the cab, quite good ride qualities, dependable and
VERY good pullers.
The SD40 and, in its final form, the SD40-2 was without equal. Tireless creatures that rarely failed to do more than they were supposed ta do. In a Locomotive Hall of Fame the 40-2 would certainly be present !!!
70MAC's ?? Now THAT's a WHOLE different world !!!
Karl