21st Century Diesel Spotting?

[Ed Sand]

Like an insect stuck in amber, my ability to distinguish models of diesel seems to have frozen at about 1980. Now, to my surprise, I've found that I have a need to be able to tell an Evo from an Ace.

I've seen there was a revision to The Diesel Spotter's Guide about a decade ago, but is there anything (online or paper) that people would recommend to bring me up to date?

 

[BN6339]

Diesel spotting

Google is your friend....there are numerous rosters which can help id locomotives/numbers, then its a short step to decipher what you see trackside.....my reference is frozen around 2004ish, so I feel you there....

 

[Tower 55]

The ACe will have a boxier nose profile, the EVO will have a more angular nose.

The ACE will look like larger versions of the rads on a SD45, the EVO will look like it is two-piece with several different angles.

 

[kenw]

There was a spotters guide here on RRF.

 

[Ed Sand]

There was a spotters guide here on RRF.

And a very helpful thing that is too! I didn't even realize there was a whole "Online Spotters Guide" forum, no less.

http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1280


Google...pshaw!

 

[NM_RailNut]

The Diesel Shop http://www.thedieselshop.us/ also has diagrams and technical information on these and other EMD and GE units in addition to roster information.
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http://www.thedieselshop.us/

 

[Davidellias]

I don't know about other class one's, but both CSX and NS have the type of locomotive in small text under the Number. That is if you have good enough eyesight to see it.