Book suggestions about diesel locomotives?

[manoverboard93]

Hey all, looking for a good reference book or two about diesel locomotives. I want to be able to accurately ID units I see in the yards and on the mains. Looking for a book that's affordable and covers all the bases from the early years to the contemporary. There's too many to choose from! I need some help.

Also what are some good specs to look engines over for in terms of how to ID engines? I am having a lot of trouble finding ID differences between a lot of newer units. For instance how would I know how to specifacly tell a SD70MAC from a ES44DC?

Thanks.

-Smiley

 

[kenw]

IMHO the best dead-tree versions are the Diesel Spotters Guides. The original version covers from the very beginnning (20s) thru 1965, later ones take over after that.

For contemporary spotting our own online guide is here:
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=66

 

[Mr. Pick]

Smiley,

I don't have a book to recommend, but here is a website that may help. It lists pretty much every locomotive you will come across while out train watching by train number. I take pics of the engines I see, and then look them up on the diesel shop web site to see what they are. After doing that a while it's amazing how many you begin to recognize by sight.

Good luck, and enjoy!

http://www.thedieselshop.us/

 

[manoverboard93]

Thanks for the advice fellas. Always nice to have resources from the web cause it's free!

-Smiley