Just thinking of the thousands of smart people who must’ve worked so many hours to design such an impressive piece of engineering is humbling.

I never imagined that a locomotive's systems and controls were so complicated. I watched the entire video and found it to be very interesting. Perhaps just as impressive is the fact that you have all this knowledge and details of how everything works. Thank you very much for making this video Tom.

Best video on KZfaq. No stupid music. No BS. Just info from a guy who knows what he’s talking about.

Thank you for taking the time to teach us railfans the basic mechanics of locomotive operation!!! You did a great job!

Thank you. This has been the most thorough description of just about anything I've ever seen. Bravo

Been a mechanic for 32 years. Loved everything. Especially the engine. Thanks

Your knowledge of all those systems on the EMD DDA40X is amazing!!! Thank you for the tour. I found it fascinating.

One of the most interesting behind-the-doors videos I've seen. In depth, thorough, and complete. A big thanks for good, steady camera work.

This one hour and forty minutes video felt like 30 minutes. I've learned so much in that time about many things I've always wondered about a diesel locomotive ! I knew a few things already, but many other things surprised me. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience in this video. Now, finally I can perhaps (try to) impress my 80 year old father, who is a long time miniature train HO scale hobbyist, with a few unknown (to him) details about his models. I had the opportunity, and the chance, to ride on the biggest diesel locomotive in Canada back in 1978, which was the experimental Canadian Pacific 4744 (MLW M-640). I was 13 years old at the time (my father knew some people at C.P.). But this 6922 is much bigger than that !

This is one of the best "explain it all" videos I have ever seen, bar none. You have a vast amount of knowledge that make a layman on trains, like me, actually understand how the infernal contraption functions. It is a shame this engine was not rebuilt and kept in service. America needs trains and keeping the past alive in a profitable manner is vitally important. THANK YOU SIR!!!

I love diesel locomotives, but I'm not mechanically inclined whatsoever, and this video was a real treat. To have a experienced tour guide for this beautiful machine was just fantastic!

I did not fall asleep watching this thorough explanation of this locomotive of how everything works. Just an amazing well put together presentation.

I stayed up waaay past bedtime to finish the video, it was that good. And I'm not really a train guy. But I do like to see how a thing works whatever it is and you did an excellent presentation. I just wanted you to know I appreciate the time and effort you put into making the video and say thank you.

I was hoping it simply wasn't a fan boy flapping his lips for an hour forty, and boy I wasn't disappointed! You have done a fine job ,sir!

Tom, I ran coal and freight for Burlington Northern out of Edgemont, SD beginning in 1976. In '78 or so, we were receiving 5-day-old SD 40-2's in our consists. We were also getting brand-new GE loco's as well. The paint in the cabs was still soft! These 645's still "arouse" me when I hear them run. They were and still are such BEAUTIFUL works of art. I could tell you all sorts of stories in my years out there. Anyway, thank you so much for your work here...I am very proud of your effort in this presentation. At that point in my life, I was actually LIVING on these....as I was never home....always on the road. It was so good to crawl up into one of these when it was 15 or 20 below out in Wyoming during the miserable winters. But, they were equally as miserable in the summer months during relentless heat.

By far the best 1 1/2 hours I have ever spent on KZfaq. So much knowledge presented in a clear manner. Simply fantastic. Thank you for sharing this. :)

Quite possibly the best video I have watched in ages! Your such an interesting guy to listen to and learn from. Would never tire listening to you. Thanks for making and sharing!

The absolute best engineering tour of an EMD I have EVER seen. Thankyou.

The knowledge is equally as impressive as the locomotive, defiantly captured my interest. Thank you for taking the time to break everything down.

An hour and forty minutes out of you life and worth every minute of it! Thanks!!!

I worked at EMD in 1969 when these things were built. Being 103 feet long, they could not be carried directly down the erection bay, which was only 100 feet column-to-column. They moved them on third shif with two 250 ton bridge cranes, shuffling the frame through the columns.

Yes, Traveling Tom, a wonderful presentation that has kept the interest of a retired locomotive engineer who operated the still operational (to this day) Centennial UP 6936 at 75 MPH just a few years ago on a UP passenger special over the Amtrak Texas Eagle route. Have also run the E9s. Let me say, the Centennial is a HOTROD, just like a pair of EMD Amtrak F40PHs used to be. I really loved it when they added the rooftop Air Conditioner to it. Did NOT like the addition of the UP Wings to the nose. Liked it better original.

I just spent an hour and forty minutes and fourteen seconds learning about a train I will never get to drive good video man

I never knew listening to a dude talking about a locomotive could be so interesting! You literally know everything about everything on there. Sharing that knowledge is very cool. Thanks!

You have a great background to be the one to explain this to us.. Awesome video!

Never in my life did I think I would sit and watch a video like this. Let alone the whole thing start to finish!! I must say,,, that was one of the most informative, and interesting videos I've ever watched! Great Job Tom!! I now have a new perspective of watching a train drive buy me while stopped at the crossing. Thanks for the vid!!

Starts video, 1:40 long. No way I'll finish. Yet here we are. Top notch video sir. Many thanks

That was the fastest 1:40:15. Thank you for sharing your knowledge for us.

You know when you look at this engineering Marvel, it's a Diesel Big Boy , two drive motors in one locomotive

This was wonderful. I watched it with far more attention than I give a typical movie these days. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I had so much rather work on GM EMD locomotives than GE, any day! I did so a little over 37 years. I've been retired around a dozen years, and so when you would be unclear about something, I would write it down. Your knowledge is outstanding. You know more about the systems than most anyone I've heard on KZfaq. I'm going to fill in the blanks, not complaining, just filling in the spots for your tour knowledge. On the control stand, on the upper right side is, (left to right), Engine Run, Generator Field, & Control & Fuel Pump. Your cooling switches are T1 (picks up coil on #1 fan contactor which supplies two phases to #1 (radiator fan, which is closest to cab), T2, picks up # 2 contactor and supplies two phases to # 2 cooling fan, and T3, picks up coil to #3 cooling fan contactor which supplies two phases to #3 cooling fan. The third leg of all the fan motors connect to the #3 lead going to the ACTB bolt #3 on the companion alternator on the main generator or alternator. The temperature switch that was missing is ETS switch, it turn on the over heat engine temperature alarm bell. Some units cut back on excitation and turn on all AC cooling fans, till the temperature goes below a certain temp. setting. Traction Motors leads are A, AA, F, & FF. This is so the power can be switched from power to dynamic breaking, and different configurations for transition. Series, parallel, and about 4 more steps in there. The old SD24's had 23 steps of transition, if I remember correctly. Running transition in test mode, sounded like a cart being driven on a cobble- stone road by two donkeys! clipity-klop. 27 pin MU receptical. This is on the end of every locomotive so that one control stand can control functions of how ever many locos are "MU'ED" to it. The area on the ends of the loco. where a crane can pick it up that LOOKS worn, is actually ground that way, so the sharp edge isn't against the hook, but the "meat" of the hole can touch more of the hook and not concentrate pressures in two places. Hyatt roller journal bearings with an oil bath and Timken bearings, that don't have the oil bath. The hole with the sealed plate and a clip in it, some are still used. This is the old caboose system of FART ROCK. If the box gets hot, the lead clip melts and a spring blows out a foul smell into the air. The caboose would ride thru it and the conductor would smell it and know there was a hot box on the train. The back section, that was locked up, contained an air-duct for the end traction motor. Also the long hood end Sand Tank, and overhead access to the Radiators. Also to access the Cooling Fan Conduit. Sometimes the cooling fan recepticals were in there. Most of the time, the cover grill came off with several clip clamps and you reach down thru the blades and unscrew and pull out the power plug. Occasionally they were burnt up and it wasn't easy. I designed a tool to remove those that were melted in place. I designed the GM EMD water pump lifter, that a general foreman took full credit for. Ostracised again! The story of my life! Bar-over jack, to turn the engine over manually. Re-Railer device. Wood works best. The Auxillary Generator is direct geared to the engine. The Traction motor blower is on its shaft. The Aux Gen supplies battery charging voltage as well as 74 volts DC, for Control Voltage for all the electrical systems of the locomotive. The Binder, keeps the Journal box pedestals from spreading, plus it keeps the journal boxes from sliding out of the spider. Turbo pump. 940rpm top speed in notch 8. The aspirator hatch blower is just above the main generator room. It runs on AC. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL TOUR. I subbed.

Watching this video I got a whole new respect for those who design, build, maintain, and operate these very large, powerful, and complex machines. Thanks to ALL involved with the video. GREAT JOB!

That has to be the most informative railroad video I have ever watched! Thank you very much! I’ll probably watch this a dozen times! 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Thats how you explain a master piece of engineering in simple terms, from the exhaust stack to the interface with the rail, an excellent video. Thanks.

Tom, As a mechanic and train enthusiast and huge admirer of the DDX this is the BEST video and most informative. Excellent job and I couldn't pull myself away even to eat. Well Done and congratulations.

Aug 2022: First watched this video over two years ago. Re-watched and enjoyed how Tom answers common questions as he goes. Great stuff!

Terrific in depth tour! Thank you for taking the time to do this!

Great video!! So educational. Loved the anecdote about the conductor applying the emergency brakes.

Thank you sir. Excellent post. You explained the functions and the parts very well and didn’t get all technical so the lay person couldn’t understand. I believe even young kids could understand your tour. The railroad has been a major part of this country just like baseball and apple pie. My son now works for BN in Nebraska and is very proud to do so. To me he is like an Army vet, cop, fireman, doctor, EMT, nurse, pilot, trucker, etc. professions that keep this country humming. My daughter is a RN working the COVID ward/floor in her hospital. I’m really proud of both of them and hope they can make a video as good as yours someday. 😊😷❤️🚂💉🇺🇸

So glad you showed the valvetrain on a complete engine. Industrial diesels are works of art. Cost-no-object design for years of flawless operation.

Probably the best video I've watched in some time. You explain things in a way that the technical people will enjoy (me) but also the average person can understand. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

That was the greatest Train explanation i have ever seen.My uncle use to work for the trains in Saint Louis and while he was in the Army also.Thanks very much

Wow. That thing is a MONSTER. Incredible engineering.

Thanks. Tom. You're bringing back some memories. In the early '70s, I was in charge of the installation and start-up of an EMD Emergency Motor Generator Set at a Nuclear Power Plant, air start. The first time I heard that air motor shriek, I thought something was wrong, then that big-assed diesel sprung to life, and the whole room shook. Look out! In phase, regulated emergency power in 5 seconds from a dead stop.

Thanks Tom, this show was amazing and so well done! Makes me appreciate every train I see even more.

Tom. Thanks so very much for this in-depth tour of this amazing piece of retired UP equipment. Literally everything an enthusiast would want to know about a diesel-electric (EMD) locomotive.

This is the most detailed ,explained locomotive tour video I'v ever seen in youtube .you have handled the video camera very well while you explain . Thank you Sir.

Fantastic video tons of information easy to follow and listen to thank you for all of your time and effort you put into this video. As a retired truck driver I enjoy learning about all the different forms of merchants transportation. Trains, ships trucks, ECT. Extremely interesting the entire 1 hour and 40 minutes other than the wiring a lot of the systems are basic just 10 times XL. Fantastic!👍✌️

First time viewing your channel. I literally just learned like 40 things I didn't know before watching. Much appreciated 👍

This was a fascinating journey through an iconic piece of railroad history. It was also an amazingly detailed and well-organized look at the function of any EMD two-stroke locomotive. Huge thanks for putting this together!

Great video. As a mechanic I really appreciated the view and commentary

Excellent video. Thank you. Much more entertaining than anything Hollywood puts out.

Now that was an informative video, you can only watch them going bye for a while, I could watch this all day long.

That is one of the best You Tube videos I've ever seen. Extremely detailed. Thank you for taking the time to put this together for us.

Ran into this KZfaq by accident...sure glad I did! Thanks for the tour!

Thank you Tom for giving us such an in-depth explanation of this locomotive. Honestly, the best explanation of any subject I have ever viewed on the internet. Also, thank you for backing me up on "never changing the oil" at 1hr 13min (video time) as oil never looses it's slipperiness, only becomes contaminated.

Most INFORMATIVE Video I'm seen on a Locomotive.

Thank you for the tour, Traveling Tom. Very well done!

Excellent - know more about locomotive engines from one video than anything I new before :-)

One of the best locomotive videos on KZfaq.

I know this is an older video, but thanks. I learned some things I didn't even realize about trains. I appreciate the time and effort you put into making this video!

Tom, excellent video. Thanx for sharing your vast knowledge. I am looking forward to seeing more of your videos. Thanx again for your hard work and great effort. Keep them coming!

For those that come to see a Centennial in recent passenger service, just search on You Tube here, UP 6936, UP Centennial 6936, etc. Betcha this good experience fella Tom here has worked on it! She was COMPLETELY rebuilt and rewired in 1994 (I'm talking "Zero-Lifed," as in made Brand NEW, ready for another one million miles). Unfortunately she hit a Mud Drilling Truck in 2000 in South Louisiana, sadly killing a Manager sitting in the middle seat (the engineer and conductor survived, but all the weight of the incoming drilling mud literally drowned the Manager in the middle seat). So the 6936 was out of service was out of service for over a year at the Jenks Shops in North Little Rock, AR, where shes been totally rebuilt in 1994. No frame damage. There had been rumors that HAD there been frame damage, or extensive such, ons months other Csntennials sitting static across the System or in a Museum would be swappednoitnto replacenthe 6936. This never happened. A modificarionnwas made to the nose to make it safer, along with extensive repairs of course. Total repaint. Since 1994, the locomotives 2 prime movers (diesel motors) capable of running up a MILLION Miles apiece had only acquired just over a hundred thousand miles each as well as thr traction alternators. So all that just got light work. Power assembly replacements in some cases. Truck rebuilds necause the initnhad ALWAYS nwdn getting roigh-riding complaints. The addition of aid conditioning (great!).

I learned a great deal form this video. Thank you!

Thank you for such a clear and comprehensive explanation of the workings of these amazing big diesels.

Can't thank you enough, I enjoyed this tour SOOOO much!

Brought back many memories. Doug Thompson, CSX machinist Corbin Ky, CSX locomotive shop. Retired 23.5 years in 2004.

My dad was n train driver in south africa in KZN and then western cape the outeniqwa choo tjoo . Every day after school ill jump in the cab with him . Was the greatest time om my life

This is the best most in depth look at a locomotive I have ever seen. THANK YOU !!!!!

Thanks for your effort put into making this video. My grandfather worked for Illinois Central RR and my father for L&N RR, and I was mechanic on heavy trucks /equipment (dozers, excavators, etc), so I knew some about locomotives already but I learned a lot here. Will be looking for more content from you in the future.

This sure was in depth and a LOT of thought went into the making of this unit. And Thanks, Tom! You did your job well!

Thanks for sharing the knowledge !

Good walk around. Just the right level of detail and commentary.

Wow, I'm going to look at locomotives in an all different light now. This has been so good to see. Thanks for your time, Lee

Thoroughly enjoyed this film. Thanks TT.

As a locomotive engineer for NS I still love this stuff!!

Many thanks for the informative, in-depth tour of this legendary locomotive! 👍👍

You've answered basically all of my questions on technical aspects of the diesel electric locomotive. Appreciative of the hard work. Thanks!

One of the Top 5 educational video on KZfaq. Wow ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

That was great, thanks. The most detailed and no messing about look around I've seen. My father was an electrical fitter mechanic that wired and commissioned a lot of 60s and 70s diesel electric locos in Queensland Australia. As a kid I remember cutting up old 12 by 4 foot and bigger, circuit diagrams for drawing on. Never short of paper at our place..Also had boxes of those plastic wire identification collars, big long strings of them, numbers and letters. different sizes too. played with them like little caterpillars. Must have lost hundreds of them.

Great Video Tom! I had a friend that worked at the old UP Shops in Omaha in the 1970's and had lots of questions you just answered! Thank you sir! :-)

Hi Tom, I watched your whole video is one sitting! Very informative and had my eye glued the whole time! Pretty amazing machine and thank you for taking the time to do this video!

The best damn locomotive tour ever. Up close and personal. 👍

Thank you very much for taking the time to make this awesome video!

Such a great video, every question I have ever wondered about was answered thoroughly. Plus your personal experiences really made it easy to understand. Cheers! Subscribed!

that diesel engine made billions of dollars for America.

I also didn't think I could watch over 100 minutes of a single video without snoozing off. But boy!, was I wrong. The information is so interesting and well presented that I sat riveted to my computer screen. Thanks for taking the time to explain it so thoroughly.

Absolutely the best tour/explanation of anything I've ever experienced.

Good work man, that was very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you, sir, for that awesome tour of that magnificent piece of engineering wonder.

Tom- Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. My son and I really enjoyed watching this together. Probably one of our favorite videos.

Massive amount of Knowledge Explained in Easy to understand format. Thank You. Your love for your profession shows.

Thank you for sharing your knowlegde on the locomotive systems. Its neat to see the similarities and differences between our EMD 645's in the tugboats. Keep up these great in depth videos! You know your stuff.

Great video, Tom. Much appreciated.

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to make this Fantastic video. We all appreciate it

You really know your stuff, excellent video on this locomotive.

13:20 is the exact reason why I love the sticks instead of the buttons. I try not wake up the whole damn city at night when I run. Great video

Before the days of touchscreens. Actual levers, buttons and analog Guages!

One of the best explanations on a road engine I 've listened to. Thank you Sir for taking the time to educate us on this engine. WOW! I loved every minute of this video.