Other Locomotives
| Category | Other Locomotives |
|---|---|
| Propulsion Type | Various |
| Era of Primary Use | Various |
| Approx. Loco Types | ~1 |
Railroading has always produced motive power that defies easy categorization. Gas-mechanical and gas-electric locomotives appeared in the early 20th century as railroads sought cheaper alternatives to steam for light branch line service, using internal combustion engines driving either mechanical transmissions or onboard generators. Turbine locomotives represented an ambitious mid-century experiment — Union Pacific's gas turbine-electrics hauled heavy freight across Wyoming for nearly two decades, and several railroads tested steam turbine designs in the 1940s and 1950s in search of a technology that might outperform the diesel before that contest was decisively settled. Maintenance-of-way equipment — track geometry cars, ballast regulators, motorized section cars — occupies a different niche entirely, providing the operational backbone of railroad infrastructure without ever appearing in a revenue consist. What these diverse machines share is that none of them fit within the three dominant categories of steam, diesel-electric, or straight electric traction.
The historical significance of non-standard motive power varies considerably by type. Gas-electric motorcars, sometimes called "doodlebugs," were a practical and widely used solution for rural passenger service in the interwar period, operated by hundreds of railroads across the country before being displaced by highway competition and then bus service. Turbine locomotives, by contrast, were a technological detour — impressive in their ambition but ultimately uncompetitive against the maturing diesel. Industrial and narrow gauge equipment that found its way into interchange service, early internal combustion switchers, and the various hybrid designs that appeared during the long transition away from steam all contribute to a category defined more by what it isn't than by any single unifying technology.
In O Gauge, this category also encompasses novelty and fantasy power units that have no direct prototype reference — vehicles produced for play value or visual interest rather than prototype accuracy. These items are cataloged here to keep the classification system complete and consistent. Individual product pages provide detail on the specific prototype basis, if any, for each model in this category.
Loco Types by Manufacturer[edit | edit source]
- Various
- * Doodlebug (13 products)