You’re standing on a platform, wind whipping your hair, as a massive steel beast rumbles toward the station. Most people just point and say, "There’s the train." But if you’re looking at that leading car—the one with the windows, the controls, and the horn—what are you actually looking at? Honestly, it depends on what kind of track you’re standing next to. It’s not always an engine.
The most common answer is the locomotive. That’s the heavy hitter. It’s the powerhouse. But if you’re riding a commuter rail in Chicago or a subway in New York, calling the front of the train a locomotive might actually be wrong. Rail enthusiasts—or "foamers" as they’re sometimes affectionately (or not) called—will be the first to tell you that the front of the train is called different things based on its function. Sometimes it’s a cab car. Sometimes it’s a multiple unit. Sometimes it’s just a "power car."
It’s kinda confusing until you break down how the physics of the train actually works.
The Classic Locomotive: The Guts and the Glory
When people think of the front of the train, they’re usually picturing a locomotive. This is a standalone vehicle designed specifically to provide the pulling or pushing power for the rest of the consist (that’s the rail term for the line of cars). It doesn’t carry passengers. It doesn’t carry freight inside itself. It’s basically just a massive engine on wheels.
In North America, you’re mostly looking at Diesel-Electric locomotives. Companies like Progress Rail (Electro-Motive Diesel) and Wabtec (GE Transportation) dominate this space. Inside that front unit, a massive diesel engine turns a generator, which creates electricity to run traction motors on the axles. It’s a rolling power plant.
But here is a weird twist.
On many modern passenger routes, the locomotive is actually at the back of the train for half the trip. This is called "push-pull" operation. When the train is being pushed, the "front" of the train isn't a locomotive at all. It’s a cab car.
The Stealth Front: What is a Cab Car?
If you’ve ever seen a train that looks like a regular passenger car but has a little window and a horn at the very end, you’ve spotted a cab car. These are ingenious. They allow a train to be operated from either end without having to turn the entire locomotive around at a terminal.
In a push-pull setup:
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- The locomotive sits at one end.
- The cab car sits at the other.
- Control cables (called Multi-Unit or MU cables) run the entire length of the train.
When the engineer is in the cab car at the front, they are remotely controlling the locomotive way in the back. It feels like the train is being pushed by an invisible hand. Metra in Chicago, Caltrain in California, and the MBTA in Boston use this setup constantly. It saves time. It saves fuel. It’s basically the "front" of the train by job description, but not by power source.
The "EMU" and "DMU" Confusion
Then we get into the world of subways and high-speed rail. In these cases, there often isn't a single "front" unit that does all the work. Instead, the power is spread out under the floor of every single car. These are called Multiple Units.
If it’s electric, it’s an EMU (Electric Multiple Unit). If it’s diesel, it’s a DMU.
Think of the London Underground or the Tokyo Shinkansen. The "front" of the train is simply the Leading Motor Car. It looks sleek and aerodynamic, but it’s essentially just a passenger car with a cockpit. The beauty of this design is that if one motor fails, the others keep the train moving. You don't have a single point of failure like you do with a lone locomotive.
Is it a "Head End" or a "Lead Unit"?
In the freight world, terms get a bit grittier. Freight conductors and engineers rarely use fancy words. They talk about the Head End.
"We’ve got three units on the head end," a conductor might say over the radio. This means there are three locomotives coupled together at the front to pull a two-mile-long manifest of grain and Amazon packages. The very first one—the one where the crew actually sits—is the Lead Unit.
Sometimes, they’ll tuck another locomotive in the middle or at the very end of the train. That’s called Distributed Power (DP). Even though those units are "locomotives," they aren't the "front." Only the lead unit gets the glory of being the front of the train.
The Anatomy of the Front: What’s Inside?
If you were to climb into the cab of a modern Siemens Charger or a GE Evolution Series locomotive, you wouldn't find a giant steering wheel. There isn't one. Trains stay on the tracks because of the flanges on the wheels, not because of steering.
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Instead, the front of the train is packed with:
- The Throttle/Dynamic Brake Handle: Usually a notched lever that controls power.
- The Automatic Brake: This controls the air brakes for the entire train.
- The Independent Brake: This only brakes the locomotive itself.
- The "Dead Man’s Switch": Officially known as an alerter. It beeps at the engineer every few minutes. If they don't press a button to prove they are awake and alive, the train automatically slams on the emergency brakes.
- PTC Displays: Positive Train Control is a GPS-based safety system that can take over the train if it's going too fast or approaching a red signal.
It’s surprisingly cramped in there. Even in those massive freight engines, the actual cab area is relatively small compared to the size of the engine block behind it.
Why the Shape of the Front Matters
Have you noticed how some train fronts are flat and others are pointy? It’s not just for looks.
Freight locomotives in the U.S. often have a "wide nose" or "North American Safety Cab." It’s designed to protect the crew in case of a collision at a grade crossing. It's essentially a reinforced steel box.
On the other hand, high-speed trains like the French TGV or the Italian Frecciarossa have long, needle-like noses. This is because of something called the "Piston Effect." When a train enters a tunnel at 180 mph, it compresses the air in front of it like a piston in an engine. Without a streamlined nose, that air would create a massive "tunnel boom" at the other end, which can literally break windows in nearby houses.
The Terminology Cheat Sheet
If you want to sound like an expert next time you're at the station, keep these distinctions in mind.
If the unit is pulling the train and has no passengers inside, it’s a Locomotive. If the train is being pushed and the front looks like a passenger car with windows, it’s a Cab Car. If the whole train looks identical and has no separate engine, you’re looking at a Multiple Unit (MU).
Wait. There’s one more.
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In very old-school terminology, or in certain parts of the UK and Commonwealth countries, you might hear the term "Power Car." This is specifically used when a high-speed train has a dedicated unit at each end that provides juice but doesn't carry passengers, like the iconic InterCity 125.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that the "front" is always the part doing the pulling. In the modern era of railroading, that’s just not true.
Reliability is the name of the game now. By using cab cars and multiple units, railroads can turn trains around in minutes rather than hours. They don't have to use a "wye" track or a turntable to flip the engine. They just have the engineer walk from one end of the train to the other.
So, next time you see the "front" of the train, look closely. Is there a massive grill and the roar of a 4,000-horsepower engine? Locomotive. Is it quiet and filled with commuters staring at their phones? You're looking at a cab car or a motor car.
Actionable Insights for Rail Travelers
Knowing what's at the front of the train isn't just trivia—it can actually change your travel experience.
- Noise Levels: If you want a quiet ride, never sit in the car directly behind a locomotive. The "prime mover" (the engine) produces immense vibration and noise. Sit in the middle of the consist.
- The View: If you’re on a train with a cab car at the front, try to get the very first seat. Some designs allow you to look right out the front or side windows, giving you the same view as the engineer.
- Safety: Statistically, the center cars of a train are the safest in the rare event of a derailment or grade-crossing accident. The "front of the train" takes the brunt of any impact.
- Photography: If you're trying to take a photo of a locomotive, check the "A-end" and "B-end." The A-end is the front with the cab; the B-end is the back. Most people want the "long hood forward" or "short hood forward" look depending on the specific model's history.
Rail travel is evolving. We are moving away from the heavy, thumping locomotives of the 20th century toward sleek, distributed-power electric sets. But whether it’s a classic steam engine or a Maglev bullet, the "front" will always be the most iconic part of the journey. It's the face of the machine.
Check the schedule next time you head to the station. Look at the equipment listed. If you see "DMU" or "Push-Pull," you'll know exactly what's heading your way before it even rounds the bend.