Diesel Locomotive Coloring Page

This diesel locomotive coloring page shows a big road engine from a low three quarter angle, so you can see its long side and its front at the same time. It has a row of vents, large fans on the roof, a cab with a smiling driver and the number 42. Three signal lights hang from a steel bridge above it. A railroad crossing sign with two red lamps stands by the track in the corner.

It suits ages five to twelve and takes around thirty minutes. Kids who ask about real machines tend to love this one, since it looks like something they might see from the car at a crossing.

Colors for a modern engine

Railroads paint their engines in strong colors, so go bright. Orange with a yellow stripe looks sharp, and dark gray suits the frame and trucks. Other good combinations are blue and white, or green and yellow. Make up your own railroad and pick your own colors.

The vents along the side can stay silver gray. Color the signal lights red, green and yellow from left to right, or switch them around and ask which one means stop.

Leave the ground simple, with tan dirt, gray gravel and a band of green in front. A blue sky and pale purple hills keep the eye on the engine. The crossing sign should stay white with red letters, so it reads like the real thing.

Tips for this diesel locomotive coloring page

• Color the long side first and the front second. Use a slightly darker shade on the front.
• Run a ruler along the yellow stripe if you want a clean line.
• Go over the wheels and trucks with your darkest pencil.
• Leave a white gap on the headlights, so they seem to glow.

The front of the engine meets the side at a sharp corner. A shade change at that corner is what makes the drawing look solid, even for very young artists.

How a diesel really works

Here is the surprise. In most big diesels, the engine does not turn the wheels at all. The diesel engine spins a generator, which makes electricity. That power then runs traction motors at the wheels. There is no mechanical link between the engine and the axles. So a diesel locomotive is a bit like a rolling power station.

The motors have another trick. Going down a long hill, they can work the other way and act as a brake. Railroads liked diesels because they cost much less to run and repair than steam engines. A test tour with a freight diesel in 1939 helped to change minds in the United States. This article on the diesel locomotive has plenty more for curious kids.

One small thing to find: the horn sits on the roof of the cab. Color it gold, and you can add a loud blast to the game.

Learn while you color

Use the crossing sign for a safety chat. What should you do at flashing red lights? Stop, look both ways and wait, even if the train looks far off. A short talk beside a fun drawing tends to stick.

Then draw how the power moves. Write four words across a sheet of paper: engine, generator, motor, wheels. Add arrows between them and let your child color each box to match the page.

On your next car trip, play spot the engine. Note the colors on any train you see, then come home and repaint this sheet to match. A second printed copy costs almost nothing, and it gives you a small collection of real railroads.

More power on the rails

This diesel locomotive coloring page is one of our train coloring pages. See a similar engine at work on the freight train sheet, or compare it with the rods and boiler of the steam train.

Questions