Second Generation GTEL Image copyright Chris Zygmunt, and reproduced courtesy of www.railpictures.net
Union Pacific, often referred to in the business as UP, has many admirable traits. It was one of two railroads that connected the eastern and western portion of the United States, resulting in a trip of 3 months being shortened to 7 days. It has been an extremely profitable company overall since its inception as well as being on the forefront of railroading technology. One thing in particular that comes to mind is Union Pacific’s determination to find the most efficient form of power for rail transport. For many years, this meant bigger and more powerful!
It started in 1936 with the Challenger, a 4-6-6-4 coal fired steam locomotive. Weighing in at just over 300 tons, it was the most powerful locomotive in the world at the time. Challenger was soon followed by Big Boy, an even larger locomotive. Union Pacific was always open to new technology, and in the late 1940s tried something different. While not a new idea, locomotives powered by turbines had not really taken off, but in 1948 through a partnership with Alco-GE they obtained the first in a series of gas turbine-electric locomotives known as GTELs. It was successful and at one point UP stated that more than 10% of their freight was hauled by this new locomotive type.
First Generation UP #51 in Cheyenne, WY. Image copyright John Dziobko, and reproduced courtesy of www.railpictures.net
This new locomotive had a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement (four trucks with two axles each). The turbine produced about 4800 HP of which 4500 was useable for traction. This was well over double the power available on diesel locomotives of the era. Between January 1952 and August 1953 UP received units 51-60 (the prototype had been numbered 50), with small changes to increase fuel capacity. The locomotives carried 7,200 US gallons of bunker C oil as fuel. Because of their enormous appetite, this was not nearly as large a capacity as it sounds. In 1956, 24,000 gallon fuel tenders were added behind the turbines giving them extended range.
UP 53 was built with a customized and improved air intake on top of the locomotive. This was successful and was added to units 57-60. In another experiment, UP 57 was converted to burn propane. While very successful (it burned much cleaner and did not corrode the blades of the turbine), it was deemed a safety hazard and the locomotive was switched back to Bunker C. UP 59 and 60 were set up as a pair that shared fuel in order to essentially create a 9000 HP locomotive. This project was deemed unsuccessful as the trailing turbine had a tendency to flame out in tunnels and so UP simply added diesels to the train for added power.
The first generation turbines were retired by June 1964.
Second Generation “Veranda” GTEL. Note the walkway down the side. Image copyright John Dziobko and reproduced courtesy of www.railpictures.net
The second generation units numbered 61-75 began being delivered in 1954. They were given the nickname “verandas” because they had unique walkways along their sides. The turbine and electrical equipment were very similar to the first generation, and all second generation units were also retired before the end of 1964.
Third Generation GTEL UP 18 shown at the Illinois Railway Museum.
In 1955 Union Pacific ordered a new turbine electric. Numbered 1-30 and rated at 8500 HP, these locomotives would be the world’s largest. In higher, cooler elevations, these units could potentially exceed 10,000 HP. Weighing in at 610 tons, the locomotive would be comprised of two powered units plus a trailing tender with six axles per unit (including the tender). In general, only the A and B units had powered axles although there was an experiment to power the axles under the tender. This appears to have been short lived as there is not much reference to it apart of a Trains article stating that a trial to Los Angeles failed when “tender wheels were motorized, imposing speed restriction.” The first unit (known as the A unit) contained the driver’s cab, 2500 gallons of fuel and an axillary diesel generator. The second (or B) unit contained the turbine itself and the main generators to provide electricity to the 12 powered axles. The turbine was a new and more efficient design. The new tenders were electrically heated and insulated so no steam generator was required to heat the Bunker C fuel, as had been necessary in previous generations. The third generation locomotives were quite successful and ran untillate 1969. By that time the increase in the plastics industry and bled away the cost advantage of the Bunker C fuel oil. With rising fuel costs, the locomotives began to cost more to operate than was feasible.
I would like to nominate any or all versions of this outstanding locomotive to be added to Train Simulator. It’s quite unique and holds an important spot in the history of North American railroading.