GE Universal Series: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 14:41, 9 September 2021
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The GE Universal Series locomotives were diesel locomotives originally launched by GE in early 1956. The latest variant in the Universal Series was built in 2005. Initially, there were nine U-series models: U4B, U6B, U9B, U9C, U12B, U12C, U18B, U18C and UD18B. They were designed to be readily adaptable to different track gauges for export markets and very reliable. The U5B and U8B appeared later, being first built for RFFSA, Brazil in 1961.[1]
Engines
The Universal Series has at its heart the Cooper Bessemer engine. General Electric built four demonstrators in 1954 with Cooper Bessemer engines for road testing. This demonstrator set was numbered the 750ABCD. The demonstrators were made up of two cab units and two booster units. The demonstrators spent considerable time testing on the Erie Railroad. The 750AB were UM12s built with eight cylinder, FVBL-8 engines rated at 1200 horsepower. The 750DC were UM18s built with 12 cylinder, FVBL-12 engines rated at 1800 horsepower. After testing the units were rebuilt in October 1959 at GE-Erie with 16 cylinder engines rated at 2000 horsepower. The former demonstrators were sold to the Union Pacific as UM20s in April 1960 and numbered UP 620AB-621AB. The UM20s were retired in October 1963.
Demonstrators
While the GE 750 demonstrator was still testing GE built two XP24 demonstrators, numbers 751 and 752 in 1959. These units became the first U25Bs. The GE U25B became the first widely sold domestic market GE Universal Series locomotive. North American Universal Series locomotives are often called "U-Boats" by railfans and model railroaders.
Naming Convention
The designations of the Universal series describe the locomotive model in compact form: U for Universal, followed by the engine's nominal horsepower rating in hundreds, and finally the number of axles (B = B-B = 4 axles; C = C-C = 6 axles). The U25C was a 2500-horsepower locomotive on three-axle trucks. An M indicated a modified version of the base model.
| Class | Year introduced | Notes | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE U4B | 1956 | Data Sheet | |
| GE U5B | 1961 | Data Sheet |  |
| GE U6B | 1959 (Phase 1)
1962 (Phase 2) |
Data Sheet |  |
| GE UM6B | 1973 | South African Class 91-000
(Narrow Gauge) |
 |
| GE U8B | 1961 | Data Sheet | |
| GE U9B | 1957 | Data Sheet |  |
| GE U9C | 1957 | Data Sheet | |
| GE U10B | 1978 | New Zealand DH Class |  |
| GE U12B | 1958 | South African Class 31-000 |  |
| GE U12C | 1957 |  | |
| GE UM12C | 1956 | Manila Railroad 2000 Class |  |
| GE U13B | 1962 | ||
| GE U14C | 1974 | Philippine Railways 906-915[2] |  |
| GE U15C | 1972 | [3] |  |
| GE U17C | 1973 |  | |
| GE U18B | 1973 | ||
| GE U18C | 1957 |  | |
| GE U18A1A | 1978 | Only for Indonesia | |
| GE U18C1 | 1959 | South African Class 32-000 | |
| GE UD18B | |||
| GE UM20B | 1954 | GE Demonstrator #750 | |
| GE U20C | 1964 |  | |
| GE U20C1 | 1966 | ||
| GE U23B | 1968 | ||
| GE U23C | 1968 | ||
| GE U25B | 1959 | ||
| GE U25C | 1963 | ||
| GE U26C | 1971 | ||
| GE U28B | 1966 | ||
| GE U28C | 1965 | ||
| GE U28CG | 1966 | ||
| GE U30B | 1966 | ||
| GE U30C | 1966 | ||
| GE U30CG | 1967 | ||
| GE U33B | 1966 | ||
| GE U33C | 1968 | ||
| GE U34CH | 1970 | Passenger Unit | |
| GE U36B | 1966 | ||
| GE U36C | 1971 | ||
| GE U36CG | 1974 | ||
| GE U50 | 1963 | B+B-B+B truck design | |
| GE U50C | 1969 | C-C truck design |
GE UM6B, introduced 1973
Gallery
-
GE U5B NOVOESTE #2061 - "Luiz F. M. Barone" -
GE U5B ALL (América Latina Logística) #2087 -
GE U5B FCA (Ferrovia Centro-Atlântica) #2039 -
GE U20C, South African Class 33-000 no 33-002 -
GE U12C, Ferrocarril Belgrano Sur, Argentina -
GE U18C, Indonesian Class CC201 No. 48 -
CC 201 78 05 pulling Gajah Wong Train
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Palmano, Steve. "GE Export U-Series Model Evolution". GE Export Page.
- ^ "GE U14C roster". thedieselshop.us. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
- ^ Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 38, 41–42.
- "GE Export Page". locopage.net. September 27, 2008.[user-generated source?]
- "Origins of the GE FDL engine". railroad.net Railroad Forums.[user-generated source?]
Bibliography
- Lamb, J. Parker (2007). Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive. Railroads Past and Present. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34863-0.
- McDonnell, Greg (1994). U-Boats: General Electric's Diesel Locomotives. Toronto: Boston Mills Press. ISBN 1550461125.
- Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-0507-2.
- Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-0666-6.
- Solomon, Brian (2003). GE Locomotives: 110 Years of General Electric Motive Power. St. Paul, MN, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 9780760313619.
- Solomon, Brian (2010). Modern Locomotives: High Horsepower Diesels 1966–2000. New York: Crestline. ISBN 978-0785826811.
- Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-3795-0.
- Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4370-8.