GE Universal Series

The GE Universal Series are a series of diesel locomotives intended for the export market introduced by General Electric in early 1956. General Electric had previously partnered with Alco, producing locomotives for export using Alco’s 244 engine, and provided electrical parts for Alco’s domestic production. However, with the advent of the Universal Series, GE ended its partnership with Alco and entered the export locomotive market on its own.

The export-oriented Universal Series should not be confused with the “U-Boats” for the North American market, which began with the U25B. The Universal Series are built to a much smaller loading gauge (Bern loading gauge) and are significantly lower in weight when compared to US locomotives sharing the same engine and horsepower rating. Universal Series locomotives can also be identified by the lack of battery boxes that are usually found under the cabins of North American locomotives.

Universal Series locomotives were designed for different gauges, ranging from 914 mm (3 ft) up to 1676 mm (5 ft 6 in). They could be found in many parts of the world, predominantly in Africa, South America and Asia. These locomotives were constructed in the GE plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, and by GE licensees, including GE do Brasil (Brazil), Babcock y Wilcox (Spain), Krupp (Germany) and Goninan (Australia).

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). An 'M' indicated a modified version of the base model. Along with their development, the same numbers were often reused by different locomotive models. Even the same designation could be shared with domestic locomotives. For example, both the U18C and U20C model numbers refer to different locomotives offered at different dates with different engines (8- and 12-cylinder); and the export U30C model shared the same model number with the US U30C, but had a 12-cylinder, rather than a 16-cylinder engine.

Engines

The initial models of the Universal Series used Caterpillar 375 (8-cylinder), Caterpillar 397 (12-cylinder), Cooper-Bessemer FWB-6L (6-cylinder), Cooper-Bessemer FVBL-8 and FVBL-12 (8- and 12-cylinder, respectively). Later models substituted higher power Caterpillar engines for the smaller locomotives or GE’s own 7FDL8 and 7FDL12 engines for the larger ones. Unlike EMD, GE never had a 16-cylinder engined export locomotive model in the Universal series.

Specifications

Based on the March 1989 GE Locomotives catalog, the following models were offered at the following specifications.

Model	Engine	Horsepower (traction)	Wheel arrangement	Length (over end frames)	Height (over cabins)	Nominal weight (fully loaded)	Tractive effort (at 30% adhesion)
U10B	Caterpillar 3512	800 hp	B-B	33 ft 6 in	12 ft	110,000 lbs	33,000 lbs
U18C	7FDL8	1800 hp	C-C	52 ft	12 ft 0.5 in	193,300 lbs	57,990 lbs
U20C	7FDL12	2000 hp	C-C	52 ft	12 ft 0.5 in	196,000 lbs	58,800 lbs
U22C UM22C	7FDL12	2150 hp	C-C	52 ft	12 ft 0.5 in	196,000 lbs	58,800 lbs (U22C) 62,700 lbs (UM22C)
U26C	7FDL12	2600 hp	C-C	55 ft 6 in	12 ft 1.5 in	210,000 lbs	63,000 lbs
U30C	7FDL12	3000 hp	C-C	55 ft 6 in	12 ft 1.5 in	210,000 lbs	63,000 lbs

Models

Upon introduction in 1956, nine locomotive models were offered, as follows:

Model	Engine	Horsepower (traction)	Wheel arrangement	Type	Photo
U4B	CAT 375	340	B-B	End-cab switcher	Not built
U6B	CAT 397	640	B-B	End-cab switcher
U9B Data Sheet	CB FWB-6L	900	B-B	Road switcher
U9C Data Sheet	CB FWB-6L	900	C-C	Road switcher
U12B	CB FVBL-8	1200	B-B	Road switcher
U12C	CB FVBL-8	1200	C-C	Road switcher
U18B	CB FVBL-12	1800	B-B	Road switcher	Not built
U18C	CB FVBL-12	1800	C-C	Road switcher
UD18B	CB FVBL-12	1800	B-B	Road switcher

The evolution of Universal Series locomotives is complex due to the frequent model name changes and the reusing of the same model names for different locomotives. One method to understand the growth and development of the Universal Series is to divide the nine original models into three groups: 1) small locomotives, 2) intermediate powered locomotives, and 3) high powered locomotives.

Small Locomotives

Initial model	First update	Second update	Third update
U4B Data Sheet	U5B (1961) (540 hp) Data Sheet	U6B* (1965) (640 hp)	U10B* (1974) (950 hp)
U6B Data Sheet	U8B (1961) (810 hp) Data Sheet	UM10B (1962), later renamed U10B (1964) (950 hp)	U11B (1974) (1000 hp)

In this table, and the following two tables, asterisks indicate repeated model numbers

Between the initial models and the first update, the Caterpillar 375 and 397 engines were replaced with 379 and 398, respectively.

The UM6B was a narrow-gauge variant of the U6B, built for South African Railways.

Intermediate Powered Locomotives (8-cylinder)

Initial model	First update	Second update	Third update	Fourth update	Fifth update	Sixth update
U12B	U13B (1960) (1300 hp)	U13B* (1963) (1300 hp)	U15B (1969) (1500 hp)	U17B (1973) (1700 hp)
U12C	U13C (1960) (1300 hp)	U13C* (1963) (1300 hp)	U15C (1969) (1500 hp)	U14C, U17C (1973) (1400 hp, 1700 hp)	U18C* (1976) (1800 hp)	U20C* (1995) (2000 hp)

Between the first and second updates, the Cooper-Bessemer engine was replaced with 7FDL8 engine. The body style was also changed with a low short hood and Hi-Ad trucks replacing the high short hood and outside-equalized trucks.

A variation of the U18C was the U18A1A, built for the Indonesian railway. These locomotives had the same C-C trucks but one fewer traction motor in each truck, and downrated to 1650 horsepower. Most of these locomotives have been rebuilt to U18C standards.

The 6-cylinder U9B and U9C models were an evolutionary dead end, and no uprated versions were produced.

High Powered Locomotives (12-cylinder)

Initial model	First update	Second update	Third update	Fourth update	Fifth update
U18C	U20C (1964) (2000 hp)	U20C* (1971) (2000 hp)	U26C (1971) (2600 hp)	U22C, UM22C (1975) (2150 hp)	U30C (1982) (3000 hp)

As with the intermediate powered locomotives, the Cooper-Bessemer engine was also replaced with 7FDL12 engine.

The differently-rated U22C, U26C and U30C models were offered at the same time.

The U18C and the earlier U20C model had a variant with an additional non-powered leading axle in each truck, resulting in a lower axle loading and a 1C-C1 wheel arrangement. These locomotives were only purchased by the South African Railways.

No U18B was produced, and the few UD18 locomotives built were exported to Mexico.

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 CC20148

See also

• List of GE locomotives

References

Notes

• "GE Export Page". locopage.net. September 27, 2008.
• "Origins of the GE FDL engine". railroad.net Railroad Forums. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2013-12-06.

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.