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| Title: |
UP U50 31 |
| Description: |
Union Pacific Railroad U50 31 near Omaha, Nebraska on October 26, 1963, Kodachrome by Lou Schmitz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Union Pacific's Chief Mechanical Officer, D. S. Neuhart, came up with the idea to replace as many as ten first generation locomotives (rated at 1500 hp each) with three dual power plant locomotives producing the equivalant 15,000 horsepower. All three builders responded, and GE delivered three U50's in October 1963. This is the first U50 in road number order, and this is likely the first run of number 31. Completed in October 1963 (c/n 34891), placed in service October 26, 1963, it was retired January 1974 and traded back to GE. It rides on trucks and span bolsters from UP's Standard and Veranda gas-turbines, which were taken out of service in 1962. The trucks and span bolsters were reconditioned by the UP at Omaha and shipped to GE, and the turbines carbodies were scrapped. |
| Photo Date: |
10/26/1963 Upload Date: 11/8/2010 10:45:46 AM |
| Location: |
Omaha, NE |
| Author: |
Lou Schmitz |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
UP 31(U50) |
| Views: |
7398 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
UP U50 37 |
| Description: |
Union Pacific Railroad U50 37 being delivered at Council Bluffs, Iowa on July 18, 1964, Kodachrome by Lou Schmitz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Built in July 1964 (c/n 35097), it was placed in service July 22, 1964, retired in November 1974 and traded to GE for new power. It was basically two U25B's on a common frame, riding on trucks and span bolsters from retired turbines. It is appears that it is being delivered to the UP. |
| Photo Date: |
7/18/1964 Upload Date: 11/8/2010 11:42:53 AM |
| Location: |
Council Bluffs, IA |
| Author: |
Lou Schmitz |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
UP 37(U50) |
| Views: |
6332 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
UP U50 38 |
| Description: |
Union Pacific Railroad U50 38 at Council Bluffs, Iowa on June 13, 1965, Kodachrome by Lou Schmitz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Built in July 1964 (c/n 35098), placed in service July 27, 1964, retired September 25, 1973 and traded to GE, the U50 was two U25B's on a common frame (two FDL-16 four stroke prime movers coupled to two GT588 main generators producing 5000 hp total to eight GE-752A traction motors), utilizing span bolsters and trucks from retired gas-turbine locomotives. One wonders why they didn't carry the red stripe sheet metal continuously across the top of the radiator intakes. The triangular shaped items on the running board, located almost over the center of each span bolster, are the sandboxes. The only other customer, the Southern Pacific, acquired just three U50 locomotives and they lasted a bit longer on the SP. |
| Photo Date: |
6/13/1965 Upload Date: 11/10/2010 1:14:34 PM |
| Location: |
Council Bluffs, IA |
| Author: |
Lou Schmitz |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
UP 38(U50) |
| Views: |
4678 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
UP U50 41 |
| Description: |
Union Pacific Railroad U50 41 at Council Bluffs, Iowa on May 2, 1965, Kodachrome by Lou Schmitz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Built around August 1964 (c/n 35101), retired and traded to GE January 1974. A batch of 12 were delivered between July and September 1964, while a final eight were built May through August 1965. They were numbered 31-53. The number 72 appears in the engineer's side number board, and at the time of this photo, the UP (and the SP) were using the number boards to display the train number, not the locomotive number, so perhaps this locomotive last worked train #72. The trucks and connecting span bolsters came from retired gas-turbine locomotives. This locomotive was essentially two U25B's on a common frame. The UP had determined that the maintenance costs were independent of the power output of the locomotive, so the concept was to reduce maintenance costs by using a few large locomotives in place of several smaller locomotives. |
| Photo Date: |
5/2/1965 Upload Date: 11/14/2010 11:22:33 AM |
| Location: |
Council Bluffs, IA |
| Author: |
Lou Schmitz |
| Categories: |
Roster |
| Locomotives: |
UP 41(U50) |
| Views: |
4352 Comments: 0 |
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