1959 GAS - TURBINE LOCOMOTIVE - Union IL - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

1959 GAS - TURBINE LOCOMOTIVE at the Illinois Railway Museum Union IL

GAS - TURBINE LOCOMOTIVE
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD NO. 18
BUILT; 1959, GENERAL ELECTRIC

Most railroads replaced their steam engines with diesel locomotives. However, the diesel locomotives produced immediately after World War II were not very powerful (1,500-1,900 hp was usual). A railroad needing high horsepower for a train might have to use 5 or more diesels at the head end.

Union Pacific and General Electric developed the turbine locomotive as an alternative to early diesels. Like diesels, the turbines were essentially electric locomotives (the electric motors are geared to the axles) which carried their own generators. The difference was that a gas turbine rather than an internal combustion diesel was used to drive the generator. Compared to early diesels, turbines were very powerful. No. 18 was initially rated at 8,500 hp and was later rerated to 10,000 hp. They also burned very cheap "bunker C" petroleum (a heavy, tar like substance that needed to be heated to flow) instead of diesel fuel.

Turbines had relatively short service lives. By the late 1960's, diesel manufacturers were able to produce high horsepower units. The turbines, in turn, had become relatively high cost units by that time, both because of maintenance problems with the turbine engines and rising prices for "bunker C" fuel. All of the turbines were out of service by 1969 and most were scrapped during the 1970's.

No. 18 is one of 30 "super turbines" delivered to Union Pacific between 1958 and 1961. The locomotive consists of two permanently coupled units. The front unit contains the operating cab, brake and control equipment, and a diesel engine to move the unit when not pulling cars. The rear unit contains the turbine. The tender, salvaged from an older steam locomotive, is for the fuel.

The accompanying map shows the Union Pacific Railroad in 1962, when the No. 18 was in service. Turbines were used mostly on the UP main line between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Ogden, Salt Lake City, Utah.



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Locomotive Type: (required): Other If "other" what is the engine type? (optional): GAS - TURBINE Do you need to pay an entrance fee to view this locomotive? (required): Yes If a fee is required what is the approximate cost for admittance? (optional): 10 How accessible is this locomotive display? (Required): Only touching is allowed.

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