Union Pacific #6 GTEL 8500 Big Blow Turbine
Union Pacific operated the largest fleet of gas turbine-electric locomotives (GTELs) of any railroad in the world. The prototype, UP 50, was the first in a series built by General Electric for Union Pacific's long-haul cargo services and marketed by the Alco-GE partnership until 1953. The prototype was introduced in 1948 and was followed by three series of production locomotives. At one point, Union Pacific said the GTELs hauled more than 10% of the railroad's freight.
Even though fuel economy was poor (turbine consumed roughly twice as much fuel as an equally powerful diesel engine), this was initially not a problem because Union Pacific's turbines burned Bunker C heavy fuel oil that was significantly less expensive than diesel. But this highly viscous fuel was difficult to handle, with a room-temperature consistency similar to tar or molasses. To solve this problem, a heater was built into the fuel tanks (and later into fuel tenders) to heat the fuel to 200 °F before feeding it into the turbine. Eventually UP switched from Bunker C to modified No. 6 heavy fuel oil, which contained fewer pollutants and solvents. Soot buildup and blade erosion caused by corrosive ash plagued all of the turbines. Changes to the air intake systems on the production turbine locomotives improved the quality of the air that reached the turbines, which in turn reduced the wear to the turbine blades and increased the turbine's running life. The GTELs were operated into late 1969 and the final two (numbers 18 and 26) were stored at the Cheyenne roundhouse in operating condition until being retired in February 1970. Both were later sent to museums.
These hallmarks of the Union Pacific Railroad’s gas turbine experiment were the GTEL 8500 Horsepower Turbine locomotive sets; holding the title of world’s most powerful locomotive, still held today. Often called “Big Blows” because of their deafening noise, they roamed the less populated landscape between Council Bluffs, IA and Ogden, UT. 30 three-unit sets were built between 1958 and 1961. The A unit contained the control cab and an auxiliary diesel engine generator. The B unit carried the turbine and main generators to provide electricity to the traction motors on both the A and B units. The turbine was a new design; a GE Frame 5 simple-cycle gas turbine with a sixteen-stage compressor, ten combustion chambers and a two-stage turbine. The locomotive weighed about 610 tons with a full tender. Continuous tractive effort was 146,000 lb with the 65-mile-per-hour (105 km/h) 74:18 gearing.
The ScaleTrains Museum Quality replica of these unique engines sets the bar and pushes the boundaries of realism in model railroading. In addition to railroad and road number specific details, the model features walkway lights, prototypical wheel sounds, lighted control stand, and turning turbine blades to name a few details!
Even though fuel economy was poor (turbine consumed roughly twice as much fuel as an equally powerful diesel engine), this was initially not a problem because Union Pacific's turbines burned Bunker C heavy fuel oil that was significantly less expensive than diesel. But this highly viscous fuel was difficult to handle, with a room-temperature consistency similar to tar or molasses. To solve this problem, a heater was built into the fuel tanks (and later into fuel tenders) to heat the fuel to 200 °F before feeding it into the turbine. Eventually UP switched from Bunker C to modified No. 6 heavy fuel oil, which contained fewer pollutants and solvents. Soot buildup and blade erosion caused by corrosive ash plagued all of the turbines. Changes to the air intake systems on the production turbine locomotives improved the quality of the air that reached the turbines, which in turn reduced the wear to the turbine blades and increased the turbine's running life. The GTELs were operated into late 1969 and the final two (numbers 18 and 26) were stored at the Cheyenne roundhouse in operating condition until being retired in February 1970. Both were later sent to museums.
These hallmarks of the Union Pacific Railroad’s gas turbine experiment were the GTEL 8500 Horsepower Turbine locomotive sets; holding the title of world’s most powerful locomotive, still held today. Often called “Big Blows” because of their deafening noise, they roamed the less populated landscape between Council Bluffs, IA and Ogden, UT. 30 three-unit sets were built between 1958 and 1961. The A unit contained the control cab and an auxiliary diesel engine generator. The B unit carried the turbine and main generators to provide electricity to the traction motors on both the A and B units. The turbine was a new design; a GE Frame 5 simple-cycle gas turbine with a sixteen-stage compressor, ten combustion chambers and a two-stage turbine. The locomotive weighed about 610 tons with a full tender. Continuous tractive effort was 146,000 lb with the 65-mile-per-hour (105 km/h) 74:18 gearing.
The ScaleTrains Museum Quality replica of these unique engines sets the bar and pushes the boundaries of realism in model railroading. In addition to railroad and road number specific details, the model features walkway lights, prototypical wheel sounds, lighted control stand, and turning turbine blades to name a few details!
