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big blows vs. krauts
Author: Horse Apple Orange
Date: 09-07-2021 - 12:25
Union Pacific "big blows" GTELs built by Alco-GE and General Electric between 1952-1961 and operated by Union Pacific from 1952 to 1970.
In 1959 UP advertised it would shortly receive 2000hp GP9's, these were being rebuilt by EMD with the then new turbo-supercharging system. These would evolve into the GP20 and SD24, but for the moment SP had nothing that would compare with this, and so was embarrassed...
By 1958 technology had reached its limits, and SP was having to put more and more locomotives on a train to move it at the speed they needed to compete.
Although the 2400hp Train Masters were of higher horsepower, they had problems which did not make them suitable for general freight service.
After much research, SP decided to join Denver & Rio Grande Western to go offshore and get Krauss-Maffei of Germany to build six 'Prototype' 4000hp carbody-style diesel-hydraulic locomotives, three for each railroad.
A number of modifications were required once operating experience on mountain lines was had, and the three DRGW units found themselves in SP ownership by early 1964.
The SP KM's were delivered in standard Red/Gray paint, the DRGW units were delivered in the yellow/silver/black paint scheme.
When they were bought by SP, the exDRGW units had black SP road name and numbers added and were renumbered after the hood units.
When all units were renumbered in "the great renumbering of" 1965, the exDRGW units were placed back in build order between the two types.
The first order was successful enough, for SP to go back to Krauss- Maffei and ordered another 15 incorporating upgrades developed with the six Prototype Units, and built with more American-sourced parts to the more contemporary 'roadswitcher' hood-style configuration.
9001 is an example of the 'Prototype Units' and 9014 an example of the 'Series Units.'
As mountain operating experiences were less than desirable, these units soon found themselves as 'flatlanders'.
Eventually the usual practice was to operate one KM with another unit, often an F7A or B, a GP9, or an Alco Century Series.
US locomotive technology finally caught up with these units, and all were scrapped between 1967 and 1968, except for #9113 .
spml4000
In 1959 UP advertised it would shortly receive 2000hp GP9's, these were being rebuilt by EMD with the then new turbo-supercharging system. These would evolve into the GP20 and SD24, but for the moment SP had nothing that would compare with this, and so was embarrassed...
By 1958 technology had reached its limits, and SP was having to put more and more locomotives on a train to move it at the speed they needed to compete.
Although the 2400hp Train Masters were of higher horsepower, they had problems which did not make them suitable for general freight service.
After much research, SP decided to join Denver & Rio Grande Western to go offshore and get Krauss-Maffei of Germany to build six 'Prototype' 4000hp carbody-style diesel-hydraulic locomotives, three for each railroad.
A number of modifications were required once operating experience on mountain lines was had, and the three DRGW units found themselves in SP ownership by early 1964.
The SP KM's were delivered in standard Red/Gray paint, the DRGW units were delivered in the yellow/silver/black paint scheme.
When they were bought by SP, the exDRGW units had black SP road name and numbers added and were renumbered after the hood units.
When all units were renumbered in "the great renumbering of" 1965, the exDRGW units were placed back in build order between the two types.
The first order was successful enough, for SP to go back to Krauss- Maffei and ordered another 15 incorporating upgrades developed with the six Prototype Units, and built with more American-sourced parts to the more contemporary 'roadswitcher' hood-style configuration.
9001 is an example of the 'Prototype Units' and 9014 an example of the 'Series Units.'
As mountain operating experiences were less than desirable, these units soon found themselves as 'flatlanders'.
Eventually the usual practice was to operate one KM with another unit, often an F7A or B, a GP9, or an Alco Century Series.
US locomotive technology finally caught up with these units, and all were scrapped between 1967 and 1968, except for #9113 .
spml4000
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Gas Turbine
|
? | 09-06-2021 - 21:37 |
|
Re: Gas Turbine
|
*** | 09-06-2021 - 21:41 |
|
TROLL
|
TROLL | 09-06-2021 - 22:00 |
|
Don't Forget BLH / Westinghouse's Test Unit
|
J | 09-07-2021 - 07:51 |
|
big blows vs. krauts |
Horse Apple Orange | 09-07-2021 - 12:25 |
|
Re: Gas Turbine
|
Hot Water | 09-07-2021 - 08:21 |
|
Re: Gas Turbine
|
Ghost of E.H. Harriman | 09-07-2021 - 19:31 |