GE U36B
Encyclopedia
GE U36B was a diesel locomotive produced by General Electric
beginning in 1969. The U36B was GE's 3600 horsepower (2.7 MW) answer to the power race with EMD. Only 3 railroads bought this locomotive.
and Seaboard Coast Line, which hosted most Auto-Train Corp. traffic. In 1976 four U36Bs that were built by GE for Auto-Train Corporation
, which had purchased 13 earlier, were instead sold and delivered to Conrail due to Auto Train's financial difficulties. These units, built to Seaboard Coast Line specifications, were originally fitted with Blomberg trucks
; when Conrail purchased them, the railroad asked GE to replace the trucks with AAR
Type B instead.
GE Transportation Systems
GE Transportation, formerly known as GE Rail, is a division of General Electric. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation industries. It is based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Locomotives are assembled at the Erie plant, while engine...
beginning in 1969. The U36B was GE's 3600 horsepower (2.7 MW) answer to the power race with EMD. Only 3 railroads bought this locomotive.
History
Major purchasers of U36Bs were Auto-Train CorporationAuto-Train Corporation
Auto-Train Corporation was a privately owned railroad which used its own rolling stock, and traveled on rails leased from major railroads along the route of its trains, serving central Florida from points in the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington, DC, and the Mid-West near Louisville, Kentucky,...
and Seaboard Coast Line, which hosted most Auto-Train Corp. traffic. In 1976 four U36Bs that were built by GE for Auto-Train Corporation
Auto-Train Corporation
Auto-Train Corporation was a privately owned railroad which used its own rolling stock, and traveled on rails leased from major railroads along the route of its trains, serving central Florida from points in the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington, DC, and the Mid-West near Louisville, Kentucky,...
, which had purchased 13 earlier, were instead sold and delivered to Conrail due to Auto Train's financial difficulties. These units, built to Seaboard Coast Line specifications, were originally fitted with Blomberg trucks
Blomberg B
The Blomberg B was a "B" diesel locomotive truck. These trucks were the standard EMD four wheel truck from the FT up until the GP60. EMD introduced the truck in 1936. Unofficially it is named after Martin Blomberg, who joined the company the year before...
; when Conrail purchased them, the railroad asked GE to replace the trucks with AAR
AAR
-Aviation:*AAR Corporation, an American aviation engineering company*"Air-to-air refueling", also known as aerial refueling, the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight*AAR, IATA airport code for Aarhus Airport in Tirstrup, Denmark...
Type B instead.
Original Owners
| Owner | Quantity | Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-Train | 13 | 4000-4012 | |
| Conrail | 4 | 2971-2974 | intended as Auto-Train 4013-4016 |
| Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Seaboard Coast Line Railroad The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971... |
108 | 1748-1855 | 1813 originally numbered 1776 (1st) |
External links
- Sarberenyi, Robert. GE U36B Original Owners.