Southern Pacific 3100
Encyclopedia
Southern Pacific 3100 is a GE U25B
diesel-electric locomotive now on permanent exhibit at the Orange Empire Railway Museum
in Perris, California
USA. It is notable as being the only U25B still in operating condition.
Built in 1963 by General Electric
under construction number 34700, it was shipped from GE's Erie, Pennsylvania
locomotive assembly plant to the Southern Pacific Railroad
on March 29, 1963. It entered service in April and was assigned to the Los Angeles
Freight Pool with Taylor Roundhouse
as its maintenance point.
The locomotive was first numbered SP 7508, then renumbered SP 6708 during the railroad's 1965 general renumbering. After a period of storage in the early 1970s, the U25B was moved to the Sacramento
General Shops in 1975 for a complete rebuilding, one of only two U25B's so done. The work included upgrading the prime mover
with later GE U33-compatible parts, a complete rewiring of the high- and low-voltage electrical systems, the installation of an AAR
control stand and a new number - SP 6800. It was released from Sacramento on September 29 and returned to service.
The U25B became a "goodwill ambassador" for the railroad in 1976 when it was painted in an elaborate red, white and blue color scheme in celebration of the nation's bicentennial
, one of four Southern Pacific locomotives so painted. The others were Daylight Express 4449, EMD GP40P-2 3197 and EMD SD45T-2
9389. After the bicentennial celebration, it was repainted in the standard red and black SP color scheme. In late 1977, 6800 was assigned to local and hauler service in the Los Angeles Basin
, primarily working out of Taylor Yard in Los Angeles and West Colton Yard. In June 1979, it received its final renumbering as SP 3100. In and out of storage for the rest of its time with the railroad, 3100 was finally retired on December 17, 1986 and sold servicable to Levin Metals in Colton
on January 22, 1988. On February 2, 1988, 3100 was donated in operable condition to the museum.
3100 is fully certified to run on any of the nation's railroads and is frequently used as motive power for off-site work trains.
GE U25B
The GE U25B was General Electric's first independent entry into the United States domestic diesel-electric railroad locomotive market for heavy production road locomotives since 1936...
diesel-electric locomotive now on permanent exhibit at the Orange Empire Railway Museum
Orange Empire Railway Museum
The Orange Empire Railway Museum , 2201 South "A" Street, Perris, California, is a railroad museum founded in 1956 at the Pinacate Station as the "Orange Empire Trolley Museum." The museum also operates a heritage railroad on the museum grounds.-Background:The collection focuses on Southern...
in Perris, California
Perris, California
Perris is a city in Riverside County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city population was 68,386, up from 36,189 at the 2000 census. The city is named in honor of Fred T. Perris, chief engineer of the California Southern Railroad...
USA. It is notable as being the only U25B still in operating condition.
Built in 1963 by General Electric
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...
under construction number 34700, it was shipped from GE's Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
locomotive assembly plant to the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
on March 29, 1963. It entered service in April and was assigned to the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
Freight Pool with Taylor Roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
as its maintenance point.
The locomotive was first numbered SP 7508, then renumbered SP 6708 during the railroad's 1965 general renumbering. After a period of storage in the early 1970s, the U25B was moved to the Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
General Shops in 1975 for a complete rebuilding, one of only two U25B's so done. The work included upgrading the prime mover
Prime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
with later GE U33-compatible parts, a complete rewiring of the high- and low-voltage electrical systems, the installation of an 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...
control stand and a new number - SP 6800. It was released from Sacramento on September 29 and returned to service.
The U25B became a "goodwill ambassador" for the railroad in 1976 when it was painted in an elaborate red, white and blue color scheme in celebration of the nation's bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
, one of four Southern Pacific locomotives so painted. The others were Daylight Express 4449, EMD GP40P-2 3197 and EMD SD45T-2
EMD SD45T-2
The EMD SD45T-2 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive conceived in early 1972 by EMD at the request of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Like the similar SD40T-2, this locomotive model is nicknamed a "tunnel motor". 247 of this model were built from February 1972 to June 1975. Out of the total, 84 units were...
9389. After the bicentennial celebration, it was repainted in the standard red and black SP color scheme. In late 1977, 6800 was assigned to local and hauler service in the Los Angeles Basin
Los Angeles Basin
The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the Peninsular and Transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs...
, primarily working out of Taylor Yard in Los Angeles and West Colton Yard. In June 1979, it received its final renumbering as SP 3100. In and out of storage for the rest of its time with the railroad, 3100 was finally retired on December 17, 1986 and sold servicable to Levin Metals in Colton
Colton, California
Colton is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The city is located in the Inland Empire region of the state and is approximately 57 miles east of Los Angeles. The population of Colton is 52,154 according to the 2010 census, up from 47,662 at the 2000 census.Colton is the...
on January 22, 1988. On February 2, 1988, 3100 was donated in operable condition to the museum.
3100 is fully certified to run on any of the nation's railroads and is frequently used as motive power for off-site work trains.