Union Pacific GTELs
Encyclopedia
Union Pacific operated the largest fleet of gas turbine-electric locomotive
s (GTELs) of any railroad in the world. The prototype, UP 50 was the first in a series built by General Electric
(marketed by the Alco-GE
partnership, until 1953) for Union Pacific's long-haul cargo services. The prototype was introduced in 1948 and was followed by three series of production locomotives. The turbines were used extensively; at one point Union Pacific claimed that the turbines hauled more than 10% of the railroad's freight.
Their fuel economy was rather poor, as the turbine consumed roughly twice as much fuel as an equally powerful diesel engine. This was initially not a problem, since Union Pacific's turbines were fueled by Bunker C heavy fuel oil. This highly viscous
fuel was less expensive than diesel, but difficult to handle. When cold, its consistency was likened to tar
or molasses
. To solve this problem, a heating apparatus was built into the fuel tanks (and later into fuel tenders
) to heat the fuel to 200 °F (93.3 °C) before being fed into the turbine. Soot
buildup and blade erosion caused by corrosive ashes plagued all of the turbines. They were operated into the 1970s, when rising fuel costs made them uneconomical.
s were tried out but ultimately rejected. Even before World War II
Union Pacific had been adding diesels to its roster, but these were mostly for passenger trains. The idea of lashing together four diesels to equal the power of a single steam locomotive was unappealing, so the search began for something bigger. General Electric
had been building gas turbines for aircraft
and proposed using something similar to create a more powerful locomotive. Union Pacific had discovered that the maintenance costs for a locomotive were largely independent of the locomotive's power output. Using a smaller number of more powerful locomotives would thereby save money.
Because a turbine's power output and fuel economy increase with speed, Union Pacific decided that the best way for the turbine locomotives to realize their potential would be to put them on mainline freight trains. The long uninterrupted runs and relatively high speeds would maximize the turbines' efficiency.
After Union Pacific expressed interest, Alco-GE
built a prototype, GE 101, which was completed in 1948. After tests in the Northeast, it was renumbered UP 50. Painted in Union Pacific Armour Yellow, UP 50 began an extensive round of tests. Union Pacific never took ownership of this locomotive, however. This was one of the few internal combustion-powered locomotives used in North America
that had a cab at each end. The cabs themselves resembled the FA units
being built by Alco-GE at that time. The sides of the locomotive had numerous air intake louver
s which could be opened and closed in varying patterns.
It was a carbody unit with a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement
, i.e. four two-axle trucks, with pairs connected by span bolster
s. The turbine produced 4800 hp, of which 4500 hp was available for traction. This power output was more than double that of diesel-electric locomotives of that era.
For starting, the unit’s auxiliary diesel generator would be used to power a set of windings installed within the gas turbine’s main generator, causing the generator to rotate. The main generator’s rotation would begin to spin-up the turbine, at which point diesel fuel would be used to start combustion. A steam generator
would also be used to heat and liquefy the turbine’s primary fuel supply (heavy "Bunker C" oil). When the turbine and fuel oil reached their minimum operating temperatures, the fuel feeding the turbine would be switched from diesel to the primary fuel.
This machine weighed 500000 lb (226,796.2 kg) and was over 80 ft (24.4 m) long.
The turbines were delivered in three main groups after extensive testing of the prototype. Union Pacific intended to use the turbines to replace the famous Big Boys
which were about to be retired at the time.
The turbines were considered for use on the Los Angeles
-Salt Lake City route, but their high noise levels
resulted in them being banned from operating into Los Angeles.
UP 53 was used to test an improved roof-mounted air intake, which proved successful, and locomotives 57-60 were equipped with this intake as built.
UP 57 was briefly converted to burn propane
and was equipped with a pressurized tank car
as a tender. This fuel burned cleanly but was more difficult to transport. No other conversions were attempted.
UP 59 and 60 were used in an experimental 9000 hp double turbine pair, sharing a common fuel tender between them. Difficulties were encountered due to the trailing turbine flaming out
in tunnels. Despite locomotive modifications to minimize these difficulties, the experiment was discontinued, in favor of running additional diesel locomotives with the turbines.
locomotives. The turbine and electrical equipment were essentially the same, though the side louver air intakes were replaced by the large roof mounted intake first tested on UP 53.
In October 1955, UP 61 was tested with a fuel tender converted from the tender of scrapped 4-8-4 steam locomotive 806. The test was successful and all of the 4500 hp turbines were equipped with fuel tenders converted from old steam locomotive tenders. Tender capacity was 24000 gallons (90,849.9 l).
UP 61 was also used in MU
tests with diesels starting in 1958. These tests were successful and eventually 19 of the 25 4500 hp turbines were equipped to MU with diesels. As tonnage requirements increased, utilizing additional diesel locomotives for multiple unit operation became more commonplace.
of 240000 lbf (1,067.6 kN). The first unit contained the cab, auxiliary diesel engine, and other control equipment. The diesel engine produced 850 hp, and a new, larger turbine produced 8500 hp. The second unit contained the turbine and electric generators. Together, the locomotive looked like an A
-B
set, which was reinforced by the numbers assigned to the units. The two halves of no. 19, for instance, would be numbered 19 and 19B. These turbines eventually displaced units 51 to 75 from service. There had also been problems with fuel filters clogging on the earlier turbines, so it was decided to filter the fuel before filling up the locomotive fuel tanks and the tender. Union Pacific once calculated one of their third-generation turbines could pull 734 freight cars (a train over 7 mi (11.3 km) long) at a steady 12 mi/h. The Big Blows often hauled trains weighing over 13200 short tons (11,974.8 MT) between Council Bluffs, Iowa
and Ogden, Utah
. Unlike the earlier turbines, the 8500 hp turbines were designed from the outset to use 24000 gallons (90,849.9 l) fuel tenders, in addition to the 2500 gallons (9,463.5 l) of diesel fuel in the locomotive fuel tank.
techniques allowed the oil (which had previously been considered waste) to be converted to lighter fuel grades.
All engines were out of service by 1970. Their running gear was recycled into the GE U50
series of locomotives. Trucks, traction motors and span bolsters from locomotives 51 to 75 were used in the construction of the U50, and trucks and traction motors from locomotives in the 1 to 30 series were used in the construction of the U50C
.
Two of the turbines survive - UP 26 in Ogden, Utah
, and UP 18 at the Illinois Railway Museum
. Several of the tenders were retained and converted to hold water for use with Union Pacific's operating steam locomotives, UP 844 and UP 3985.
as a cab, the chassis of a GN W-1
class electric locomotive
(bought for scrap from the Great Northern) as the second unit, and a modified turbine prime mover removed from one of the 50 to 75 series locomotives. The setup was numbered 80, but changed to 8080 in 1965 to avoid conflict with the new EMD DD35
s then being introduced. The consist had an A1A-A1A+2-D+D-2, wheel arrangement, i.e. 18 axles of which 12 were powered. A "centipede" steam locomotive tender was rebuilt with a coal crusher to pulverize and feed the coal to the turbine. Power output was estimated at 7000 hp. The original diesel engine in the PA was retained and produced 2000 hp and the turbine produced the additional 5000 hp. The blade erosion and soot buildup problems encountered in the earlier locomotives were magnified with the coal turbine. Grinding coal into fine particles was also troublesome. Any oversized coal particles could damage the turbine blades. Ultimately, the experiment was declared a failure and was scrapped. The conventional gas turbines each racked up well over 1000000 miles (1,609,340 km) in revenue service, by comparison the coal turbine prototype ran less than 10000 miles (16,093.4 km) before being struck from the UP roster on March 15, 1968. The PA-2 control unit was traded in to EMD, while the turbine unit and tender were scrapped at the Omaha shops.
UP 26 photographed by Jim Munding, all other black & white photographs courtesy of Don Ross
Gas turbine-electric locomotive
A gas turbine - electric locomotive, or GTEL, is a locomotive that uses a gas turbine to drive an electric generator or alternator. The electric current thus produced is used to power traction motors. This type of locomotive was first experimented with during the Second World War, but reached its...
s (GTELs) of any railroad in the world. The prototype, UP 50 was the first in a series built by General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
(marketed by the Alco-GE
Alco-GE
Alco-GE was a partnership between the American Locomotive Company and General Electric that lasted from 1940 to 1953. Their main competitor was EMD. Under this arrangement, Alco produced the locomotive body and prime mover, and GE supplied the electrical gear...
partnership, until 1953) for Union Pacific's long-haul cargo services. The prototype was introduced in 1948 and was followed by three series of production locomotives. The turbines were used extensively; at one point Union Pacific claimed that the turbines hauled more than 10% of the railroad's freight.
Their fuel economy was rather poor, as the turbine consumed roughly twice as much fuel as an equally powerful diesel engine. This was initially not a problem, since Union Pacific's turbines were fueled by Bunker C heavy fuel oil. This highly viscous
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity...
fuel was less expensive than diesel, but difficult to handle. When cold, its consistency was likened to tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
or molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
. To solve this problem, a heating apparatus was built into the fuel tanks (and later into fuel tenders
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
) to heat the fuel to 200 °F (93.3 °C) before being fed into the turbine. Soot
Soot
Soot is a general term that refers to impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon. It is more properly restricted to the product of the gas-phase combustion process but is commonly extended to include the residual pyrolyzed fuel particles such as cenospheres,...
buildup and blade erosion caused by corrosive ashes plagued all of the turbines. They were operated into the 1970s, when rising fuel costs made them uneconomical.
Prototype
Union Pacific had long sought the biggest and best locomotives available. In the 1930s a pair of steam turbine locomotiveSteam turbine locomotive
A steam turbine locomotive is a steam locomotive which transmits steam power to the wheels via a steam turbine. Numerous attempts at this type of locomotive were made, mostly without success...
s were tried out but ultimately rejected. Even before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Union Pacific had been adding diesels to its roster, but these were mostly for passenger trains. The idea of lashing together four diesels to equal the power of a single steam locomotive was unappealing, so the search began for something bigger. General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
had been building gas turbines for aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and proposed using something similar to create a more powerful locomotive. Union Pacific had discovered that the maintenance costs for a locomotive were largely independent of the locomotive's power output. Using a smaller number of more powerful locomotives would thereby save money.
Because a turbine's power output and fuel economy increase with speed, Union Pacific decided that the best way for the turbine locomotives to realize their potential would be to put them on mainline freight trains. The long uninterrupted runs and relatively high speeds would maximize the turbines' efficiency.
After Union Pacific expressed interest, Alco-GE
Alco-GE
Alco-GE was a partnership between the American Locomotive Company and General Electric that lasted from 1940 to 1953. Their main competitor was EMD. Under this arrangement, Alco produced the locomotive body and prime mover, and GE supplied the electrical gear...
built a prototype, GE 101, which was completed in 1948. After tests in the Northeast, it was renumbered UP 50. Painted in Union Pacific Armour Yellow, UP 50 began an extensive round of tests. Union Pacific never took ownership of this locomotive, however. This was one of the few internal combustion-powered locomotives used in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
that had a cab at each end. The cabs themselves resembled the FA units
ALCO FA
The ALCO FA was a family of B-B diesel locomotives designed to haul freight trains. The locomotives were built by a partnership of ALCO and GE in Schenectady, New York, between January 1946 and May 1959. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead FA and cabless booster FB models...
being built by Alco-GE at that time. The sides of the locomotive had numerous air intake louver
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
s which could be opened and closed in varying patterns.
It was a carbody unit with a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
, i.e. four two-axle trucks, with pairs connected by span bolster
Span bolster
A span bolster, in rail terminology, is a beam or frame used to link two trucks or bogies so that they can be articulated together and be joined to the locomotive or railroad car at one rotating mounting point...
s. The turbine produced 4800 hp, of which 4500 hp was available for traction. This power output was more than double that of diesel-electric locomotives of that era.
For starting, the unit’s auxiliary diesel generator would be used to power a set of windings installed within the gas turbine’s main generator, causing the generator to rotate. The main generator’s rotation would begin to spin-up the turbine, at which point diesel fuel would be used to start combustion. A steam generator
Steam generator (railroad)
Steam generator is the term used to describe a type of boiler used to produce steam for climate control and potable water heating in railroad passenger cars...
would also be used to heat and liquefy the turbine’s primary fuel supply (heavy "Bunker C" oil). When the turbine and fuel oil reached their minimum operating temperatures, the fuel feeding the turbine would be switched from diesel to the primary fuel.
This machine weighed 500000 lb (226,796.2 kg) and was over 80 ft (24.4 m) long.
The turbines were delivered in three main groups after extensive testing of the prototype. Union Pacific intended to use the turbines to replace the famous Big Boys
Union Pacific Big Boy
Big Boy was the name of the Union Pacific Railroad's 4000-class 4-8-8-4 articulated steam locomotives, built between 1941 and 1944 by American Locomotive Company...
which were about to be retired at the time.
The turbines were considered for use on the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-Salt Lake City route, but their high noise levels
Noise pollution
Noise pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life...
resulted in them being banned from operating into Los Angeles.
First Generation
Units 51 to 60 were delivered to Union Pacific beginning in 1952, These were essentially identical to the prototype except that they had cabs at only one end. The locomotive frame contained a 7200 gallons (27,255 l) fuel tank. In later years, the locomotives were equipped with 24000 gallons (90,849.9 l) fuel tenders, which were first tested in October, 1955, behind one of the second generation turbines.UP 53 was used to test an improved roof-mounted air intake, which proved successful, and locomotives 57-60 were equipped with this intake as built.
UP 57 was briefly converted to burn propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
and was equipped with a pressurized tank car
Tank car
A tank car is a type of railroad rolling stock designed to transport liquid and gaseous commodities.-Timeline:...
as a tender. This fuel burned cleanly but was more difficult to transport. No other conversions were attempted.
UP 59 and 60 were used in an experimental 9000 hp double turbine pair, sharing a common fuel tender between them. Difficulties were encountered due to the trailing turbine flaming out
Flameout
A flameout refers to the failure of a jet engine caused by the extinction of the flame in the combustion chamber. It can be caused by a number of factors, including fuel exhaustion; compressor stall; insufficient oxygen supply; foreign object damage ; severe inclement weather; and mechanical...
in tunnels. Despite locomotive modifications to minimize these difficulties, the experiment was discontinued, in favor of running additional diesel locomotives with the turbines.
Second Generation
Units 61 to 75 were delivered to Union Pacific beginning in 1954. These were visibly different from the previous generation because of the addition of external walkways on the sides of the locomotives, earning them the nickname "verandas" and making them hybrids of carbody and hoodHood unit
A hood unit, in railroad terminology, is a body style for diesel and electric locomotives. On a hood unit, the body of the locomotive is less than full-width for most of the locomotive's length, with walkways on the outside of the locomotive. In contrast, a cab unit has a full-width carbody for...
locomotives. The turbine and electrical equipment were essentially the same, though the side louver air intakes were replaced by the large roof mounted intake first tested on UP 53.
In October 1955, UP 61 was tested with a fuel tender converted from the tender of scrapped 4-8-4 steam locomotive 806. The test was successful and all of the 4500 hp turbines were equipped with fuel tenders converted from old steam locomotive tenders. Tender capacity was 24000 gallons (90,849.9 l).
UP 61 was also used in MU
Multiple-unit train control
Multiple-unit train control, sometimes abbreviated to multiple-unit or MU, is a method of simultaneously controlling all the traction equipment in a train from a single location, whether it is a Multiple unit comprising a number of self-powered passenger cars or a set of locomotives.A set of...
tests with diesels starting in 1958. These tests were successful and eventually 19 of the 25 4500 hp turbines were equipped to MU with diesels. As tonnage requirements increased, utilizing additional diesel locomotives for multiple unit operation became more commonplace.
Third Generation
Nicknamed "Big Blows" because of their high noise levels, Units 1 to 30 were delivered to Union Pacific from 1958 to 1961. These units were very different from the previous generations, consisting of two permanently coupled six-axle units, giving a C-C+C-C wheel arrangement. The locomotive weighed 900000 lb (408,233.1 kg), not counting the tender, and had a maximum starting tractive effortTractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
of 240000 lbf (1,067.6 kN). The first unit contained the cab, auxiliary diesel engine, and other control equipment. The diesel engine produced 850 hp, and a new, larger turbine produced 8500 hp. The second unit contained the turbine and electric generators. Together, the locomotive looked like an A
A unit
An A unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive equipped with a driving cab, or crew compartment, and the control system to control other locomotives in a multiple unit, and therefore able to be the lead unit in a consist of several locomotives controlled from a single position...
-B
B unit
A "B" unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive unit which does not have a driving cab, or crew compartment, and must therefore be controlled from another, coupled locomotive with a driving cab . The term booster unit is also used. The concept was largely confined to North America...
set, which was reinforced by the numbers assigned to the units. The two halves of no. 19, for instance, would be numbered 19 and 19B. These turbines eventually displaced units 51 to 75 from service. There had also been problems with fuel filters clogging on the earlier turbines, so it was decided to filter the fuel before filling up the locomotive fuel tanks and the tender. Union Pacific once calculated one of their third-generation turbines could pull 734 freight cars (a train over 7 mi (11.3 km) long) at a steady 12 mi/h. The Big Blows often hauled trains weighing over 13200 short tons (11,974.8 MT) between Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
and Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
. Unlike the earlier turbines, the 8500 hp turbines were designed from the outset to use 24000 gallons (90,849.9 l) fuel tenders, in addition to the 2500 gallons (9,463.5 l) of diesel fuel in the locomotive fuel tank.
Retirement
Bunker C's cost advantage waned as the plastics industry began to find uses for it and improved "cracking"Cracking (chemistry)
In petroleum geology and chemistry, cracking is the process whereby complex organic molecules such as kerogens or heavy hydrocarbons are broken down into simpler molecules such as light hydrocarbons, by the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds in the precursors. The rate of cracking and the end products...
techniques allowed the oil (which had previously been considered waste) to be converted to lighter fuel grades.
All engines were out of service by 1970. Their running gear was recycled into the GE U50
GE U50
The GE U50 was an eight-axle, diesel locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems. They were twin-engined locomotives, combining two 2,500 hp diesel engines.-Configuration:...
series of locomotives. Trucks, traction motors and span bolsters from locomotives 51 to 75 were used in the construction of the U50, and trucks and traction motors from locomotives in the 1 to 30 series were used in the construction of the U50C
GE U50C
The GE U50C was a 5,000 hp diesel locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems. They were twin-engined locomotives, combining two 2,500 hp diesel engines....
.
Two of the turbines survive - UP 26 in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, and UP 18 at the Illinois Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
. Several of the tenders were retained and converted to hold water for use with Union Pacific's operating steam locomotives, UP 844 and UP 3985.
Experimental Coal Burning Turbine
In October 1961, Union Pacific constructed an experimental GTEL of their own, using a modified Alco PA-2ALCO PA
ALCO PA refers to a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains that were built in Schenectady, New York in the United States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company and General Electric between June, 1946 and December, 1953...
as a cab, the chassis of a GN W-1
GN W-1
The Great Northern Railway's class W-1 comprised two electric locomotives with AAR B-D+D-B wheel arrangements. The locomotives were used on the electrified portion of the railroad, from Wenatchee, Washington to Skykomish, Washington, including the Cascade Tunnel.The W-1 motor-generator...
class electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
(bought for scrap from the Great Northern) as the second unit, and a modified turbine prime mover removed from one of the 50 to 75 series locomotives. The setup was numbered 80, but changed to 8080 in 1965 to avoid conflict with the new EMD DD35
EMD DD35
The EMD DD35 was a diesel-electric locomotive of D-D wheel arrangement built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division for the Union Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad. In the early 1960s Union Pacific started asking for a 15,000 hp 3-unit locomotive set to replace the turbines...
s then being introduced. The consist had an A1A-A1A+2-D+D-2, wheel arrangement, i.e. 18 axles of which 12 were powered. A "centipede" steam locomotive tender was rebuilt with a coal crusher to pulverize and feed the coal to the turbine. Power output was estimated at 7000 hp. The original diesel engine in the PA was retained and produced 2000 hp and the turbine produced the additional 5000 hp. The blade erosion and soot buildup problems encountered in the earlier locomotives were magnified with the coal turbine. Grinding coal into fine particles was also troublesome. Any oversized coal particles could damage the turbine blades. Ultimately, the experiment was declared a failure and was scrapped. The conventional gas turbines each racked up well over 1000000 miles (1,609,340 km) in revenue service, by comparison the coal turbine prototype ran less than 10000 miles (16,093.4 km) before being struck from the UP roster on March 15, 1968. The PA-2 control unit was traded in to EMD, while the turbine unit and tender were scrapped at the Omaha shops.
UP 26 photographed by Jim Munding, all other black & white photographs courtesy of Don Ross