GE Universal Series

The GE Universal Series locomotives were diesel locomotives originally launched by GE in early 1956. The latest variant in the Universal Series was built in 2005. Initially, there were nine U-series models: U4B, U6B, U9B, U9C, U12B, U12C, U18B, U18C and UD18B. They were designed to be readily adaptable to different track gauges for export markets and very reliable. The U5B and U8B appeared later, being first built for RFFSA, Brazil in 1961.[1]

Engines

The Universal Series has at its heart the Cooper Bessemer engine. General Electric built four demonstrators in 1954 with Cooper Bessemer engines for road testing. This demonstrator set was numbered the 750ABCD. The demonstrators were made up of two cab units and two booster units. The demonstrators spent considerable time testing on the Erie Railroad. The 750AB were UM12s built with eight cylinder, FVBL-8 engines rated at 1200 horsepower. The 750DC were UM18s built with 12 cylinder, FVBL-12 engines rated at 1800 horsepower. After testing the units were rebuilt in October 1959 at GE-Erie with 16 cylinder engines rated at 2000 horsepower. The former demonstrators were sold to the Union Pacific as UM20s in April 1960 and numbered UP 620AB-621AB. The UM20s were retired in October 1963.

Demonstrators

While the GE 750 demonstrator was still testing GE built two XP24 demonstrators, numbers 751 and 752 in 1959. These units became the first U25Bs. The GE U25B became the first widely sold domestic market GE Universal Series locomotive. North American Universal Series locomotives are often called "U-Boats" by railfans and model railroaders.

Naming Convention

The designations of the Universal series describe the locomotive model in compact form: U for Universal, followed by the engine's nominal horsepower rating in hundreds, and finally the number of axles (B = B-B = 4 axles; C = C-C = 6 axles). The U25C was a 2500-horsepower locomotive on three-axle trucks. An M indicated a modified version of the base model.

Universal Series Locomotives
Class Year introduced Notes Photo
GE U4B 1956 Data Sheet
GE U5B 1961 Data Sheet
GE U6B 1959 (Phase 1)

1962 (Phase 2)

 Data Sheet
GE UM6B 1973 South African Class 91-000

(Narrow Gauge)
GE U8B 1961 Data Sheet
GE U9B 1957 Data Sheet
GE U9C 1957 Data Sheet
GE U10B 1978 New Zealand DH Class
GE U12B 1958 South African Class 31-000
GE U12C 1957
GE UM12C 1956 Manila Railroad 2000 Class
GE U13B 1962
GE U14C 1974 Philippine Railways 906-915[2]
GE U15C 1972 [3]
GE U17C 1973
GE U18B 1973
GE U18C 1957
GE U18A1A 1978 Only for Indonesia
GE U18C1 1959 South African Class 32-000
GE UD18B
GE UM20B 1954 GE Demonstrator #750
GE U20C 1964
GE U20C1 1966
GE U23B 1968
GE U23C 1968
GE U25B 1959
GE U25C 1963
GE U26C 1971
GE U28B 1966
GE U28C 1965
GE U28CG 1966
GE U30B 1966
GE U30C 1966
GE U30CG 1967
GE U33B 1966
GE U33C 1968
GE U34CH 1970 Passenger Unit
GE U36B 1966
GE U36C 1971
GE U36CG 1974
GE U50 1963 B+B-B+B truck design
GE U50C 1969 C-C truck design

See also

References

Notes
  1. Palmano, Steve. "GE Export U-Series Model Evolution". GE Export Page.
  2. "GE U14C roster". thedieselshop.us. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  3. Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 38, 41–42.

Bibliography
  • Lamb, J. Parker (2007). Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive. Railroads Past and Present. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34863-0.
  • McDonnell, Greg (1994). U-Boats: General Electric's Diesel Locomotives. Toronto: Boston Mills Press. ISBN 1550461125.
  • Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-0507-2.
  • Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-0666-6.
  • Solomon, Brian (2003). GE Locomotives: 110 Years of General Electric Motive Power. St. Paul, MN, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 9780760313619.
  • Solomon, Brian (2010). Modern Locomotives: High Horsepower Diesels 1966–2000. New York: Crestline. ISBN 978-0785826811.
  • Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-3795-0.
  • Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4370-8.
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