From time to time there have been efforts to make use of turbine power as a substitute for reciprocating power. One road which actually used this type of power to any extent was the UP. It all began in 1938 when General Electric built 2 turbine units as demonstrators for the UP in December. They were returned to GE on June 17, 1939, and scrapped. They were definitely not successful.

WWII intervened and all experimentation was put on hold. General Electric again built an experimental demonstrator in November, 1948, #30159. It ran for several months in GE paint numbered 101, but in July, 1949, it went to the Union Pacific as 50. It was returned to GE in June, 1951, and scrapped in 1953. It was a double ender and usually ran with a dynomometer car as shown here.

The first production units were the 4500 HP single units.

55, General Electric, June, 1952, #30764. Retired September, 1962, and scrapped.

60, General Electric, August 1953, #30769. Retired.

A sceond group of 4500 HP units was built which changed the car body to something more like a diesel hood unit. They were called the "veranda" units.

61, General Electric, March, 1954, #32028. Retired August, 1963, and scrapped.

68, General Electric, June 24, 1954, #32035. Retired June, 1964, and traded in to General Electric.

70, General Electric, July 23, 1954, #32037. Retired, April, 1964, and traded in to General Electric.

71, General Electric, August 11, 1954, #32038. Retired August, 1963, and traded in to General Electric.

The last production units were the 2 unit 8500 HP "Big Blow" units.

5, General Electric, December 1958, #33217. It was retired in January 1969 and traded in to General Electric April 7, 1969.

6, General Electric, February 1959, #33205. It was retired in October 1969 and traded in to General Electric on March 9, 1971.

13, General Electric, March 1960, #332229. It was retired in October 1969 and traded in to General Electric on November 28, 1969.

14, General Electric, April 1960, #33231. It was retired in February 1970 and sold to Neilsen Enterprises in August 1971. It later was sold to Continental Leasing Group and then to G F Bean Co in 1975.

21, General Electric, October 1960, #34075. It was retired in February 1970 and traded in to General Electric on January 7, 1971.

25, General Electric, January 1961, #34083. It was traded in to General Electric on July 9, 1969.

28, General Electric, April 1961, #34089. It was retired in February 1970 and sold to Continental Leasing Group on September 15, 1971. It was scrapped in 1976.

29, General Electric, May 1961, #34091. It was retired in February 1970 and sold to Continental Leasing Group on September 15, 1971/ It was scrapped in 1976.

The final effort at turbine power was built in the Omaha company shops. The foundation for this coal fired unit was a retired Great Northern electric locomotive. It was built by General Electric in May, 1947, #28448, as Great Northern 5018, Class W-1, and purchased by UP in September, 1959. The front unit, which provided hostler power and control, was a PA1 which was built by Alco in January, 1949, #76311, as UP 607. The diesel was numbered 80 and the turbine unit was 80B. The whole rebuilding took place in October, 1961. In 1965 these units became 8080 and 8080B to make room for DD35s. The effort was given up in March, 1968. The diesel was traded in to Electro-Motive, May, 1968, and the turbine was scrapped at Omaha in April, 1968.

AMDG

4/28/2003

Memorial of Saint Peter Chanel

Choose Life

The God of glory thunders.

In His temple they all cry "Glory".

Psalm 29:9