GE U28C

The U28C road switcher locomotive was developed by General Electric from the U25C, with a slight increase in power of 300 hp (224 kW).[2] A passenger-hauling variant, the U28CG, was also produced for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

GE U28C
Santa Fe No. 7908, a GE U28CG, in freight service at Fort Madison, Iowa in 1971
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel
BuilderGE Transportation Systems
ModelU28C
Build dateFebruary 1966 – November 1966
Total produced71
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARC-C
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length64 feet 4 inches (19.61 m) Phase I or 67 feet 3 inches (20.50 m) Phase II
Fuel capacity3500 gallons Phase I or 4000 gallons Phase II
Prime moverGE FDL-16
AlternatorGTA 9 Phase II (PRR units)
GeneratorGT 598 Phase I and Phase II
Cylinders16
Performance figures
Power output2,800 hp (2,090 kW)
[1]

Development

General Electric built ten uprated U25Cs in 1965. Facing the competitive pressure of the second generation horsepower race, GE built these units with increased horsepower. The competitive 2750 horsepower Alco C628 had more horsepower and the 3000 horsepower Alco C630 was announced in July 1965. General Motors had the 3000 horsepower EMD SD40 demonstrators testing on several railroads. The increase in unit horsepower was happening that year. The uprated units were built for three railroads that were already operating the U25C. The first uprated units were built for the Northern Pacific between May and July 1965. These were NP #2518-2520 and were rated at 2750 horsepower. Three more uprated U25Cs were built as Atlantic Coast Line #3011-3013 in December 1965. The ACL units were rated at 2800 horsepower. The last four uprated U25Cs were rated at 2800 horsepower and were built for the Pennsylvania Railroad in December 1965. These were PRR #6516-6519. Six additional PRR U25Cs were uprated to 2800 horsepower: 6500-6503, 6510-6511. In early 1966 General Electric began offering the 2800 horsepower U28C. A total of 28 look-a-like U28Cs were built between February 1966 and July 1966 as Chicago Burlington and Quincy #562-577 and Northern Pacific #2800-2811. These early Phase I U28Cs shared the 64 foot 4 inch frame that was standard with the predecessor U25C.

A drawing of the proposed longer frame U28C is in the November 1965 issue of Trains Magazine. Starting in May 1966 GE began producing the U28C on a longer frame. The new length for these U28Cs was 67 feet 3 inches. These are the 43 Phase II units built for Louisville and Nashville, Pennsylvania, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific. The Phase II units used either the General Electric GT 598 Generator or the GTA 9 Alternator. The 10 Santa Fe U28CGs were also built on this longer frame. Starting in November 1966 and through mid 1967 GE built 24 look a like Phase I U30Cs that used the same carbody as the Phase II U28Cs.

Original owners

GE produced 71 U28C locomotives, not including ten U28CG passenger variants for the Santa Fe:[1][3]

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad 16 562–577 to Burlington Northern 5650-5665, U25C-style carbody
Louisville and Nashville Railroad 8 1526–1533 Late-style carbody
Northern Pacific Railway 12 2800–2811 to Burlington Northern 5666-5677, U25C-style carbody
Pennsylvania Railroad 15 6520–6534 Late-style carbody
Southern Pacific Railroad 10 7150–7159 Late-style carbody
Union Pacific Railroad 10 2800–2809 Late-style carbody

Preservation

Ex-Union Pacific No. 2804 is preserved at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. The rear of the locomotive has been cutaway to show the inner workings of a diesel locomotive.[4]

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References
  1. Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
  2. Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-258-2.
  3. Sarberenyi, Robert. "GE U28C and U28CG Original Owners".
  4. "Rail". Museum of Transportation. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  • "General Electric's U30C" by Diesel Era Staff from Diesel Era Volume 5 Number 2 March/April 1994, pages 6-8.
  • "GE's reaction to the competition: too mild or just right". by David P. Morgan from Trains magazine November 1965 page 14.
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