The turbo issue associated with GEs goes all the way back to the Universal series. I have 35mm slides of Southern Pacific U30C and U33C's with burn scars in the exhaust stack area taken in 1978-1986.
I read an article online about GE recalling the GEVO locomotives built between 2007-2009 for turbo shaft failure that can send shrapnel through the enclosure. NS put out a bulletin warning employees to keep off the walkways in notch 4 and above.
While it would seem like only GE is losing turbos, as it turns out many locomotives can lunch a turbo. The nature of the beast. Working on big trucks and mining equipment all my long years, I've seen my share of turbo failures. I've also seen engines with over a million miles with the original turbo. The tolerances inside the turbo is minute and anything can go wrong at any time. At idle (700 rpm) the impeller can be rotating at 10,000 rpm. When the engine is working hard the amount of air compressed in one minute can be more than you will inhale and exhale your whole life. I've seen the turbine housing glow bright white in broad daylight. Cat ACERT engines run a low compression and a high compression turbo system. I've seen the high pressure turbo blown right off the side of the engine. 3/8 hardened stainless steel studs ripped right out of the cast iron manifold. That takes immense power.
Pete
Just got some new GEs, specifically a Dash 7 and Dash 8. I model 1975-1985, so the Dash 8 is going to get only very light weathering (they started rolling of the assembly line in 1984), but the Dash 7 will have been around for a bit, so I was wondering if it would be prototypical to put burn marks down the side of it, showing a previously blown turbocharger? I've always though the effect looked very interesting and wanted to try it, but I've only ever seen it on Dash 8s and Dash 9s. I just want to make sure its prototypical first and foremost! Thanks for the help in advance!
Check out the Balfour and Colucci Creek Southern Railroad, my proto-freelanced N scale model railroad, at bccsrailroad.weebly.com or on Youtube on my channel, N Scale Train Boy.
-Dennis