GE U50's

[ntypeman]

Hi Guys.

This is my first post so please bear with me. Living in the UK, I'm a little new to things "over the pond". Whilst browsing on eBay, I came across a "Con-Cor Burlington Northern U50" (eBay item# 6015730437).

Being a little curious about these locos, I did a bit of digging but couldn't find out if BN actually operated these beasts. Can anybody tell me if the model is for real or if it is just a fictitious model????

Cheers

Eric

[DSchmitt]

BN didn't have any U50's

The only railroads that had them were the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific:

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=69rhkupv97lk1?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=GE+U50&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&sbid=lc01b&linktext=GE%20U50C

[ntypeman]

I thought that was the case... A fictitious model!!!!! I had discovered that UP and SP operated them.

Thanks

Eric

[Anonymous]

However, since you live in the UK, you could run BN U50's with less danger of being harrassed by the prototype conformity police. To prove the point, I'm itching to paint a Bachmann Class 66 in New York Central lightning stripe paint.....

[waltersrails]

Thats what i though up and sp had them.

[CMSTPP]

Burlington Northern never had any U50s. Someone must have painted that up in to the Bn scheme.

The Union Pacific and the southern Pacific were the only rr's that I know of that owned and used the U50. The U50 was a 6000 horse power locomotive and was usually run in the hill and mountanious areas since its tractive effort was so high.
The only problems with them, they were maintance headaches and the railroads gave them up after only a few years of service.

James

[waltersrails]

plus i think they arew ugly engines.

[ntypeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bwilcox

However, since you live in the UK, you could run BN U50's with less danger of being harrassed by the prototype conformity police. To prove the point, I'm itching to paint a Bachmann Class 66 in New York Central lightning stripe paint.....

I like your style... I ONCE had a MAD urge to buy a secondhand SP "Dummy" U-boat to paint it into British Rail's "Trainload Freight Colours" [:D], but then the urge passed as quickly as it came. As you quite rightly said..." The prototype conformity police" would only stand there shaking their heads and tutting!!!![:(!] ONE DAY MAYBE......

Eric

[emdgp92]

There have been quite a few "never had 'em" paint schemes over the years. They've all done it:

Tyco had green Penn Central F units. The real ones were black. These green Fs are fairly common and show up on Ebay often.
Tyco had New Haven E units as well. The NH didn't have E units!
Athearn had green Pennsylvania RR F units. These were a much lighter shade than the "Brunswick Green" or Dark Green Locomotive Enamel used on the real engines.

[SP4449]

Want a real stretch? I think you will find a U50 in Amtrak colors in the ConCor catalog. I remember some ads in various modeling magazines throught out the years>

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ntypeman

QUOTE: Originally posted by bwilcox

However, since you live in the UK, you could run BN U50's with less danger of being harrassed by the prototype conformity police. To prove the point, I'm itching to paint a Bachmann Class 66 in New York Central lightning stripe paint.....

I like your style... I ONCE had a MAD urge to buy a secondhand SP "Dummy" U-boat to paint it into British Rail's "Trainload Freight Colours" [:D], but then the urge passed as quickly as it came. As you quite rightly said..." The prototype conformity police" would only stand there shaking their heads and tutting!!!![:(!] ONE DAY MAYBE......

Well, EWS colours are also those of Wisconsin Central, so there's very little stretch there...take a Kato SD45 in WC paint and apply EWS lettering and logos, might look pretty spiffy. And a P42 passenger diesel in Virgin or Midland Mainline livery would look excellent. I did see in a recent issue of BRM or MRM an Athearn SW1500 in SP paint with the SP lettering painted out and Transrail lettering and the "T" logo applied to the hood. So ask the PC Police for their ID and stall them until you put the offending stuff in the closet and run 'em after they leave....

[Philcal]

Greetings Eric, as noted, Burlington Northern never owned a U-50. They were unique to the Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific. The Southern Pacific has been absorbed into the Union Pacific for several years now. I'm positive that there are no U-50s in operation any more, nor do I think there are even any in existance. They were developed by GE to fill a perceived need for large power by the involved railroads. A caveat in modeling. Quite a few manufacturors will offer locomotives ,and rolling stock painted for railroads that never had the engine or car, so a little research can come in handy. That said, it's your railroad, which means you run anything on it you like. Have a great Christmas