UP motive power question

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Stretching the definition of unit a little bit when you consider that all of the turbines came equipped with fuel tenders or later had them added.

Does that make the vast majority of North American steam locomotives to be twin-unit design?

[Overmod]

CSSHEGEWISCH

80 (later re-numbered 8080) was the twin-unit coal-fired gas turbine which was rebuilt  from a UP PA1 and GN W-1 electric.

If you're going to count the PA as a separate unit (it did use the full 2000 engine HP, but not for traction) then you also have to count the special coal-pulverizing tender -- three units, not 'twin'.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Numbers on the various gas turbines were as follows:  1-30 were the 8500HP "Big Blows", 50 was the double-cab 4500HP ex-GE demonstrator, 51-60 were the single cab 4500HP full-width carbodies, 61-75 were the single-cab 4500HP "verandas", 80 (later re-numbered 8080) was the twin-unit coal-fired gas turbine which was rebuilt  from a UP PA1 and GN W-1 electric.

[caldreamer]

The UP gas turbines were assigned two digit numbers beginning with 50 and run to about 80.  These included all three versions.  The original 4500 HP, the veranda turbines and the 8000 HP three unit turbines.

[Leo_Ames]

That was my understanding. 

But I decided to check just to be safe and discovered that while these were the only 50 series locomotives built without dynamic braking, I very much was mistaken about them being the last road switchers from EMD without it. 

The last of these GP50's had a January 1981 build date, with many EMD's built afterwards without dynamic braking. I've listed those below. Unsurprisingly, MP were responsible for the bulk of them. 

GP38-2

• 45 - Missouri Pacific (2/81-8/81)
• 10 - South Shore (1/81; Same month as last non d/b GP50)
• 9 - Soo (2/81-3/83)
• 9 - Devco (3/81-7/83)
• 6 - Ferrocarril Unidos del Sureste (8/81-3/82)
• 1 - Providence & Worcester (9/82)
• 1 - Texas Mexican (6/85)

GP39-2

• 2 - Kennecott Copper (11/81)

GP40-2

• 5 - Florida East Coast (12/84-12/86; Another well known d/b holdout)
• 1 - Ferrocarril Sonora Baja California (7/81)

GP15-1

• 70 - Missouri Pacific (8/81-4/82)

GP15AC

• 30  - Missouri Pacific (11-12/82)

GP15T

• 3 - Apalachicola Northern (4/83)

Additional likely candidates are the switchers built for North American use after January 1981. These include 87 MP15DC's, 32 MP15AC's, and 43 MP15T's (Never heard of one with dynamic braking). And 11 SW1001's for the US and Mexico.

[SD70Dude]

Good work!  I missed that part of the Utahrails site.  

Could these also be the last new North American EMDs to be built without dynamic braking?  And the only 50 series units without it?

[Leo_Ames]

The UtahRails roster confirms it I believe. Here's the relevant portion.

https://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-diesel-roster-01.php#gp50-50

The #76 is indeed one of the units that was renumbered to this short lived number series. The former MP #3526 received her assigned number in September 1988 and was later renumbered to UP #986 in June 1990.

[Leo_Ames]

I strongly suspect it was an ex MP GP50.

Here's a picture of a slightly lower numbered sister from this timeframe to illustrate.

The low numbers for the MP GP50's didn't stick around long and many of them didn't ever carry their assigned numbers before the numbering scheme changed in the early 1990's (with them reassigned to the 900's).

But I can just about 99% guarantee that the locomotive in question was what I said it was. 

 

[SD70Dude]

I can't find another 76, but UP did have some units with two digit numbers in the 1980s, especially in the brief period between the MKT merger and when all its units were renumbered.  

https://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-x-mkt.php

UP's SD45's finished their careers with two digit numbers, but they were also gone before 1989 and there was no 76.

https://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-diesel-roster-01.php#sd45-1

[kgbw49]

Just a guess, but perhaps a digit was left off the log.

The UP 700s were GP35 locomotives. Perhaps there were three 4-axle locomotives on the train. UP 786 was retired in 1993 so theoretically could have been the locomotive.

Again, just a guess.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locolist.aspx?id=UP&mid=50

 

[SD70Dude]

The GE U50's and EMD DD35's had two digit numbers.  UP 76 was a DD35A.  But I guess it would have been long gone by 1989.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151089709@N08/31114688448

The other two units in that consist were both ex-MoPac, 104 was a GE B23-7 (ex MP 4604) and 2324 was a GP38-2 (same MP number).  

[SFbrkmn]

Going back to UP loco rosters from over 30 yrs ago, was there ever a series of two digit numbers? A UP Wichita yardmaster turnover report I have lists train FWWT arriving Wichita w/UP 76(?) as the lead unit on 11/1/89 (others were 104-2324). This was what was written on the form in ink by the o/d yardmaster. Could this have been a writing error or was there indeed a real UP76 roaming the countryside?                                                                                                This info is being collected for a book on the history of the OKT (former RI) that was intact 1980-1989 (first 7 chapters have been edited by pub from authors rough draft. Likely 2023 on release time w/work still to do).                                  Sam Andrews , Wichita