In MR March 2002, Sherman Hill layout, there is a UP deisel loco I am unable to identify. Is it scratchbuilt? or does it exist as a prototype? Also seen in Model Railroad Planning 2002. [?]
I looked in my MRP 2002, and the only UP diesels on the Sherman Hill layout are EMD E units pulling a passenger train. The locomotive you’re referring to is no doubt a gas turbine, unique to UP. These brutes consumed bunker C fuel oil instead of diesel fuel.
The turbines were eventually doomed by excessive maintenance costs, the arrival of more reliable high horsepower diesels, and the growing industrial demand for bunker C, which rendered it less cost effective compared to diesel fuel. All of UP turbines were off the roster by about 1970.
To supplement the response Video rails has a VHS-60 min tape" UP Turbines of the Wasatach
Mountains"
Commonly knownas “Big Blows”, a 8500 HP Turbine pulls a 170 car freight thru Echo Canyon.
Video Rails-1800-262-2776
And did I just read that Lionel HO is thinking of introducing a gas turbine? Or have I been dreaming again (I had chocolate chip cookies before bedtime last night and that usually creates vivid dreams of marvelous new products in HO. It also creates dreams of marvelous model building abilities in me. Alas, morning always comes …
Dave Nelson
Thank you all for responding. The info was helpful.
“And did I just read that Lionel HO is thinking of introducing a gas turbine?”
Yup. They’re supposed to have it ready by the end of this year. The product announcement stated it was to be a “veranda” version from the '50s. Since the mechanism is being developed, possibly either Lionel or an aftermarket supplier could provide made-to-fit shells for other versions…
In MR March 2002, Sherman Hill layout, there is a UP deisel loco I am unable to identify. Is it scratchbuilt? or does it exist as a prototype? Also seen in Model Railroad Planning 2002. [?]
I looked in my MRP 2002, and the only UP diesels on the Sherman Hill layout are EMD E units pulling a passenger train. The locomotive you’re referring to is no doubt a gas turbine, unique to UP. These brutes consumed bunker C fuel oil instead of diesel fuel.
The turbines were eventually doomed by excessive maintenance costs, the arrival of more reliable high horsepower diesels, and the growing industrial demand for bunker C, which rendered it less cost effective compared to diesel fuel. All of UP turbines were off the roster by about 1970.
To supplement the response Video rails has a VHS-60 min tape" UP Turbines of the Wasatach
Mountains"
Commonly knownas “Big Blows”, a 8500 HP Turbine pulls a 170 car freight thru Echo Canyon.
Video Rails-1800-262-2776
And did I just read that Lionel HO is thinking of introducing a gas turbine? Or have I been dreaming again (I had chocolate chip cookies before bedtime last night and that usually creates vivid dreams of marvelous new products in HO. It also creates dreams of marvelous model building abilities in me. Alas, morning always comes …
Dave Nelson
Thank you all for responding. The info was helpful.
“And did I just read that Lionel HO is thinking of introducing a gas turbine?”
Yup. They’re supposed to have it ready by the end of this year. The product announcement stated it was to be a “veranda” version from the '50s. Since the mechanism is being developed, possibly either Lionel or an aftermarket supplier could provide made-to-fit shells for other versions…