In the FORUM topic- “Mining Boneyards”. There was a discussion about various electrified Western Railroad operatons. Mention was made that a Great Northern W-1 Electric Locomotive was sold to the Union Pacific to be used to create a coal[dust] fired turbine locomotive #8080.
Nanaimo 73 posted a link to a picture of the control end of this engine:
Someone else mentioned that the former GN electric was used as the tender[?], and another mentioned that the tender used was from a 4800 Class “Big Boy.”
In the late 1950’s the N&W produced their version of a coal fired turbine, the “JAWN Henry.” It was known as-- its engine number escapes me at this time. At approximately the same time period the Chesapeake and Ohio fielded a coal fired turbine of their own; both the N&W’s and C&O’s did not last too long, the C&O’s went away rather more quickly that the N&W’s.
To many of us fans, the existance of this Union Pacific coal turbine was lost in the success of their fleet of GE powered Turbines, the ‘Big Blows’; which ran out West, and lasted quite a few years, morphing through a number of versions and body styles.
Can anyone provide any more pictures of this coal turbine- UP#8080 [or #80].
Any anecdotes, photos would also be interesting as well.
My thanks to Jay, Smitty and Dale: I figured that somebody could put some info on this beastie out to the Forum…
The photo of the full three unit locomotive is amazing, I would guess well over three hundred feet in length…It kind of reminds me of a line from a Bill Mauldin WWII eara cartoon of Wille and Joe standing in the mud and reviewing the blanket wrapped footprints OF OTHER GI’s in the same mud of an Italian winter, and commenting…“GAWD, WHAT A MONSTER!”
Wasn’t C&O’s turbine supposed to be power for their aborted passenger train “The Chessie”. I am pretty sure that is what it was for anyhow. There were even several passenger cars built (if not a full consist). I think many of them went to the Rio Grande. Sorry to stray off topic…
That’s correct. There’s a difference between a coal turbine and a coal-fired steam turbine. Until someone invents a way to mass produce synthetic diamonds into indestructable turbine blades, burning coal directly into a turbine will eat the blades alive.
I wish I had an N scale replica of that triple set up. Whatever it’s prototype’s flaws were, that is one cool looking unit. Wish I had the time and engery to attempt kit-bashing THAT set. Thanks for posting those links.
“Very Different Animals.” This is probably an understatement! Apparently turbines were built not only in North America; Europe had its share of various incarnations of turbine power as well.
I found this web site while researching the PRR’s S-1 #6200 which was a steam turbine- direct gear drive on a 6-8-6 wheel arrangement. The turbine locomotive page also mentions the C&O’s M-1s and indicates that it was a class of three locomotives, built by Baldwin for C&O.
I believe a steam turbine loco is preserved in Sweden, in working order at their national railway museum. In Britain two Gas Turbines survived, Great Western #18000, which is just a shell, and the original Gas Turbine powered tilting Advanced Passenger Train which is now on display at the National Railway Museum’s new outpost at Shildon, Co. Durham.
The “Chessie” was a personal whim of Robert R. Young intended to showcase the modernization of C&O’s passenger service. Three complete trainsets (including motive power) plus a handful of spares were built to cover a proposed Washington-Cincinnati daylight train for which a market did not exist. The passenger cars were sold to various railroads in North America and Argentina. TRAINS had an excellent article about the whole thing in 1968 or 1969.
I appreciate the info. I will have to track that issue down. I think it would have been a good looking train, although they would have spent all the revenue generated keeping the turbine running.
I had considered modeling “The Chessie”, but the turbine alone will cost me a small fortune.
I think that the Chessie’s turbine was the best looking of all the turbines, although the UP’s gas turbines and coal turbine looked more “brutish”, so they are really awesome in their own right.