UP Gas Turbine B Unit

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Doe’s anyone know if Athearn will be doing a B unit in the gas turbine? This is a photo of a brass 3 unit model.

2

I don’t think Athearn will make a 2nd unit, unless they make the whole 3-unit gas turbine. If you look at Athearn’s model and the brass one here, you’ll notice that Athearn’s is an earlier style 4-truck unit with a cylinder-shaped tender. The 3-unit turbine is completely different.

3

Athearn’s model is one of the earlier 4500HP units, with everything except fuel in one carbody.

The ‘three unit’ turbine was rated 8500HP. The lead unit carried controls and its original 2000HP prime mover. The second unit was home to a 6500HP shaft-drive turbine and its auxiliaries - it wasn’t a B-unit.

Both designs had a fuel oil tender bringing up the rear.

Hope this clarifies the differences.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

4

sorry, but you have the 8500 gas turbine pictured above by OP confused with the coal turbine, which was a custom, UP built frankenstein, with an Alco PA as an A unit, the B was a retired, rebuilt GN electric loco, and the tender came from a challenger.

2000hp from the A, and the coal turbine in the “B” was rated at 5000 hp

The 8500 three unit turbine built by Alco had only an 850 hp aux diesel powerplant in the “A” to provide power when the turbine was shut down,and was just big enough for hostling the units when running light.

the turbine in th “B” was rated at 8500 hp.

5

Thanks for the quick replys maybe a 3 unit from Athearn? It sure would be nice to see one in there ready to roll series which I believe are nice and affordable compared to the brass version which was shown in my first post.