U50 #50 on an eastbound freight at Laramie, Wyoming.

The GE U50 and U50C were 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) diesel locomotives built by GE Transportation Systems. They were twin-engined locomotives, combining two 2,500 hp (1,850 kW) diesel engines. The two models were similar in layout, cab appearance and power, but differed in many ways. Dowtown Laramie Laramie is a city located in Albany County, Wyoming. ... Great Western Railway No. ... GE Transportation Systems is the division of the General Electric corporation producing railroad locomotives and electrical and propulsion equipment for transit cars. ...

U50

The U50 rode on four two-axle trucks, grouped in pairs linked by span bolsters, giving a wheel arrangement of B+B-B+B. The trucks and bolsters were re-used from scrapped UP gas turbine locomotives built by GE during the 1950s. The U50 was built in response to the Union Pacific Railroad's requirement, issued in the early 1960s, for a 15,000 hp (11,100 kW) 3-unit locomotive. The design was effectively two U25B locomotives on a single frame; each diesel engine and generator powered only the two trucks at the same end. Three were delivered to the UP in October 1963, and three to the Southern Pacific Railroad in May and June 1964. Other locomotives built to this requirement were the EMD DD35 and the ALCO Century 855. US_style railroad truck. ... Wheel arrangement, in the field of railroad locomotives, is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... The AAR wheel arrangement system is a method of classifying locomotive (or unit) wheel arrangements that was developed by the Association of American Railroads. ... Millennia: 1st millennium - 2nd millennium - 3rd millennium Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb. ... The Union Pacific Railroad (NYSE: UNP) is the largest railroad in the United States. ... Milwaukee Road GE U25B at Bellingham, Washington, 1972. ... The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas containing oxygen (usually atmospheric air), rather than a separate source of ignition... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Southern Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark SP) was an American railroad. ... 1964 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Two DD35s between a lead SD45 and an unknown trailing unit, 1970. ... The ALCO Century 855 was ALCOs most powerful diesel locomotive. ...

The Southern Pacific kept the three but did not order any more. They were kept on the roster until the late 1970s, but were often sidelined. Original numbers were #8500-8502; they were later renumbered #9950-9952. Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution...

The Union Pacific was more satisfied with their three, and ordered 20 more. A batch of 12 were delivered between July and September 1964, while a final eight were built May through August 1965. They were numbered #31-53. 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...

Most were withdrawn from service in 1973 and 1974 and traded-in to GE for more modern high-powered units, although three survived in service until 1977. 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ...

The U50 is sometimes inaccurately referred to as the U50D, a back-formation from the U50C name given to the six-axle units. The name is incorrect and was never used by the manufacturer nor the railroad. The U50 did not ride on D trucks in any case. It is also sometimes referred to as the U50B, but this is incorrect as well.

U50C

The U50C was an evolution of the U50 design produced between November 1969 and November 1971 solely for the Union Pacific; 40 locomotives were constructed. The U50C used a pair of three-axle trucks instead of the four two-axle trucks used by the U50. Again, these were reused trucks, this time from the later, three-unit GE turbine locomotives. 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ...

Development of the U50C was to the same UP specification that produced the EMD DDA40X "Centennial" units—a requirement for a high power locomotive for the railroad's high-speed freight trains. The span-bolster B-B+B-B design was not suited to this service; furthermore, the requirement for power at speed rather than low-speed hauling meant that six driven axles would be sufficient. UP 6915, preserved by the Southern California chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society at the Los Angeles County Fairplex in Pomona, California. ...

The design needed extensive weight saving not to overload six axles instead of eight. GE replaced the 16-cylinder engines of the U50 with more advanced 12-cylinder engines, which were lighter and shorter. The engines were reversed in orientation compared to the U50, placing the radiator sections at the middle of the locomotive instead of the ends. The shorter overall length required a wider radiator section design, similar to that used on the U33B/C locomotives.

The U50C was not a very successful design. The extreme weight saving measures taken to make the locomotive able to use six axles rather than eight caused numerous problems, especially in the electrical wiring; aluminum wires instead of the regular copper had been used, which proved prone to overheating. The U50Cs suffered from many serious electrical fires as well as lesser failures; the UP rewired one unit with copper experimentally and considered having a contractor replace the wiring on all of them, but decided that the units' other problems were too serious. The trucks suffered from cracks in the cast frames; the engines were prone to low oil pressure; the cooling water leaked; the dynamic brake grids were prone to failure too. Regenerative braking is any technology which allows a vehicle to recapture and store part of the kinetic energy that would ordinarily be lost when braking. ...

A business downturn in 1976 proved the end of the U50C in service; all were withdrawn, although many were stored in serviceable condition. No return to service occurred, though five were loaned as stationary power generators during a coal miners' strike in early 1978. All were sold for scrap during 1977-1978. 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

References

• Komanesky, John et al. General Electric U50 Roster (http://www.thedieselshop.us/GE_U50.HTML). Retrieved January 14, 2005.
• Percy, Richard A. Southern Pacific U50 (http://espee.railfan.net/spu50.html). Retrieved January 14, 2005.
• Strack, Don. A History of Union Pacific Dieselization, 1934-1982, Part 4 (http://utahrails.net/up/diesels/up-diesel-story-1934-1982-d.php). Retrieved January 14, 2005.
• Strack, Don. All-Time UP Diesel Roster (http://utahrails.net/all-time/all-time-index.php). Retrieved January 14, 2005.
• Strack, Don. Union Pacific GE Dash 8 Locomotives (http://utahrails.net/webpubs/up-dash8.php). Retrieved January 14, 2005. Mentions earlier UP GE purchases also.

January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...