General Electric U28B | |||||||||||||||
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![]() Milwaukee Road U28B #5505 | |||||||||||||||
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The GE U28B diesel-electric locomotive model replaced the U25B in early 1966, featuring a slightly uprated prime mover (only 300 hp (220 kW) more power than the U25B). Early units had the same car body styling as the U25B, while later units had design features (e.g., shortened nose) more in common with later models. After only a year of production, this model was superseded by the U30B.
Trains Magazine editor David P. Morgan wrote about General Electric's decision to go with 2800 horsepower in its 1966 locomotive production. The short article Morgan wrote in the November 1965 issue had line drawings of the proposed short nose U28B.
Original owners
Railroad | Quantity | Numbers | Notes |
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Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 20 | 106-115, 140-149 | to Burlington Northern 5450-5459, 5470-5479, all late-style carbody |
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | 17 | 130-135, 137-140, 380, 393-398 | 393-398 U25B-style carbody, all others late-style |
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | 42 | 240-281 | 240-254 U25B-style carbody, 255-281 late-style |
Great Northern Railway | 6 | 2524-2529 | to Burlington Northern 5460-5465, late-style carbody |
Louisville and Nashville Railroad | 5 | 2500-2504 | late-style carbody, all rebuilt to U30B |
New York Central Railroad | 2 | 2822-2823 | to Penn Central, Conrail 2822-2823, late-style carbody |
Norfolk and Western Railroad | 30 | 1900-1929 | high-nose, late-style carbody |
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad | 22 | 2800-2821 | U25B-style carbody |
Southern Pacific Railroad Company | 4 | 7025-7028 | Served as GE demonstrators from 2/66 to delivery in 8/66, U25B-style carbody |
Preservation
Only two U28B's are in preservation, and one of them has been rebuilt to U30B specs.
- Transkentucky Transportation Incorporated 260 is preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum. It was built as Chicago Burlington and Quincy 114 in December 1966.
- Vintage Locomotives Inc 5323, originally built as Louisville and Nashville 2504, is preserved at the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum. It was rebuilt to U30B specs late into its career.
References
- Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-258-2.
- Morgan, David P. (November 1965). "GE's reaction to the competition: too mild or just right". Trains. p. 14.
- Withers, Paul K. (September–October 2009). "General Electric's U28B". Diesel Era. pp. 6–56.
External links
- Sarberenyi, Robert. GE U28B Original Owners