[MOC] Union Pacific Gas Turbine Locomotive

[bogieman]

As a bogie designer, I have always been intrigued with the 8-axle first and second generation Gas Turbine Electric locomotives (GTEL) built by GE in the 1950's for the Union Pacific RR. These used a single gas turbine rated at 4,500 HP and rode on a pair of span bolster 4-axle bogies comprised of a pair of 2-axle equalizer bogies with the draft gear and coupler carried integrally on the span bolster casting. I'm sure the designers did this to limit the length of coupler required to negotiate a reasonable minimum curve radius - this arrangement is similar to most all Lego trains where the bogie carries the coupler. These were long locomotives, 83.5 feet over couplers (25.5m). Besides the gas turbine, they had a small diesel engine for hosteling and to start the turbine engine. Unfortunately, all of the first and second generation locos were scrapped, the bogies saved and later used under GE U50 locomotives. The third and last generation had a larger 8,500 HP turbine and was two six axle locos coupled together - two of those were saved and are in RR museums. Here's a photo of the first generation loco I modeled:

I 

I modeled it in 1:48 scale (8 wide); Andy at OKBrickworks created the decals for it:

I 3D-printed the windshield frame as I did for my F7A model and painted it a reasonably close match to Lego Yellow. The model is powered with 4 PUP train motors that I modified by replacing the PUP cable with a pair of very flexible wires that pass into the carbody to connect to the controller, a SoundTrax Tsunami 2 4400 DCC which has a 4 amp capacity. It's powered by 4 - 18650 batteries in series giving nominally 14.8V to an Airwire Convrtr 60X that receives commands from an Airwire wireless throttle which it translates to DCC commands to drive the Tsunami 2. Sound effects from the Tsunami 2, which include all the turbine sounds, a played thru a 40mm in the "battery box" between the bogies. It also controls the lighting effects. This system is step up from the MRC LocoGenie I've used in my previous Lego locos for motor control, sound and lighting. With the long, wide carbody, there is plenty of room for the batteries and electronics. The roof lifts off in two parts to access the batteries and power switch.

The Airwire receiver is visible in the picture, the Tsunami board is below the red tiles beneath it. The Airwire and Tsunami can both take up to 24V input, so I went ahead with 4 battery cells instead of the 3 I usually use. I've done a lot of pulling with this loco up the 4% grade on my layout with heavy trains and the train motors seem fine so far.

Here is very long video showing the model in action before the decals were applied:

The final tasks I have yet to do is to rearrange the cab interior to fit a pair of minifigures and create a fuel tender.

Dave

[DMRR WOLFE]

Ok! That is sooooo coool!!!!!!! I've never seen anything like that before! I can't imagine how you got that bogie configuration to work!!!!!

You are really talented!!!!

[bogieman]

Thanks! I didn't mention it, but the bogie bolsters have a pitch degree of freedom relative to the underframe so they can negotiate vertical curvature in the rail profile, which they need to make it up and down the grades on my layout where the transitions are not as gentle as they are on real railroads. I designed locomotive and freight car bogies for 40 years so I do have some experience in the field.

Dave

[zephyr1934]

Another amazing build. All of the fuctionality built in is amazing, the detailing is over the top, the windshield is amazing. Not sure what is my favorite bit, but I do like how you did the leaf springs on the truks.

Though one comment, your prototype photo shows the engine in later years, after removing the grill work on the sides, while your model is early years with the grills. Here's a photo closer to the as-built look.

 

[bogieman]

Thanks Zephyr! I do have a bit of a mashup of the as-built and modified versions. Originally, they were built with the air intakes all on the sides and none on the roof as I have but UP modified them to add the grilles on the top behind the cab and closed off many of the side grilles. I bought of bunch of 2x2 yellow tiles to modify the side grilles but haven't put them on yet, not sure I will as I don't find them very attractive.

Dave

[zephyr1934]

Oh yes, the as-new almost always looks way better than the in-service. As was the norm with locomotives, the as-new has all the pretty styling that looks amazing, and then over time, the crews that work on them slowly get their way and the purely decorative bits come off.

The only point of my mentioning that is because your model is as-new but the example in the photograph of the actual locomotive in your first post is from later years after the decorative grills were removed. So someone who is not familiar with the turbines might go, "that one has grills but that one has squares."

I'm all for the grills, I think it looks far more interesting. But yes, I didn't even think about that, the fuel tenders were added later, weren't they after the grills came off. I vote grills + tender

[bogieman]

This would have been a better picture to use for the prototype as it shows the grilles not yet blanked-off and no fuel tender. A fuel tender is on my list to build though.

[XG BC]

looks very nice! i like the yellow 3d printed cab piece more than the black one which you did before.

[Toastie]

Well, what to add?

I just really admire the history, the stories, the photography, the knowledge behind all this - it makes a big difference to me.

For me, your building skills are simply playing in another league. I really enjoy just seeing all that in LEGO world - as much as learning all the things you guy are providing here.

Spoiler

My group (many, many years before the pandemic and restarting in 2023) is regularly visiting the US for the annual ASMS meeting, usually held in major cities providing lodging for >7000 participants; Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Denver, Minneapolis, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and so on and so forth. We have a lot of fun, renting a house for 15+ folks in about one hour walking distance from the conference center (you go there >once< in the morning and then return - no crazy thinking about doing that again - and then, well, we party ). I usually look for the major train lines - and then spend some time there, just watching. San Diego is so cool: When 5 diesels pulling a train (indefinitely long) through the city, traveling past the conference center, man ... some folks get nervous - maybe thinking about never be able to cross that street again - to get some food. When I hear the bell - I slow down - to not being able to cross that very street. I like the sound of diesels. And I wish I could hear and see a gas turbine loco you modeled so nicely!

All the best,
Thorsten 

[Feuer Zug]

A beast of a GTEL! You crammed all that power and equipment in the locomotive is phenomenal. Great work on the details too.

[zephyr1934]

23 hours ago, bogieman said:

A fuel tender is on my list to build

[bogieman]

18 hours ago, XG BC said:

looks very nice! i like the yellow 3d printed cab piece more than the black one which you did before.

Thanks! This one took more iteration - the headlight bump made it more difficult to fit the window "glass" in, I did 12 test prints to get it in final form which isn't a perfect fit but close enough for me.

 

17 hours ago, Toastie said:

Well, what to add?

I just really admire the history, the stories, the photography, the knowledge behind all this - it makes a big difference to me.

For me, your building skills are simply playing in another league. I really enjoy just seeing all that in LEGO world - as much as learning all the things you guy are providing here.

  Reveal hidden contents

My group (many, many years before the pandemic and restarting in 2023) is regularly visiting the US for the annual ASMS meeting, usually held in major cities providing lodging for >7000 participants; Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Denver, Minneapolis, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and so on and so forth. We have a lot of fun, renting a house for 15+ folks in about one hour walking distance from the conference center (you go there >once< in the morning and then return - no crazy thinking about doing that again - and then, well, we party ). I usually look for the major train lines - and then spend some time there, just watching. San Diego is so cool: When 5 diesels pulling a train (indefinitely long) through the city, traveling past the conference center, man ... some folks get nervous - maybe thinking about never be able to cross that street again - to get some food. When I hear the bell - I slow down - to not being able to cross that very street. I like the sound of diesels. And I wish I could hear and see a gas turbine loco you modeled so nicely!

All the best,
Thorsten 

Thanks Thorsten! Compared to some of the steam loco builds I've seen, I'm pretty much middle of the road in building skills but appreciate the comments, diesel locos and their like are pretty simple by comparison. Yes, US railroading is quite different from the European practice, but when Siemens partnered with EMD in the early 90's on AC traction, it really jumped to another level. Climbing a grade at full throttle, 5 mph, is something to hear, see and feel.

 

2 hours ago, Feuer Zug said:

A beast of a GTEL! You crammed all that power and equipment in the locomotive is phenomenal. Great work on the details too.

Thanks! I have to give credit to the work by jepaz on Rebrickable (https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-106723/jepaz/union-pacific-ge-8500-gtel/#details) for the nose shaping.

Dave

Edited June 13, 2022 by bogieman

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

This work is totally cool ...and your layout is amazing with so many crossover! 

The sound from the locomotive is the icing on the cake! 

[zephyr1934]

22 hours ago, bogieman said:

Thanks Thorsten! Compared to some of the steam loco builds I've seen, I'm pretty much middle of the road in building skills but appreciate the comments, diesel locos and their like are pretty simple by comparison.

I too would say you are a great builder. Are you the best in the major league? Who knows, but you are in the major league so that makes you very good.

[bogieman]

On 6/13/2022 at 1:54 PM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

This work is totally cool ...and your layout is amazing with so many crossover! 

The sound from the locomotive is the icing on the cake! 

Thanks Emanuele, once I added sound to the first loco, I had to have it on them all.

[Asper]

Wonderful model. It looks very accurate - and it can handle the tight LEGO curves. Sound and lights make it perfect. Great!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

11 hours ago, bogieman said:

Thanks Emanuele, once I added sound to the first loco, I had to have it on them all.

Oh yeah I know what that means 

 

[Shiva]

Nice locomotive!

At first, I almost read it as "steam turbine locomotive" :)

[Murdoch17]

31 minutes ago, Shiva said:

Nice locomotive!

At first, I almost read it as "steam turbine locomotive" :)

You know, UP did have a few of those type of locomotives delivered by GE in 1938!

Anyway, great work on the Gas Turbines, @bogieman - I love that custom windscreen!

[Ropefish]

wonderful build, getting a lot of use out of that window piece!

[Dufflefan]

@bogieman

This is a wonderful rendition of the real locomotive; my father loves trains so I've sent him the link to this post - I'm sure he'll be impressed!

[bogieman]

Thanks all for the positive feedback!

Dave

[ivanlan9]

Amazing!  I've gotten to crawl over the one that used to be, and maybe still is, at Ogden Union Station here in Utah.  Gotta admire the things, impractical as they were.

I agree, bogieman, you're in the major leagues.

[bogieman]

Thanks for your kind words.