| Union Pacific Railroad U50 31 near Omaha, Nebraska on October 26, 1963, Kodachrome by Lou Schmitz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Union Pacific's Chief Mechanical Officer, D. S. Neuhart, came up with the idea to replace as many as ten first generation locomotives (rated at 1500 hp each) with three dual power plant locomotives producing the equivalant 15,000 horsepower. All three builders responded, and GE delivered three U50's in October 1963. This is the first U50 in road number order, and this is likely the first run of number 31. Completed in October 1963 (c/n 34891), placed in service October 26, 1963, it was retired January 1974 and traded back to GE. It rides on trucks and span bolsters from UP's Standard and Veranda gas-turbines, which were taken out of service in 1962. The trucks and span bolsters were reconditioned by the UP at Omaha and shipped to GE, and the turbines carbodies were scrapped. |