Engines of Union Pacific Episode 1, The Gas Turbines (outdated episode)

Hello and welcome to the first episode of Engines of Union Pacific. This is a series based off of Engines of Septa by Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions and Engines of Amtrak by AmtrakGuy365. This is not my original idea, it's based off those two series. Their series inspired me to make my own. The episode talks about the gas turbines. Enjoy!!!

[@ottomatic6432]

To anyone that is reading this comment, this episode is now going to be considered outdated due to the bad information being given. A remastered version is planned to be made in the future. After the remastered version is released this, this episode will still be up on my channel but will be marked as Outdated.

[@RailsofForney]

Thank you for clarifying this. I noticed it was getting old.

[@Revolucion_Escenica915]

Pleas make the steam turbines a quick video

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

Here's some nomenclature and editing advice. If you're changing the video, that would be a re-edit, not a remaster. A remaster would be cleaning/enhancing/restoring the actual video and/or audio, not changes to the content. Another video editing 101 hint - Your caption overlays. Be sure they're shadowed, so you don't have black letters over black fuel oil. Seems you're making them huge so they're readable and therefore covering the actual video image subject matter. White with black shadow almost always shows better than black text and is pretty much industry standard for that reason. Caption length, at 5:26 and 6:06 for example, leave them up long enough so they can be read in their entirety. The rule is, long enough to read twice. Yup. Finally, have someone proofread your work before publishing to KZbin. Example: 7:35' "Verandas" doesn't need an apostrophe. Plurals dont need them. Cats. Dogs. Verandas. Another, "Big Boy" would be a proper name, so capitalized. Also, try to be consistent with font and font size. Enjoying the content, though. 🙂

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

16:25. Black screen. Ouch!

[@FlyingScotsman-mu5oi]

The music keep cutting out why

[@jaysmith1408]

Back when marketing departments made catchy jingles, bloody hell, I’ll be hummin all day “what are you singing?” “The Union Pacific theme song of course!” Had to make a detour and hear that theme some four more times.

[@trainknut]

_Southern Pacific roll on, roll on, from Chicago through the rockies, America's your home. Portland to New Orleans all along the golden crest, Southern Pacific, the spirit that won the west._

[@willmahoney8866]

I remember my dad racing one of these big fellas in our Oldsmobile somewhere east of Cheyenne, Wyoming in the summer of 1962. It stuck in my mind because the large panels on the sides gave this locomotive such an unusual appearance.

[@cdangelo1843]

LUCKY

[@Luscious3174]

I remember reading about these. One interesting quirk was the turbine EGT caused all kinds of headaches when taking these in tunnels and under overpasses/bridges - pretty much anything above got heated up to the point that the structure would risk material fatigue. On the plus side, the cheap oil used meant that it could pretty much run with anything combustible, from crude oil to alcohol. I don't remember the price, but I think they paid something like 12 cents per gallon for that thick sludge - the cheap price of the oil was a driving factor behind keeping these in the fleet. A by-product of the petroleum industry. One thing you didn't touch on was the traction. I understand the A unit had a diesel but was the pulling power coming from the turbine unit or the lead unit (or both)? I doubt the tender was powered. And yes, those big boy steam locos were a force to be reckoned with. A single one of those could pull the equivalent of three Dash 9's. But the one they restored is now an oil burner, not coal. I also think it's kind of cheating putting a diesel loco behind a steam engine, although I understand it's for the dynamic brake (steam locos don't do dynamic brake). Nice job with the video - keep up the great work!

[@gonzoGarcia2006]

Luscious3174 I read that the diesel locomotive is placed to provide electricity to the coaches and also just in case there is a breakdown on the excursion.

[@petermaddison4136]

The added diesel engine is for head end power for the passenger cars a/c and cooking facilities as well as additional braking capacity actioned by the air brake in the normal way.

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

@@petermaddison4136 These never pulled passenger trains, and back then, they were steam heated. The diesel engine was for lower speed operations, as turbojets use a insane amount of fuel at slow speeds.

[@mrvwbug4423]

The excursion trains that run during Cheyenne Frontier Days typically have either 844 or 3985 as the lead locomotive, with a DDA40X for backup, that consist runs a generator car for HEP. When I've seen that train leaving Cheyenne it is the steamer doing all the work, the 40X is usually idle. The 40X is of course also there for historical reasons being the largest diesel locomotive ever built.

[@SamutheHamu]

🤯

[@billanderson4619]

When I was a kid kid I saw turbines in Wyoming in the mid-50's to early 60's as I was seated in the dome car of the City of Portland on trips between Portland and the Midwest. I saw my last turbine in Feb. 1976 while on a ski trip to Utah. It was sitting in Salt Lake City, presumable waiting to be scrapped.

[@ridleyscurry2480]

Those engines are magnificent! They look almost like some stranger creature when moving quickly down the tracks. Beautiful!

[@rumblerider89]

2:35 to skip the intro.

[@GreenbeanProductions]

Good Idea

[@IsaacAmadeo]

thanks

[@3bydacreekside]

I can,never get too much of this song

[@3bydacreekside]

....10 seconds later and now I'm already sick of it

[@XYZPlayers]

I was at 1'35 thinking wow this is long

[@bobkonradi1027]

I would like to clear up a HP ratings controversy on the "Big Blow" Gen 3 turbines. For this, my source is the "Turbines West" book. The 8500 HP turbines were originally rated @ 15,000 ft, but somebody in the public relations dept at UP noticed this, and pointed out that UP never went anywhere close to that altitude. So the public relations dept asked for a re-rated HP figure at altitudes the UP DID run at. GE then came up with a re-rating of 10,000 HP at a much lower elevation. Everybody familiar with airplane engines, especially for the WW2 era piston engines, will appreciate this nuance. So, per my source book, the turbines were not "souped up" but were simply re-rated to reflect the denser air at lower elevations where the UP operated.

[@ChamplainDivision]

Remembering the first time I rode behind Frisco 1522, when I asked what it was that I kept smelling like a sewage treatment plant, I got an education from a crew member about Bunker C Fuel Oil. With the advent of the Amtrak Turboliners and the Experimental Bombardier JetTrain, the fuel efficiency of turbine-electric propulsion was vastly improved over the UP Turbines due to their use of straight Diesel as the fuel source. Even so, both were declared fuel inefficient by modern standards and retired. If #18 actually does get the nod for operational restoration (which I highly doubt), Union Pacific would be well advised to convert it to Diesel fuel over the # 5 Fuel Oil they were using in them towards the end, (BTW, 4014 uses # 5). It would satisfy the environmentalists somewhat, but they would probably scream bloody murder over the noise they make!

[@Greatdome99]

The turbine tenders were actually made from two steam loco tenders--two back halves where the water used to go. Notice how symmetrical they are--not anything like a steam loco tender.

[@tomlord5652]

I love this video! I knew Diesel's were the best for torque and power and reliability. Awesome video and thank you for sharing this and about the turbine engines also because they earned their right in rail road history as well. Love it.

[@franklinwerren7684]

There is or was in the last 5 years of this writing a gas turbine in service on one of the 2 main lines in Westfield NY. I heard it on several Field Days down there. Since I do not live close by I do not know if it is still running.

[@Bigbuddyandblue]

Nice! Well put together. This must have taken a huge amount of research and development. Great content.

[@leokimvideo]

You need to go to BRIGHTSIDE and let them know about the trains that had jet engines as power plants. They totally missed this style of jet train

[@ottomatic6432]

Hold on am I seeing this correctly? Are you really Leokimvideo? I'm a fan of you and your channel. I watched your Thomas and spider content. Sorry if I'm a little excited but this is an amazing thing to see. I've been a fan of your channel since 2012. It's great to see you commented on my channel. Thank you so much. And yes, I agree these types of engines are amazing and it would be amazing to see one in working order again. Also I'll check out BRIGHTSIDE. Once again thank you for commenting here.

[@adamdonnelly3912]

@@ottomatic6432 holy hell i watched this dude when i was really young too

[@GeoffreyEngelbrecht]

Strictly speaking these aren‘t jet engines they are gas turbines. Jet engines produce thrust by accelerating the exhaust of the engine through a nozzle producing a jet. Hence the name. Typically such engines are powered by gas turbines. But these engines on these trains are more akin to gas turbine power plants. They expand the flow through a larger turbine (or a separate power turbine) and a diffuser to extract power to drive a generator and minimise any thrust which is simply lost energy.

[@dirtyharry5320]

Wendover Productions: Am I a joke to you?

[@arts8302]

@@GeoffreyEngelbrecht... has come to my attention because turbines are the obvious way to power locomotives butBYusing a phase change liquid that only requires atmospheric heat to boil DUH!. This history! It's clearly intertwined with various propaganda that you're pseudoscience apparently implies. I agree that all PUSHpropulsion has a half factor of waste because Newton told us THAT and it IS true. It's the opposite and equal reaction INDEED if you want to avoid waste you 'should' care about. *I care about ending electricity".* Electricity is good for some things we all know what they are: lights and logic. It isn't good for mechanical work. Electricity requires precious metals to generate and to use if you are trying to do mechanical work. General Electric has of course been convicted of TURBINE RELATED felonies in the past. This will be the first time they're SILENCE and inaction will be far greater felonies in the history yet to be written at least. !!!!General Electric **currently** makes drop in zero mission replacements for locomotives!!!!. They are highly efficient and as I mentioned 'drop in replacements." They are in stock. They use liquefied nitrogen as the fuel. They are delivered inside containers if that's what you want or to be more simple spoken 'as drop-IN' replacements' US military style. You do have to order them --WITHOUT duh-- the alternator. (But converting an axle to power the rail cars is not that big a deal. One axle can power a bunch of different cars. The early models were 5 million watt equivalent that's just shy of what they might ultimately be but certainly proud of the current diesel electric locomotive crimes in the form of a locomotive. ) Every technology has its time and I'm willing to Grant the possibility diesel electric locomotives had a time in the past. But let's be very CLEAR HELLO the ability to store energy and move it TURNS-OUT-HURRAH is far less costly than producing it by burning stuff. Liquidified atmosphere is 🚫 dirt cheap SURE.( if you had to bring dirt from the continent to where you're getting your free energy that would be far more costly than the nitrogen. Unlike dIRT nitrogen is on the surface of the sea EVEN; it is most of what is there just like it is most of what is everywhere on the surface of this Earth. It is like a lithium ion battery when you activate it as an energy carrier or charge it you simply reduce 99 85% or so of the volume. Keeping the same molecules. It's a liquid spring. Atmospheric heat makes it go boing. That Jack is already in the locomotive box. The music the Trump played so poorly has kept it from coming out.) Wheels U 'SNARTLY ARGUE' are limited half of the energy goes into the Earth if they are perfect. It's not like it would be if you had a law that required two RAIL tracks running next to each other so that the cargo can push off the opposite direction cargo frequently enough like a cell phone. (The cell phone jumps between towers and when you want to move mass at the very high speed you don't want to use Wheels or bunker fluid in a tank on the surface of the ocean that burning generates some heat by far less than it captures melting the icebergs however. U want to energy to make things better not worse.) Energy is easy to obtain. Liquefying atmosphere is how you make it portable. I don't believe in fusion when there's all the heat that you could possibly ever use without any negative impact barely a half hour walk if you had to walk it horizontal but it's straight down below the bottom of the ocean. (I'm going to find out how long it takes to drop a golf ball as far BELOW the bottom of the ocean as is the melting Rock. You don't have to go to where it melts. The manTle begins a couple miles no more below the bottom of the ocean and only a few more miles than that below the surface of the crust. we live in the world where we refuse to harvest that heat and freeze the air with it or even liquefy it. That is a world controlled by those who would pollute because they have paid their bills and obtain power doing so in the past. They sing tradition while they kill everything on our planet. That was never the tradition. Wheels would have been illegal throughout history if their way was what happened. A need to change was present then and his present NOW.) WHAT IS NEW IS A DELAY IN CHANGE. I'M SURE COUNTLESS TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAD THEIR DAY AND HAD THE DAY END PROCEEDED THE CARS WHO HAVE MANAGED TO AVOID THEY'RE END DAY AT SUCH UNBELIEVABLE HORROR. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE CARS WERE ALWAYS EVIL I DON'T REALLY CARE WHETHER THEY WERE EVER GOOD AS THEY'VE BEEN THE WORST MY ENTIRE LIFE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO FUEL WHICH IS THE POINT OF THIS COMMENT YOU NEED TO USE IT FRUGALLY PERHAPS... I DON'T ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT. I BELIEVE IN WASTING FUEL. TRULY IT IS BETTER TO MAKE IT CHEAPER THAN TO CONSERVE IT ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MORE YOU WASTE THE MORE DAMAGE YOU REVERSE. THAT IS OUR SITUATION DUH IN 2021. INSTEAD OF BURNING WE MUST BOIL. BOIL AS RECKLESSLY AS WILDLY AS WE HAVE FOR CENTURIES. WE MUST BOIL WITH ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SUCKING IT UP AS WE DO IT FIRST _DISPOSING_ OF THE HEAT FROM WHAT WE BOIL _APPROPRIATELY_. NOT COMPLICATED( BUT THEN YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT PROPULSION WORKS. IT MIGHT BE INCIDENTAL AND INSIGNIFICANT BUT IT'S NOT MERE WASTE. THE TURBINE IS THE THREAT TO YOU APPARENTLY?) THE VIRUS HAS TAKEN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE SUPPOSING HALF OF THOSE WOULD HAVE DIED ANYWAYS THAT LEAVES A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE I SAY 1% OF EACH GROUP SHOULD BE LOCKED UP OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE. WHICH GROUP WOULD YOU BE IN? THE ONES ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO OR THREE WHO ARE PICKED AT RANDOM BECAUSE THEY ARE LEGION IN NUMBER 'or'THE 2500 REMAINING BEING THE WORST OFFENDERS OF WHICH I KNOW YOU ARE NOT. SO THE ANSWER IS THE FIRST GROUP YOU NEED LUCK TO NOT BE IN THAT FIRST GROUP. I WISH YOU even such dumb duh LUCK. Cross em quick prick.

[@phorewhoresman1897]

Absolutely wonderful intro Love the old steam iron horses

[@adamzaidi1748]

I'm new to this video series on locomotives. I really enjoyed this video and looking forward to watching the rest. So I have now subscribed! Great job!

[@FromMyEyesToYours]

My dad engineered these for the UP during their heyday across southern Wyoming and into Utah. I was once standing on the 24th Street viaduct in Ogden when one went under and it was like a moment in an oven and a wind tunnel at the same time. They ran like monsters and they sounded like monsters. Amazing equipment during the stitch of time they were in use-- and definitely a very unique cousin to the more common EMD E and F series locos of the era. I sorely miss the days of manly-no-matter-what innovation that brought such things into existence.

[@TooLateForIeago]

Having been a pilot of a turbine-powered airplane, it blows my mind that anyone thought something as viscous as bunker-c would make a good turbine fuel.

[@simonm1447]

It was surely not a good fuel - it was just a very cheap fuel, the reason why it was used. Today it would never be used on land vehicle, because it contains huge amounts of sulfur and you would never meet any emission standards with this fuel. It's today used in oceanic ships - because they are run in international waters and emissions are there not regulated

[@stevenboughner7255]

Union Pacific is the master of restoring Train Engines.The GE Gas Turbine Had a great history and was a part of Union Pacific's quest for High Horsepower. Would be cool if they would.

[@ottomatic6432]

Just to let people know, Tur-Bin is how the railroad employees pronounced it. So please, enough with the comments about me saying turbine wrong. I'm not saying it wrong. I'm saying Tur-Bin on purpose because that's what they called these things. So please, no more of those comments about me saying it wrong. Thank you.

[@663rainmaker]

OttoMatic WhoooooT WhoooooT Otto Rd west of Cheyenne Wyoming USA 🇺🇸!! WhooooooWhooooo!!! Borie, Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 Wyomingites know!! Over the Hill Gang!!! 4005 ?? Wamsutter Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 WhooooooTWhooo! Stop 🛑 Corona War 2020

[@russellm7530]

My Dad worked in Rawlins and Cheyenne .

[@deborahmaciak5692]

Request for Engines of Union Pacific: Electro-Motive Division SD40-2!

[@reegmeister]

Okay, but saying it wrong on purpose because your peers say it wrong is still saying it wrong.

[@briancooper562]

One of the reasons mentioned for there demise was the price of the fuel (which was found to be very useful in the production of plastics). A rebuild could consider a aircraft engine using aircraft fuels. Many aircraft engine manufacturers make a power generator variant of their engines. They also do a variant for pipeline pumps using the pumped product as the pumps fuel.

[@gloriadevos1790]

The UP Turbine program served as a sort of test bed to the US Army as they looked for more powerful engines for future tanks. For the Army it was about ease of maintenance and horse power/torque per square foot of space in the engine compartment. Using diesel fuel (JP-8) to power the turbine in the M1 tank was a critical feature as the Army switched to diesel fuel for all their vehicles. I own one of the Scaletrains "Big Blow" models in HO and I enjoyed studying its history and maintenance was an interesting aspect since the turbine (not to be confused with turbin, lol) was capable of operating for an insane amount of hours before issues were expected it was cost effective until the Bunker C oil demand went up due to the high demand from the plastics industries. I think all of us would have loved to see the turbine technology developed into something more powerful and compact to where it was the preferred source of power for railroads.

[@paulgracey4697]

I never saw one of these in operation, but I did hear one. It was LOUD. On a vacation trip in 1966 up the coast of California my brother and I were stopped on a highway overlook in Southern Oregon. there were tracks below to the east, and a sound like a banshee arose from the valley those tracks were in. I have to assume the train had just passed out of view, but both the air horns you played, and the sound so very different than any diesel or steam engine told me it was one of those UP Big Blows I had read about in Trains Magazine.

[@tauncfester3022]

Well that's funny because I've lived on the Southern Oregon coast much of my life and there's no big rail lines used by UP anywhere near the coast. The SP Mudflats division in SW Oregon ended at Myrtle Point, and they ran GP-9's. The closest heavy service rail line in Oregon the UP could have possibly ran on was the Daylight Route through Klamath Falls. That's over 170 miles inland.

[@Elios0000]

the 'Gas' in gas turbine is in relation to the operating medium of the turbine as you talked about there are steam and even water turbines. in this case hot gas is used to turn it regardless of fuel used make that gas

[@Bigmike3406E]

Elios0000 We ran heavy bunker oil for fuel in these machines. The oil had to be heated before entering the engine .

[@simonm1447]

@@Bigmike3406E Big ships still run bunker oil (but in large piston engines), they also have to heat it up because you can't pump that stuff if it's not heated

[@connorflaherty175]

If Union Pacific does consider reacquiring and restoring GTEL 18, considering when they decided to restore 4014, I think they should focus on 3985 first, since she hasn’t operating in almost 10 years.

[@harrimanfox8961]

3985 is retired, and they will never restore a turbine.

[@karlrovey]

As Harriman Fox stated, 3985 is retired. 3985 is actually in worse condition that 4014 was when it first arrived for restoration. Deferred maintenance took its toll on 3985.

[@psoon04286]

Just enjoying this for the visual treat👍😄

[@the.porter.productions]

So with COPPA changing the KZbin rules, trains will not be capable of being used in monetized videos. You can either give up, or fight the goo fight like we are. Right now our goal is to raise awareness and to try to get everyone to join #TeamTrains We are supporting Trucks and Trains Join today! Our video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZTbdGl8bJd4bMU

[@horsepowergeek4885]

I've been to ogden and seen turbine 26 in person, I didn't know it was one of two preserved, I,ll have to really look at it next time I go

[@torotexas]

Wow I never knew that Leslie made train horns til I watched this video. Leslie speaker systems are very well known to musicians as the speaker of choice for the legendary Hammond B3 organ......

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

I think it's a different company.

[@JG40061]

We used 4 GE LM 2500 marine gas turbines for main propulsion on US Navy Destroyers. Not fuel efficient but very reliable and powerful-

[@laurieharper1526]

Excellent content, but the background music is so irritating.

[@HeavyRayne]

And the VO could be better. It kinda sucks that rail fans are either young and don't yet have great speaking or editing skills, or too old to know much about making youtube videos Protip watch at 1.5 speed

[@leonardkaczmark6354]

I agree with HeavyRayne. Good content, but the narrator could use to take a public speaking class or two. He’s on the right track, but he just needs a little refinement of his skills to make the video that much better.

[@jacobforsman3897]

I think this song was created both to commemorate the 1969 golden spike Centennial celebration, and as part of a PR effort to promote Union Pacific.

[@foxyfoxy2034]

The union pacific song is good but yeah if you listen to it often it will get annoying

[@foxyfoxy2034]

@UCMCoVoxQjJ0uWz9XGgkWXPQ why do you say that do you think I'm a Russian

[@alandunstan5485]

You're right. I can hardly wait for the GP-30 "cheezles" episode.

[@1956vern]

I got to see a gas turbine in green river Wyoming! Awesome

[@ottomatic6432]

Cool

[@christophernorton33]

Great vid man. I hope they bring back a gas Turbine Just like the big boy. Shure would be an awesome sight to see & hear speeding on the mainline.

[@railfanmaximstill7279]

You'd piss the hell out of the community in Kearney 😂

[@AlexDahlseid2002]

I would say the GTELs are iconic for Union Pacific because it fits with evolution of UP’s quest for big horsepower

[@RailsofForney]

They should. Also you are right. If they could take the time to restore a big complex Big Boy, then they can take the time to restore a turbine. My personal favorite is the Gen III gas turbine.

[@kimberleykultala1396]

DAAAAARRRRRN YOU BEAT ME TO IT!

[@anthonygrant1880]

Great video! very informative

[@derrickhakes2039]

I work for leslie controls that make the air horns

[@ottomatic6432]

cool

[@robinsandorf6075]

That was interesting. Thank you.

[@billr2220]

Great Union Pacific video.

[@orangebluetaz]

@The Life of Joshua Yeah, WHEN Otto matic was the Gas turbines (GTEL) built?

[@mikedavis5397]

Please change the font color to red..black blends to much.

[@ottomatic6432]

Okay can people please stop arguing about the text? This was improved later on. Watch the later videos. This was when I was still learning how to use an editing software.

[@Leatherface123.]

Sorry it’s hard to take you seriously with that shrek profile picture

[@GMan9029]

@@ottomatic6432 Hey dipshit, he was just giving you some constructive criticism. And no, I don't care if this comment is 4 months old.

[@shanewalters2565]

@@GMan9029 You have no right for criticism, he was learning for god sake, nobody is born perfect, ok!?!?! Like you could do any better.

[@Vxllain]

Great video!!

[@jdwht2455]

Luckily, GE salvaged most if not all of these turbines, updated and uprated them and put them back in service with new users as generator or pump/compressor power plants though with fuels other then asphalt ... err Bunker C. I supervised one remanufacture and installation in Colombia in the late 1970s. Customer loved it. No idea if any are running now but they were a tough machine

[@omnipotent1992]

I actually like the song, has a lot of color to it. Goes good with vid too. Good job

[@thatoneguy611]

It’s called “Great big rolling railroad” written for Union Pacific (but that part is obvious)

[@scottmarshall6766]

I'd love to see a walk through on one of the preserved Gen III machines. Really surprising these have not made a comeback because the modern Gas Turbine is more efficient and cleaner running than a diesel - depending on fuel of course.

[@kiwitrainguy]

A few years ago I. saw a video on KZbin taken by someone looking around and walking through the Turbine Loco in Ogden UT.

[@FFred-us9tw]

Gas turbines are not as efficient as a diesel engine in railroad applications. That's why they are still not used. Gas Turbines are only efficient at their peak power. Great for airplanes and power plants. But not for trains that change speed and stop often. They are also expensive to purchase and maintain. They have far more negatives than positives. in RR applications.

[@bobkonradi1027]

There is a vid (about an hour long +/- )about Turbine #18, which is at the Illinois Railway Museum. It is really just the car body because the traction motors are missing, and some other internals. But it is cosmetically complete on the outside.

[@chandlerbranchrailfanprodu5928]

7:00 is Tyne from Chuggington except Tyne is missing her fuel tanker.

[@gustman9048]

0:00 why does this make me happy that we got WWlll In the bag

[@saxonaudio]

I don’t know actually.

[@MOHAWKL4A3124]

I wish they do I like to pretend at times when Turbine 18 is is running on my imaginary railroad

[@gandlar5489]

I agree with you.It would be great if someone could restore a gas turbine engine like a big boy locomotive was restored.

[@Vextrix739]

I think the reason they haven't done it yet because we'll...who wants a jet engine on rails screaming like a siren on crack at 3am plus some reports say when a GTEL rest underneath a highway...the asphalt will melt...no seriously it melted

[@Counselor77]

The UP had a nickname, they said UP stood for Unlimited Power. They ran big consists in order to save on maintenance costs, while other railroads would run two locomotives, the UP would run four.

[@vientheimpostorandtrainfan8508]

I saw a picture of UP Gas Turbine #X-18 taking a Freight train next to DDA40X numbered #6936.

[@Bass_man1997]

At 18:00 was that music from the movie unstoppable?

[@orangebluetaz]

I know this music when the 2 gas turbines (18 and 26) were preserved - this exact music is from The lego remake of unstoppable

[@jeffkrob4972]

The problem with restoring one of the Gen3 units would be restoring operation of the gas turbine itself. They were fairly unique beasts & nothing like any industrial or marine gas turbine operating now. I'd imagine any repair parts would have to be re-manufactured from scratch. Does GE still have the design info/specs for it in their archives? A good KZbin channel dedicated to the 'internals' of gas turbines is AgentJayZ. Also, it would have to be re-engineered to run on kerosene or diesel because I doubt that Bunker-C fuel is even available now. Details, details...money, money... IOW, don't hold your breath ;-)

[@ottomatic6432]

I see.

[@kimmer6]

These were the same design as the GE 5 bearing Frame 3 gas turbines used in power stations and refineries. In 1979 I worked in the Bapco Bahrain refinery where the gas turbine drove a Clark hydrogen compressor in the Platformer Unit. The operators used to bump up the load on the gas turbine until the high temperature alarm light on the control panel would illuminate, then back it off a bit. Then the bulb burned out...... They managed to burn off the first stage buckets on the turbine wheel. We installed their spare gas turbine and it ran for a few months. I was a Field Engineer for GE in a division called GETSCO out of Schenectady. They sent me to Bahrain again to convert the gas turbine's fuel nozzles to be able to burn Khuff gas, a low BTU natural gas that was abundant. Some weeks later the operators managed to overtemperature the unit and burn it up again. There were no spares. The GE Service Shop in Bahrain overhauled the unit but discovered cracks in the first stage turbine wheel. This unit's down time cost $400,000 a day so there was a major push to assemble it and bring it on line again. While awaiting parts, I was told that a UP locomotive was disassembled in Houston and the 1st stage turbine wheel was flown by chartered 747 to Bahrain. The old turbine wheel was sent back to the locomotive and was reassembled as the locomotive was destined for display only. I worked on other ''Fuel Regulator'' controlled locomotive gas turbines while with GE. 2 units ran a power station in the mountains of Barrancabermeja, Colombia, for Ecopetrol. These were very nicely painted different colors and the plant was very clean way up a muddy jungle road. They were considered antiques at the time. These ran on distillate fuel oil that smelled like diesel fuel. The year was 1980 when I was there. At one time the plant superintendent dropped me off at a public swimming pool on a weekend. The people treated me very strangely, pointing, waving, sending gifts of home made food, etc, from a distance. I figured they confused me for some local celebrity. When the plant manager returned, he grabbed me still dripping wet and drove the Jeep like a maniac up the jungle road scared out of his wits. He later told me that we were in extreme danger because I resembled a bandito who was a hero among the town people and a legend in those parts. The guy would have shot me on the spot had he found me being worshiped by his people. Years later, the guy became infamous...Pablo Escobar.... Another locomotive 5 bearing gas turbine that I worked on was at the Tosco Refinery in Concord, Calif. It drove a hydrogen compressor as well. GE redesigned the Frame 3 locomotive turbine into a 4 bearing machine with 2 shafts...high pressure and low pressure turbine. The LP turbine had a hydraulically operated variable second stage nozzle in its design. The combustion cans were positioned outboard of the turbine on each side unlike the inline jet engine style used on the locomotive turbines. They installed one per ship on the Chevron 35,000 ton coastal tankers based out of Richmond, Calif. I directed the major overhauls on each ship over the years in the early 1980's and can still picture all of the parts. Agent Jay Z has had his hands all over tons of aircraft gas turbines including some really rare units. I have fondled as many industrial gas turbines in powerplants and refineries. The stuff I worked with weighed many tons and had to be shipped by rail or barge when new but was always overhauled in place. I enjoyed dredging up these old memories. I would love to see UP restore a gas turbine locomotive some day...soon.

[@ottomatic6432]

@@kimmer6 That's a lot of information. Very interesting.

[@kimmer6]

@@ottomatic6432 I tried to tell the cat but he wasn't interested. So KZbin was the next best thing... cheers!

[@jeffkrob4972]

@@kimmer6 Thanks for all the information. Are you saying the repair parts and knowledge is there to overhaul the Gen3 prime movers?

[@gingerbread6614]

Love that song.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

I found it strange how your voice sounded towards the end, it reminded me of the HAL computer in 2001 Space Odyssey when the astronaut was shutting it down.

[@smitajky]

I have yet to find a clip that includes the sound of any of these turbines. Everyone comments on how they sound so I would love to hear it for myself.

[@kiwitrainguy]

Pentrex released a DVD called Union Pacific's Mighty Turbines, I know because I have one myself. In that they have the sound but it's hard to know if it was actually taken from a UP Turbine or was some other sound used instead.

[@Tivis7]

This channel's probably about to blow up

[@ottomatic6432]

Possibly. I'm starting to earn subscribers a little faster than before.

[@ottomatic6432]

You were right when you said that this channel's about to blow up.

[@saxonaudio]

Sweet. Me & my son wanna team up with you & Union Pacific to take #18 back home.

[@1956vern]

Where in Illinois is that gas turbine located! My Dad was a conductor and retired in 78! We stood on a public walk over to watch the gas turbine! Must have been the last run or close. I’m very fortunate to have rode in a switch engine also! My grandfather was a engineer in Huntington Oregon! I a caboose with the cupola! A Z train in a consist of 7 units! As a 10-12 year old I road on Union Pacific’s passenger service, slept in a sleeper, sat up stairs in the dome liner when they had porters! I stood on back as we top the blue mountains heading for Portland Oregon! Portland had a beautiful train station! I also worked for and retired from Union Pacific 1978-2016! As a Carmen Painter! Thank you this brought back wonderful memories!

[@ottomatic6432]

I don't where it's located exactly but you're welcome.

[@matthewherzig6887]

He had the location correct, it is at the Illinois railway Museum in Union Illinois. It is just west of Chicago by about an hour and a half. Here is a link (you may have to copy and paste it to a browser) to the IRM website of #18: www5.irm.org/cgi-bin/rsearch.cgi?diesel=Union+Pacific+Railroad=18. I think the turbine has been removed from it so it would not be an easy restoration to running condition. They have kept the sheet metal and appearance in decent condition though as we just were there a few months ago.

[@clintonmcbride6438]

Is that $573,000 per loco pricetag in original figure or adjusted for inflation?

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

The footage of Turbine #1 starting up is actually from Pentrex's video "Turbines of the Wasatch".

[@SeanBodine]

Different video good sir. It is from Pentrex, but it's called Union Pacific's Mighty Turbines.

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

@@SeanBodine Thank you, my bad.

[@2railnation]

Most of the narrative is word for word as well. Or from the Railfan Depot video.

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

@@2railnation Oof.

[@chrismc7205]

Gas turbine refers to the to the engine itself, which compressed air then burned the fuel in burner, which creates expanding gas to turn the turbine section. It has nothing to do with the fuel itself. So no need to put “Gas” in quotation marks.

[@oneworld9071]

Sounds like a diesel turbo....??? You seem to be describing a fuel injection system, based on compressed air......which I presume is like a nebulizer? Just listening and learning......

[@jond3929]

One World Yes it is very similar to a conventional diesel engine or any other reciprocating internal combustion engine. The big difference is there are no pistons in a gas turbine engine. The air that is drawn into the turbine engine still needs to be compressed just like in a reciprocating engine but compression is achieved by a dynamic air compressor (which is like a backwards turbine) then the fuel is added and combusted. The hot, compressed gases are then forced through a turbine section where it expands and gives off its energy to the blades of the turbine (it can be thought of as a water wheel but the hot gasses are the working fluid instead of water being the working fluid). The main advantage over a diesel engine is higher power to weight ratio (much more power produced by a lighter engine) and fewer rubbing / contacting parts meaning less maintenance. Source: I work in a gas turbine power plant.

[@simonm1447]

@@oneworld9071 There's a good explanation here kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIbRZmBmi6xmftk A gas turbine has a connected shaft (some run with one speed for the shaft, modern ones have geared shafts to get the optimal rpm for each part of the shaft). It compresses the air in front of the combustion chamber, then it burns the compressed air with fuel in the combustion chamber and the hot part of the turbine absorbs the energy of the expansion of the burning process and converts it into rotations of the turbine. A jet engine usually uses the expansion to create thrust at the engine nozzle (the turbine section only drives the compressor stage and the engine fan), while a turboshaft engine converts the full thrust of the burning process into shaft rotations with a bigger turbine section.

[@tonyjones9442]

We in the UK had gas turbine engines too. British rail built. I think the problem we had with them here was and is, that the island of Britain was too small. Non stop between London and Glasgow they were efficient, but in real life it's not like that. Theres several huge cities in the way plus they were very noisy- and the uk is very built up so noisy trains woke people up.

[@cookie_f0xy362]

My favorite train's are the GTEL's and I hope they restore one.

[@phorewhoresman1897]

Beautiful design, wish they stuck with it.

[@KKEM641]

Okay video. While I like the idea of them bringing back a GTEL, is it highly doubtful. They are lucky that they did the Big Boy, and that mainly was for the 150th of the Golden Spike. The GTEL would be too expensive, and too much power for the Heritage Fleet. Here is a little known fact about the UP 18. It used to be owned by the Smoky Hill Roadroad (now the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City). It sat for many years in Dobson (a Kansas City neighborhood), and I can remember see it there (along with a Rotary plow). A lot of the BIg Blow GTELs where scrapped here in Kansas City, with the turbines being shipped over seas.

[@jeffnelson6747]

*GTEL

[@KKEM641]

@@jeffnelson6747 Quite right, I will correct it.

[@lycossurfer8851]

@15:55 So they changed operating hours to operating minutes for the blades?? (for those wondering & didn't see that part yet; they tried powdered coal as fuel)

[@railmastergaming]

GOTTA LOVE THAT INTRO MAN

[@orangebluetaz]

HELL YEAH

[@GreenbeanProductions]

Man with all that gas coming from the turbine it went to the bathroom a lot

[@ConductorDon]

Well, since they have one operational example of their 3 best known steam locomotives, I think it would make sense to restore a turbine. They have a DDA-40X and some E9s, so an operational turbine would complete a fleet of vintage post steam locomotives.

[@ethangbb]

13:08 They practically ARE jet engines!

[@jacobramsey7624]

That was a great video. I learned a lot in this video about these locomotives. I am not so sure that UP would bring one back to service thou. I heard stories about how cities band thouse locomotives because they were too loud. There was also a story about how the exhaust what was left running while parked under a road and melted the tar right off the road. But with today's technology it could be possible.

[@jacobforsman3897]

I believe the incident with the melted overpass happened in the railyard in Ogden, Utah. They had to warm up the turbine engines before using them on the main lines, and someone had left one of them warming up with the exhaust outlet under an overpass and it melted the asphalt on the road surface. They also made quite a racket for the locals that lived nearby, especially when they warmed them up early in morning. Apparently these locomotives had early, somewhat primitive gas turbines in them, and they either ran at full-power or had to be shut down. They had diesel engines in them for use when they didn't need full power. I have heard stories told about them, concerning their gas turbines, how they weren't very well adapted for railroad use because of the rough vibrations they were subjected to when in operation. Apparently, these gas turbine engines were somewhat delicate, and could become fatigued quite easily over time from road vibrations, and the turbine blades sometimes failed, broke free and were flung far off into the countryside. There was also a joke about there being no pigeons in the rafters of the locomotive sheds where the super turbines were housed because of the turbine exhaust cooking all birds that happened to be above when they were turned on. This probably never happened in reality, because the turbine exhaust would have damaged the roof of the locomotive shed if they had been unwise enough to turn it on in there. They also killed a lot of birds when in operation, because of the high temperature of the exhaust, which was around 700°F/371°C. I think the high temp of the exhaust was still able to kill birds hundreds of feet or dozens of meters in the air above it when it passed by if they were unfortunate enough to be in the way of the exhaust stream. The latter model 8500 hp locomotives were eventually upgraded to 10000 hp. This was kind of worthless for pulling a train, though, if it was used only for pulling it, because there was a limit to how many cars that could be pulled, because of limitations of coupler strength. The more powerful models of these locomotives apparently exceeded these limits. I was able to visit the railroad museum in Ogden, earlier last decade, and I was able to see the super turbine they had there, along with the Centennial and the other locomotives and cars they have. If you can visit, I highly reccomend it. There is also a video on KZbin that is of an employee at this museum, speaking to visitors, that is quite knowledgeable of their locomotives and cars they have, and it is very interesting. I also reccomend looking it up.

[@jacobramsey7624]

@@jacobforsman3897 thanks. You are very knowledgeable in this subject

[@Andrecio64]

they should use natural compressed gas today bcesue i bet the original fuels are very contaminant

[@4gauge10]

It was not mentioned that on the third batch of turbines,the 8,500 hp.was upped to 10,000 hp.by General Electric. I hope they restore a turbine one day...soon.

[@zeferinoresendiz1698]

@4 gauge I want both turbines to be restored

[@nunyabizness199]

Bunker C smells like it washed up from hell..

[@richardtibbitts3841]

It was actually Bunker B.

[@orangebluetaz]

UP has so many engines that it is still alive

[@homeandelectronicsstop1599]

great information

[@bradleyogden5688]

I could imagine what a double stack train with 18 on the point and 600 cars deep would be 6936 and 150 more well cars behind it! What an engineers nightmare.

[@eddiemuldoon7240]

26 has a better chance of being restored because the UP still owns it.

[@ottomatic6432]

That is if they want to restore it.

[@davecrupel2817]

@@ottomatic6432 UP has something of an affinity for restoration projects. One great example is they've just brought the "Big Boy" steam engine back into service. Yes, i said service, not just a project. They're putting that old horse to *work* again. And, though my world is in aviation, i am absolutely psyched about it!

[@roadwolf2]

Now that gas turbine technologies have greatly advanced since she was built I can’t see why they wouldn’t if they don’t it’s another piece of history down the drain

[@moose2577]

@@davecrupel2817 they restored three Big Boy because they already have a steam shop. They'd have to bring in outsiders for the turbine work.

[@jimbronson687]

Man, I grew up in a railroad family and info I got was way wrong. I was told there was a short experiment with ONE Turbine Engine at UP RR or any RR company that only made ONE trip from Chicago to Sacramento CA it was parked and added or was the start of a RR museum there. If they were running in the Sixtys had I been aware of them I would have gone to see one or more. Interestingly I am an Engineer but not RR Engineer just structural Mechanical. My brothers and Dad were All UPRR Engineers (Uncle Pete we called UP in those days, Burlington Northern I cannot repeat what UP and Conrail called them but Big N-word was its name. Until very very recent new engine technology Turbine engines were a waste in all but Aircraft. Yes some current navy ships use them but they need the ability to change speed fast that will crack the block on a diesel. Aircraft pay off ONLY due to Speed plus payload. A exact powered Piston Prop plane uses less fuel per hour but has to fly more hours thus the Turbine wins because of less flight hours due to faster speed than a prop of same power can deliver. Trains would have to be able to go faster before a turbine can pay off in fuel. Peaker power plants use them as it does not take hours to warm up or even to go from 50% power to 90% again as it would crack the block.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Would be interesting to see UP restore one of the GTELs to running condition. They could easily convert them to run on diesel so no issues with handling bunker C. I know at least one of them is rusting away at the Cheyenne steam shop, you can see it from the central avenue viaduct.

[@strike9716]

They didn't go straight from turbines to lots of diesels though, you forgot about the, dd35, ( Which oddly were initially built as a booster only) the, dda35, the later cabbed version of the former) the dda40x centennials, the ge u50, and the not very successful alco 855, basically these were all big twin-engined diesels, the main reason they moved on from turbines was because of the rising price of bunker c oil. Up only decided to stop building giant locomotives after the dda40x.

[@BillK.1973]

That'd be cool if they refurbished a gas turbine engine, & let it pull the Union Pacific excursion train.

[@MAGA-Brad]

This is stuff that youth must get exposed to, in the positive. Fantastic video!

[@shanejohnson1074]

Surprised they didn’t keep with them. Who knows with today’s tech what the gas turbines could be rated at. Great video, loved the info but better choices in music is needed.

[@JodiFCobb]

More than likely, in motion.

[@LightningOnDemand]

What do the turbine engines sound like?

[@anthonyventi362]

Yes bring it back

[@finchossteamtrains134]

can you see history of UP 2564 steam loco its on display on orange empire museum

[@zacherysitton4991]

I like engines of union pacifie

[@tigertiger1699]

That UP song is very cool..

[@ryanfisher6402]

Sweet

[@commodoresixfour7478]

A 1000 wheels of freight train, yeah I think they have "The right of way". :)

[@57629589]

Haven't heard that jingle in a long long time.😎

[@nunyabizness199]

We're the Union Pacific Railroad Company, We can handle it...😁

[@57629589]

@@nunyabizness199 Grew up next to a UP mainline in Idaho. My grandparents house overlooked UP in Spokane. 🎅

[@nunyabizness199]

@@57629589 I guess you could say I grew up with the railroad too 😁

[@jenwright2577]

Its worth pointing out that one ac44cw dash 9 makes more tractive effort with only 4400hp dash 9s are now obsolete in would imagine newer locos make more

[@petenikolic5244]

Need to LOOSE the dang music

[@Eagles.Fan.Since.Super.Bowl.52]

even lose would be acceptable

[@dougmc666]

The turbans were amazing machines, glad they kept a couple!

[@IcedDragon420]

Turbines*

[@myriaddsystems]

How long does that poxy singing go on for?