The Union Pacific GTEL Locomotives

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[@elsden722]

Idea for a video: the whole "cleaning up" process after huge wars. Ie collecting the bodies, cleaning up the streets, filling the trenches back in, exploding bombs and mines, transporting all the equipment home. Sounds boring but I reckon it'd be mega interesting finding out what it takes to do and how much it costs

[@isaackolman2861]

Sounds like a great suggestion for "into the shadows"

[@SephirothRyu]

@@isaackolman2861 Eh, not really, aside from the "collecting the bodies" part. Into the Shadows usually goes for stuff that is, comparatively speaking, a bit harder to listen to for some people.

[@isaackolman2861]

@@SephirothRyu I can imagine there's a lot of death stuff in cleaning up battlefields, unexploded ordinance, blown off limbs and fingers, etc.

[@SephirothRyu]

@@isaackolman2861 Ah, fair point. If you include that, its definitely potentially a topic for that channel. But it could be done for other channels if they merely mention "this many people died in the line of duty cleaning up after the mess" instead of actually describing those deaths in detail. I mean, this is the channel that talking about particularly nasty diseases is relegated to. Yet, the Ryugyong Hotel of North Korea was a Geographics channel video. And they certainly didn't pull punches when talking about people "merely" dying or how building that thing basically did very bad things to all of North Korea.

[@otacon5648]

Upvote this idea pronto!

[@Skyvernius]

I'd be interest in a video on the Union Pacific EMD DDA40X. The largest and most powerful diesel-electric locomotive ever built.

[@AmpcatProductions]

I agree, that's GOTTA be a video-worthy megaproject

[@randalhuffman8827]

largest. but not the most powerful.

[@BattleshipOrion]

There was a DD35 too, cant leave it out.

[@madmick3794]

Never heard of it

[@BattleshipOrion]

@@madmick3794 Now you have?

[@tinkertaylor6965]

The idea that 'catastrophic boiler explosions' were a factor in the replacement of steam locomotives by diesels is frankly ridiculous; boiler explosions were extremely rare in the 20th Century (usually firebox crown failures caused by low water). Diesels have the advantages of thermal efficiency and - perhaps more important - availability: i.e. a steam loco requires 5 hours of preparation; a diesel is ready when you push the start button.

[@paulreed1142]

I was hoping that you might mention the humorous nickname of the GTEL's, which was "bird burner" since the hot exhaust gas from the turbine was expelled from the top of the locomotive at about a 45-degree angle, scorching any unsuspecting bird on a signal bridge or other perch.

[@Oldjohn52]

I was hoping he'd mention the unbelievable, screaming noise. Those things could be heard MILES away.

[@jacquesblaque7728]

I've heard they were commonly called "Big Blows," because of the loud exhaust noise. Easily tracked passively.

[@plisskenationbackfromthede3657]

Ive also heard "asphalt melter" since it would buckle the asphalt if left running under a bridge

[@thejudgmentalcat]

They had it coming Jk, I love birds. They're delicious

[@caileanshields4545]

I believe that nickname was most commonly applied to the 3rd-gen GTELs, though in hindsight it could equally apply to all 3 generations lol

[@colbeausabre8842]

Bunker C was a residual of the cracking process in refineries and was one step above road tar. The refineries had no use for it and would practically pay you to take it off there hands. Since it was cheap it became the preferred fuel for steam locomotives and steam ships. My dad worked as a locomotive fireman after high school to earn money for college for a line that burned Bunker C and said one of his first duties on boarding a locomotive was to open the valve that sent steam into heating coils in the fuel bunker to warm the fuel enough that it would flow. Second, in the early Sixties, refineries discovered they could make products from Bunker C that could be sold for higher prices than selling it as fuel, so supplies dwindled and prices rose relative to things like fuel oil and diesel fuel. This was one of the nails in the GTEL's coffin. By the way, the GTEL's (especially the 8500 hp models) were nicknamed "Big Blows" and the exhaust was LOUD . Also, there were three reasons for the electric transmission 1) no mechanical transmission of the time could withstand the power 2) DC traction motors give their most power at starting (there is a maxim that any locomotive can keep in motion any train it can start) which is what the railroads wanted 3) DC traction motors and control circuits were established technology, having been used since the teens in heavy electric locomotives

[@doubleq1223]

Thank you for this

[@TucsonBillD]

Actually, your “maxim” isn’t quite right… it really is that a steam locomotive could pull a train it couldn’t start, while a diesel could start a train it couldn’t pull. The reason for this is that steam and diesel power curves are opposite. Even today on most mainlines here in the US you will see trains with 10 or more diesel locomotives.

[@ReggieArford]

@@TucsonBillD And the occasional "rescue" of such a train by ONE steam engine on tourist duty.

[@frederickmfarias3109]

They used Bunker B a one-step up higher grade.

[@ROBERTNABORNEY-jx5il]

@@TucsonBillD TOTALLY wrong. Try again

[@302racing3]

Since you covered F1 in the past, I think you would be fascinated by Group B WRC. They were the most advanced, powerful, and dangerous rally cars ever. They weren’t nicknamed ‘Formula 1 of the Forrest’ for nothing

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

Anything Group B, I'll take it!

[@sumdumguy6449]

It's group b anyone would like mostly carguys tho but still QUATTRO S1 STILL THE BEST CAR EVER INVENTED ITSHAL NEVER BE DETHRONED

[@benreid3022]

Completely agree, would love to see a group b rally video, some real amazing cars in that era that would make an awesome video 😄

[@GithinjiMuruki]

Spot on!!!!

[@sberry80]

You should send this to him in a dm so he for sure reads it, because its a great idea

[@steveyorgason4199]

As someone who has actually seen one of these GTELs (Ogden Union Station has UP X-26 on display) they are really quite amazing to see, even as a static display.

[@kevinboothe9991]

I live in Ogden, Utah and pass it every day. They got the nickname of the Big Blow.

[@russetwolf13]

I work there, did ya see her before or after the paint job?

[@W12CO1]

Saw #18 at Illinois Railway Museum, there are truly amazing. Massive is an understatement.

[@kevinboothe9991]

@@russetwolf13 yes, several times, she looks good now

[@aelitadelarobia]

@@W12CO1 same here, I have pictures of her cab floating around somewhere

[@capndave9152]

Now you need to do a follow up video on the Union Pacific (UP) double diesels of the 1960s. UP decided that they wanted diesels that could produce the horse power of the GTELs but do it more efficiently with a more advanced diesel locomotive. They purchased EMD’s DD35 & DD35A (5000 hp) and DDA40X (6600 hp) GE U50s (5000 hp) and ALCO C855A & B (5500 hp) which used recycled 1st Gen GTEL running gear and the U50C (5000 hp) which used recycled big blow trucks. They lasted in service about as long as the GTELs. In the 1990s UP was still looking for high horsepower single locomotives and ended up buying the EMD SD90MAC-H (6000 hp) and GE AC6000ACWs (6000 hp) but they lasted about as long as the GTELs & double diesels.

[@HailAnts]

Something he didn’t mention was why they were only used out west in sparsely populated areas. Because the gas turbine engines were deafeningly _LOUD!_ Much more so than diesels..

[@littlearsehole75]

Aha!

[@mrvwbug4423]

Which had to have been something. Big steamers like the Challengers and Big Boys are already incredibly loud compared to more average sized steamers because of the sheer size of their drive cylinders. I've seen 3985 start moving in person without DDA40X helping it and it was as loud as any jet engine. Though steamers tend to quiet down once they get momentum and aren't having to push max steam to the drive cylinders.

[@MisterFastbucks]

There is however a running Big Boy locomotive that was recently restored. It is a sight to behold.

[@justanotherasian4395]

4014 stopped in college station a few years ago. You really don't understand how big they are until you are standing next to one

[@Merescat]

I saw it in Ft Worth a few months back. "It was huge" is such an understatement!

[@Zankaroo]

It stopped in a neighboring town on its way home after being restored. Here is it coming in, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZfHqoila9esgq8

[@TheSlamburger]

I had the pleasure of see 4014 steam past in my home town. There’s really nothing quite like it.

[@RMSTitanicWSL]

Standard track gauge is 4 ft 8.5 inches (1.435 m) in North America. The Big Boy steam locomotives also peaked at 6,300 hp.

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

Standard Guage is a worldwide standard, except in Russia, which changed to a different guage, so no European country (we're looking at you, Germany) could simply roll into Russia to invade after the Second World War.

[@tucsonorganist]

The Big Boy No. 4014 was returned to service in May of 2019. What a beast! A fantastic sight!

[@TucsonBillD]

No, it’s not. BigBoy delivered about 6500 hp. Other US steam locomotives that surpassed that included the C&O Alleghenny which developed around 7930 hp, and the PRR Q2 which developed 7952 HP at the drawbar.@@sigmcarthy4246

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@sigmcarthy4246 there is some debate as to whether the Big Boy or the 3rd gen GTEL has more tractive effort. The GTEL may actually have been able to put more torque to the wheels, but due to lighter weight and smaller wheels may not have been able to maintain traction at that torque level. The Big Boy due to its sheer weight can put more torque to its wheels without slipping.

[@yambo59]

The Alleghanys were very powerful steam engines as well, never see anything about em

[@MyBohemianDreams]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the noise they produced. They were so loud that their use was restricted to mostly routes in the middle of nowhere to avoid complaints.

[@Greatdome99]

Ever heard one? I have. Not that bad. Noise was directed upward, not outward.

[@madgavin7568]

The engines produced significant amounts of heat as well. Reportedly if the locomotives were idling underneath a bridge the sheer heat from the engine would actually cause the asphalt road to melt.

[@normvandenhandel4462]

They were called “big blows” due to their noise.

[@JAMESMANHUNT9]

​@@madgavin7568if a bird flew too close the crew got a free lunch

[@mrvwbug4423]

@@Greatdome99 Most people alive today would never have had the opportunity. The last GTELs were phased out before 1970, and UPRR hasn't committed to restoring any to operational status for their historic fleet, they have a gen 3 sitting at the historic shop in Cheyenne along with a few tenders for it but UP has yet to green light the restoration, with the Big Boy project completed maybe they might opt to restore the GTEL that is parked in Cheyenne as I don't see them restoring any more big steamers, and they've restored a bunch of E9s already.

[@AloneIStand454]

Simon: Says that the GTELs won’t likely ever be restored to operation. Me: looks at UP’s history of restoring outdated and obsolete engines back to active service.

[@TomRedlion]

Not to mention #844 was the only steam loco to never be retired.

[@oregonrailfan7046]

Dude they will not restore a GTEL it’s impractical they drink fuel like crazy they took one into Los Angeles ones and never did it again because it was so loud so they cant run in cities and their exhaust is so hot it cooks birds the EPA wouldn’t allow that

[@packard5682]

@@oregonrailfan7046 A very good friend of mine was a crewman on these GTELs. His run was from North Platte, NE to Cheyenne, WY. He said that when they would run under the Jeffers Street overpass in North Platte, the exhaust would blow all the birds out from under it! He said it was a great way to solve the pigeon problem! He also said that they were almost as noisy at a stop 'idling' as they were going down the track. Most of the UP workers hated them and were glad when they were no more.

[@oregonrailfan7046]

@@packard5682 exactly thats why one will never be restored

[@volvodoc01]

I’d love to hear and see one run some day… but the sheer cost of it, and the fuel would make it most unlikely…. If someone got the parts on the cheap to convert it to diesel fuel maybe…. But besides idling it, fuel cost would be massive.

[@davidhoman3807]

Very nice! Thank you. I am 67 and I’ve been a train junkie ever since I was five. Had model trains O27 and HO gauge. Still have them although they are in a box, no room to set them up. In high school I did a paper on the transcontinental railroad. In Omaha to this day you will see the occasional business with the words Golden Spike in their name. There was even a Golden Spike drive-in theater. 1991-2001, the AAA baseball team (Farm club of Kansas City royals) was called the Golden Spikes. The series Hell on Wheels Gives a fairly decent portrayal of the building of that railroad.

[@QuantumRift]

I got to ride in a few of those GTELS in the mid-late 60's when I was a kid. it was awesome.

[@Syclone0044]

How loud was it inside? Did operators need hearing protection? Did it sound like an airliner?

[@FFred-us9tw]

@@Syclone0044 The generation of GTEL's running in the 60's had the Turbine in the second unit so the lead unit only had a small diesel in the back. So the cab's were quieter then a typical diesel at full RPM.

[@kekistanifreedomfighter4197]

Random fact about the "bird burners". They were banned from running the turbine engines within city limits in some places because of either noise, or because the exhaust melted asphalt on brides they passed under or were left idling under.

[@cadespencer6320]

brides?

[@madgavin7568]

@@cadespencer6320 Bridges.

[@bigtuna5030]

Simon, I must say with me being deployed right now...your videos help a lot with the melancholy, being away from family friends and America. So I thank you so much

[@ryandavis7593]

I had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time on numerous occasions. A couple of these involved these locomotives. My best friends grandfather had worked for Union Pacific and told of the coal, gas turbine locomotive. He said “It sounded like a huge jet engine at full throttle punctuated by a clanging sound from the periodic failure of a turbine blade”. Years later I was living in Kansas City Kansas and just across the river was a company called Intercontinental. They had a string of these sitting on the tracks out back. I asked for and was granted permission to climb on them and take photos. Unfortunately my camera failed that day but I enjoyed the experience. Two years later they were cut up for scrap. I looked them over in the summer of 1987.

[@jaswmclark]

Bunker "C" is also referred as #6 residual fuel oil in the API specifications, and as mentioned is now used mainly as feedstock for polymers (plastics). While early diesels were in the 1,500 hp range, using MU controls a train dispatcher could assemble multiple units to required horsepower, ie. 4 X 1,500 = 6,000 hp. When I worked as a hostler for Canadian National in the 1960's we were limited to "lashups" of no more than 24 powered axles as any more and the traction effort on starting would pull the drawbars out of the last unit or the first car.

[@HauntedXXXPancake]

Now I'm no expert, but the fact that it can be used as a fuel AND to make plastics makes me think this might not exactly be ethanol 🤣

[@PlugMartian]

How could you neglect to mention that these engines were referred to as "Big Blows" because of the jet exhaust and the tremendous noise they made?

[@CMDRSweeper]

US GTELs may be dead, but across the pond and in the cold area of Siberia you can find its distant Russian Cousin... It is the GT1 that is currently flying around with their petroleum products, running a modern gas turbine engine.

[@Dr_Mario2007]

There's also an advantage with what is basically a jet engine is that it would happily munch on anything that's flammable (part of reasons why US Army loves Abrams tanks, they don't care if you feed them automotive diesel or gasoline, they all run off of those), so that meant train companies can keep using the same locomotive diesel fuel for both regular screaming oil bangers and turbine trains. It saved them money in term of logistics.

[@FFred-us9tw]

These locomotives did not burn normal diesel fuel. They burned heavy bunker oil. They were not fuel efficient at all so it was imperative that they were able to burn cheap fuel.

[@jaredkennedy6576]

Labor costs were the primary driving force behind the steam to diesel changeover. Each steam engine required an engineer and fireman at a minimum, while three or four diesel units could be hooked up and run by one crew. The lack of water use was a bonus, especially in dry western areas.

[@christophergoodman404]

The 8500 series are cool, but nothing is like seeing a Big Boy. Got to see 4014 on her first tour.

[@jimmyhook4852]

Heh.... thoughts on the two other tours 4014 did for the remainder of 2019 as well as the one he did last year from August to September of 2021? :)

[@michaelosgood9876]

As a neutral, from New Zealand, I'd travel all the way to USA to witness either 18 or 26 cranking, if possible. I doubt if I'd travel so far for a Big Boy. With respect.

[@MarshFlyFightWin]

Yes, I requested this alway back on the Big Boy Mega Project. Thank you

[@billyholmes3716]

my dad hired out with Southern Pacific then Union Pacific bought out Southern, he retired with Union pacific.and he would always say the officers of the railroad were more concerned with getting a man suspended or layed off than making the company run better

[@FHGSlaydoG]

My father and uncle were toy train hobbyists, and as such I was taken to Illinois Railway Muesum many times as a child since we're from the area. The museum has one of two left in the U.S. I believe. I remember standing next to it since it's a static display. Thing is massive. Anyways great video as always.

[@safetymikeengland]

I was at IRL yesterday. That is an amazing place.

[@dougcook7507]

Don't say slim to none for a restoration. They said the same thing about the UP 4014 Big Boy. It would cost too much to restore a Big Boy. But, we now have one roaming the rails again. Very nice thorough video again though. Love your channel.

[@ryanjohnson1992]

"The Neverending Quest for Horsepower" would be a great name for a video all about advancements in propulsion. I would watch the heck out of that.

[@ashipnerdoffical4260]

Hey, it might actually make a great series actually. 🤔

[@joehelland1635]

When I think of big powerful trains, its the GTEL’s that come to mind. What monsters.

[@ZAV1944]

I'd kind of like to see a Mega Projects on the Norfolk and Western's big three(The A-class, J-class, and Y6-class) which were considered the pinnacle of steam technology.

[@markmeyer5361]

As a kid in the 60s, and the child of a railroad depot agent, I used to watch trains go by a lot and every so often a turbine locomotive would go screaming down the tracks. It had a very distinctive, whining sound, quite unlike a regular diesel.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

Can you cover the history of The Thunderbirds? It's an ever evolving story, pushing the limits of the modern military fighters, sometimes ending in tragedy.....

[@railroadhistoryarchives]

These GTELs were extremely loud and flames would occasionally shoot up upon startup. They were often called "big blows" and also "bird burners"

[@mdavid1955]

The GTEL idea was revived for the "rail jet" passenger locomotive..a prototype was tested. But suffered from the same issues as the GE freight locos.

[@vustvaleo8068]

one of the variants used propane.......... * Hank Hill's eyes emits a bright glow * 🚋👓🔥🔥

[@andrewkruszka1674]

A few rail-related ideas for you Simon: 1. DD40AX (already been mentioned) and DD35AX 2. ALCO's C-855 (A&B units) 3. GE's U50 4. N&W's Y-class series of steam locomotives 5. Erie RR's Triplexes (already been mentioned) as well as Virginian RR's Triplexes 6. Virginian RR's AE86 7. Virginian RR's EL-2B 8. Milwaukee Road's "Little Joe" electric locomotives (could go well with a video about Milwaukee Road's 1100+ mile long Pacific Extension) It's a lot to chose to look at, but I think that some of these locomotives would make great videos either here or on one of your other channels.

[@Duececoupe]

Milwaukee Road's Class A 4-4-2?

[@andrewkruszka1674]

@@Duececoupe That's another good one, could go well with the F7 4-6-4s.

[@Duececoupe]

@@andrewkruszka1674 Love those as well, beautiful engines!

[@ThePaulv12]

A fun fact I read an old engineering paper excerpt, the 1st gen GTEL had 8500hp at the turbine output shaft but compressor pumping losses amounted to a staggering 6000hp resulting 2500hp for traction. This illustrates the problem with turbines, since all that power loss has to be paid for in fuel (and air in the correct ratio). Of coarse they improved upon that with the later turbines as tech improved but this is still the problem with turbines. They work in jets because at 35000ft you pick up all this free airspeed (allowing the time to destination therefore the fuel burn to be far less) and this allows them to be marginal profit makers but get below 20000ft for too long and there's marginal profit gone in fuel. Turbines work well in very specific applications but as UP found out if just 1 factor changes there goes the benefit and therefore profit.

[@kimmer6]

The rated horsepower was at the output shaft of the turbine. So it took fuel enough to turn the compressor section which would be added to the output shaft power. So 8500 + 6000 = 14,500 horsepower worth of fuel burned. The rest of the power went up the exhaust stack as massive amounts of 1000 degree air. Gas turbines are limited in output by exhaust temperature. A jet engine at 35,000 feet is sucking in minus 60F degree air. They love cold air. I once added about 2000 horsepower to a GE Frame 5 gas turbine generator set at the Anchorage Airport with a small plastic screwdriver by turning the exhaust limit to its correct setting. I worked for GE in the 70's and 80's.

[@LunarKnight22]

That really was interesting. I drive crews that work for, mostly UP, to in from their trains and the depot. And seeing this older style of train is fascinating, since they now climb in through the nose.

[@russetwolf13]

I should say, since I work there, turns out X-26 still has a bunch of diesel in her tanks. Back when they sandblasted her a fuel line ruptured and she started pissing diesel. Turns out UP didn't pump any of the fuel or oil out of them. Turns out our Loco collection is a massive oil spill waiting to happen.

[@mukherjeesuniversum2665]

Funfact: Electric trains came before Diesels. First Horse, then Steam ( 1802 ), then Electric ( 1879 ), then Petrol-Electric ( 1910s ), then Diesel-Electric ( 1930s ), then Diesel-Hydraulic ( 1950s ) , then Diesel-Turbine (1950s ).

[@johnreynolds4974]

Electric cars came before internal combustion cars also.

[@exarkun42]

I have seen one of these in person. What monsters these are. You should cover the English Electric GT3, the British GTEL

[@Billblom]

In addition to the horrific noise that the turbine powered engines generated, there was also the exhaust. It was VERY hot. One stopped under an overpass with a highway crossing the line that the turbine was on. The exhaust managed to melt a chunk of the bridge.....

[@ebt12]

In a documentary series about railroads back in the 90s, the then head of the UP steam program, Steve Lee, said one time a GTEL was stopped under a road bridge, and the exhaust was so hot from the engine it melted the road service. Mega Projects suggestion: Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, Pennsylvania. A railroad landmark so critical to the US rail system, the Nazis targeted it during WW2.

[@Naviss]

Great episode, Still my favorite set of engines! I don't believe UP ended up powering any of the tankers though. Just wanted to try doing it. Shame the 3rd Gen GTEL's nickname wasn't mentioned! They was called the Big Blows! Or bird cookers, Because any bird flying over the exhaust of the B unit would instantly be cooked in mid air and drop. Also one thing to note, The turbines was loud as you might expect. A low rumble and would shake or break windows in homes. So UP wouldn't start the turbines until they was out of town, At least the 3rd Gen.

[@EAcapuccino]

OOHH another train! Fabulous! Love it! Chugga chugga chugga! 😁😁👍👍 This 1 is available to play on the simulator game - Train Sims World 2 It was briefly featured in the1948 film called - A white Christmas - A Broadway musical

[@itsapittie]

With current technology, it's possible to build a safe nuclear reactor small enough to fit in a railroad car. Perhaps that will be the next evolution of locomotive engines.

[@capndave9152]

US railroads looked at nuclear powered trains in the 1950’s as part of the government’s Project Plowshare (which would make a good Megaproject. Safety concerns and public opposition to having a rolling nuclear reactor running through the neighborhood shut down that idea.

[@christophergruenwald5054]

It would be much more efficient and clean means of transporting masses goods. Given the correct nuclear technology is chosen. Public opinion would definitely have to make a massive swing for it to actually happen though.

[@itsapittie]

@@christophergruenwald5054 public opinion (i.e., ignorance) is what stands between us and affordable carbon-free energy. Technology like molten salt reactors makes nuclear energy extremely safe. I wouldn't hesitate to have a MSR literally in my back yard. I think what we're going to see is countries where the desire for energy outweighs public fears will make huge leaps forward in nuclear power generation while the US spends decades trying to figure out how to get sufficient from inefficient tech like wind and solar. Eventually we'll have to come around to nuclear by which time we'll have crashed both our economy and our ecology.

[@Syclone0044]

@@itsapittie sad but true

[@Greatdome99]

The deal-killer is cooling. Nuclear plants need huge amounts of water to keep things under control. It would take a whole freight train of water to do that.

[@dansmith6909]

i want so much to comment on the beardy advert at the start but i've been a bit of a git in comments a few times and i do appreciate all these videos on all these channels. Happy new year and thanks to all the people who keep Fact Boy on our screens, and Happy new year and thanks to you too Simon

[@BigGroupHug]

A lot of gas turbine technology came about in the Cheap-Fuel Art-Deco area. Take the Ford BigRed as another example.

[@peccatumDei]

Simon, you are just hitting it out of the park with great videos! The GTELS remain fairly popular with model railroaders, as do the Big Boys. Speaking of which, a Big Boy has been restored to running condition. Number 4014 returned to service in 2019.

[@HoosierDaddy2a]

I would love to see him do The Flying Scotsman and/or A1 & A3

[@ednac1626]

You sound so cool saying my town's name....we still get lots of trains cruising through every day.

[@MrSGL21]

Union Pacific re acquired and restored one of their Big Boys a few years ago. it recently had to assist a diesel locomotive with getting a long train up a grade.

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: Aircraft used in military precision flying teams, such as those flown in Navy's Blue Angels,The Blue Angels, F-14's I believe.

[@havokvladimirovichstalinov]

Angels are F-18s. Thunterbirds are F-16s

[@MK-1010]

And the Blue Angels used the F-4 before that.

[@steveluke2395]

With their variable swept wings, the F14 would have been too dangerous for the close flying performed by the Blue Angels, or Thunderbirds (which are AF, of course).

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@steveluke2395 - The F-14 is one of my favourite aircraft, and is justifiably still the pride of the Iranian Air Force. (The only export customer).

[@styx4947]

You know what I love about this guy,(Simon)? He has zero pretence when hocking products! So much better than people who act like that's not what they're doing. They can't pull it off and look foolish trying. Oh, and by the way you produce great content.lol.

[@davidthomas5848]

Would have been nice to have a clip of one running to hear the noise

[@bistromathics6]

I would love to see them re-visit the basic idea, with a combined cycle powerplant and updated materials, turbine designs and electrical generator/motor designs!

[@ponyhorton4295]

Diesel locomotives didn't come about in general use until after WWII. Steam engines were generally phased out by the mid 1950's. I've been studying trains for 50 years.

[@rickstandish6690]

Wow. Watched your vid on the A-10 warthog, and now this. You got a new subscription. Nice video.

[@jamiesuejeffery]

One of the things you forgot, is that the raging power plant noise was disliked by many along the railway. This helped in it's demise.

[@williambryant5946]

Union Pacific was the railroad of huge locomotives. Always had a bigger locomotive than other railroads at different points through history.

[@aaronphillips7585]

Union Pacific’s addiction to more power produced some really cool locomotives during that time period.

[@selectthedead]

There was even a time when they placed turbines in trucks as well, but the fuel consumption to required power output never matched, would be interesting to see if the concept would be viable again today, because a train in comparison to a truck is far closer to the power requirements of a plane.

[@Penncentral-vr6mg]

Ah the union Pacific where their motto is " if it's worth doing it's worth overdueing".

[@undeadwarrior3678]

Hi Simon just want to say love your channel this one and bio graphics I learn so much you should think about doing a podcast

[@jacquesblaque7728]

Couple things: 1) power is not tied to horses, it's simply "power" regardless of the chosen units. 2) one reason for the low efficiency of the UP GTELs is that GE religiously avoided any attempt to optimize their efficiency, something that went on with all their other gas turbines; still ongoing. 3) cooling air was of little interest with these units. 4) finding other uses for heavy oils (like plastics) made those oils too valuable to dispose of through these turbine locos, so the GTELs were disposed of.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

That's why most of the world uses Watts as they are the correct SI unit. Nothing equestrians required! The use of hp (be it bhp, shp, PS or whatever cave-man unit is preferred) is atavistic, and curiously American.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

@@owenshebbeare2999 cry more. Freedom units forever!

[@andersjjensen]

@@owenshebbeare2999 I live in a through-and-through metric country, but we still talk about power output of cars in horsepower because that's the point of reference everyone has. It's not a problem to whip out the pocket calculator and do the conversion should the need ever arise.... but I think it's ultimately got something to do with the fact that horsepower rating is a higher number than kW rating... and car guys like big numbers :P

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Cold air has a higher density. More oxygen per cubic _yard_ of air through the engine means more efficiency in fuel burn giving more power.

[@jacquesblaque7728]

@@owenshebbeare2999 Not really "American" any more than "British." Rather ignorant/un-educated.

[@jkrende]

I live in Ogden, you can go down to 25th and Wall ave. to the Union Station, they have a bunch of old locomotives there, a sort of "museum" and a "big blower" turbine locomotive is one of the trains they have down there. Impressive, but I've never seen it run. I have seen the big 4-8-2 steam locomotive they have going down the track under power, and I can say that there is nothing quite like a BIG old steam locomotive under way.

[@ravensrulzaviation]

Simon, suggestion for Video. I think you should do one on UPS or FED EX and how they get packages taken care of, cargo planes, etc. Fed Ex and UPS are mainly off on Sundays and Mondays, but take a look at the process, that is ONE HUGE MEGAPROJECT!!!!!!!

[@That_Thicc_Cat]

I love it when you guys cover trains

[@everettthepetractionguy4222]

Yep! Me too! Trains are the Greatest!!! 👍😁

[@scottdyke7853]

Great presentation and fantastic history of the UP GTELs. If I may update the chronology. You mention the Renault gas turbine loco built in 1952, this was a mechanical drive rather than electric drive. Prior to this the Swiss manufacturer Brown Boveri in 1942 produced the AM4/6, the world's first gas turbine electric with an output of 2100 hp. Subsequently a 2500 hp GTEL locomotive was delivered the newly formed British Railways in 1949 for use on it's Western Region. Keep up the good work, I love the content, entertaining and educational.

[@SuperAWaC]

3:54 This is simply an inaccurate statement. Boiler explosions were nearly unheard of. Out of around 200,000 steam locomotives built, there were around 50 boiler explosions. When you're making silly statements like that, how am I supposed to know if the rest of the video is factual? Do better.

[@johnreynolds4974]

There were well over 50 boiler explosions on steam locomotives.... But they were as rare as airliners crashing... It happens but it happens exceedingly rarely.

[@Redbeard5020]

The Big Boys were also teamed up with the turbine units. This was considered by many in the business as the best way to get maximum traction effort from both kinds of units. Made for great photos and videos also!

[@shatbad2960]

The inventiveness of White people never ceases to amaze me. It's no wonder other people act so jealousy.

[@snagletoothscott3729]

The exhaust on those monsters was so bad that during a crew change in Wyoming it was stopped under a bridge. in the few minutes it took to change crews the exhuast completly melted the blacktop and dried out the concrete so much it just crumbled to dust.

[@larsblakrasmussen5820]

Please use metric, the colonial units confuse civilized people...🙃

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Not "colonial", American.

[@zacharyholgate7968]

Bullshit just learn how to convert the two forms of units.

[@johnreynolds4974]

@@owenshebbeare2999 They were common European units before they were American units....

[@randomentity0191]

Choo choo! Another great piece of American railroad history, and one I didn't know of before this. Great video, as always!

[@andersjjensen]

Fact Boi talks about trains: I get the popcorn first!

[@karol4775]

So what I got from this is the UP Big Boys were the damn champs.

[@Robert-lg2bl]

Awesome video. Norfolk Southern refitted two of their Diesel with Natural Gas, thus company stated cleaner and has more horsepower.

[@ungvaristefan4937]

Love this kind of vidoes, about big mchines

[@13ig13oots]

Your picture of brightly painted American locomotives are British!

[@pattycarljackson]

They were beautiful. Absolutely love the front end.

[@gedeon2696]

No mention of the Canadian PT-6 powered "Turbo-Trains" operating between Montreal and Toronto in the 60's ??

[@edletain385]

That would be 'Great Northern', not Great North. The engine was a former W-1 straight electric,.from GN's electrified district running from Skykomish to Wenatchee Washington through the Cascade tunnel.

[@David-yf5fo]

Restrictions imposed by the War Production Board placed a pause on what railroads could get their hands on and test for several years. This may explain why we did not see the GTEL ("Big Blows") along with several other concepts being tested as replacements for reciprocating steam locomotives until the late 1940s. All we got was a was highly advanced steam locomotives such as the B&O EM-1 during the war years when steam power technology was well passed its time otherwise. Considering your caliber of research, a piece on coal powered steam/electric would be interesting. UP, C&O, and the N&W tried them out. The PPR had a direct drive steam turbine, the 6200 I believe. Controlling draft through the firebox was a real trick on turbines from what I have read.

[@jtaylorb88]

For beard oil I'll keep my TRB EDC vet owner and his oils and soaps are awesome and also the only stuff my wife could use during her cancer fight.

[@Scaletrains]

Nice video, Megaprojects! The GTEL 8500hp “Big Blow” Turbine locomotives certainly were legendary. -Drayton

[@tedphillips2501]

The turbines were manufactured in General Electric building 53 in Schenectady, NY. One problem with the "big blows", as they were called, is they sucked in so much air, the coal cinders on the track would also be ingested into the turbine, wearing the heck out of the blades (GE had one on display in building 53). Then there was the Bunker C issue. At the time of the GTELs, the plastics industry took off, making the cost of fuel rise to the point of operating the locomotive not being economically viable. One other factor we don't think about. The steam locomotive salesmen, paid on commission, would often sell a railroad the inappropriate higher priced locomotive. For example, Norfolk & Western running coal drags at 25 mph with an engine that developed maximum horsepower at 50 mph was not a good buy. The steam locomotive sales force hastened the demise of the steam locomotive.

[@talonbaldwin8931]

I'm surprised you didn't talk about one problem that required the addition of diesel hybrid in city centers and helped retire the turbine concept is an incident where a turbine engine stopped under an overpass and the exhaust temperatures were so high it melted a hole through the bridge, like a car size hole.

[@FFred-us9tw]

That never happened. It couldn’t happen since bridge decks are not made of asphalt. Asphalt is not structural. They are made of steel and/or concrete that then has asphalt laid down on top of it. The story you are talking about involved a road surface on a bridge that softened and turned back into soft blacktop. But it didn’t burn a hole in any bridge.

[@talonbaldwin8931]

@@FFred-us9tw it did happen, I was originally told about the incident by someone that lived in the area, and had pictures of the incident. You're correct, asphalt isn't structural. What happened is the intense heat of the exhaust spalled a hole through the deck and melted the asphalt overlay. I tried some quick googling and didn't find much but I'll go talk to a couple of guy that were working for the SP at the time and see if I can get more info on when and where

[@FFred-us9tw]

@@talonbaldwin8931 this is the thing about urban legends. Everyone knows “someone who saw it first hand”. But of course, nobody has ever posted a single picture of it. You’d think if a locomotive burned a hole “as big as a car” in a bridge deck someone would have taken a picture. Yet nobody I talked to at UP (including a mechanical superintendent who was there during the GTEL era) can confirm any such incident ever took place. They all said what I had heard, it melted the asphalt. Nothing more. And that’s the story I have also heard. Very few people have added on to that story to say it burned a hole. I’m not trying to imply you’re being dishonest, I’m simply saying don’t assume something is 100% true simply because someone claims they saw proof. Because to date NOBODY has ever posted any proof of this event. Cameras were not uncommon in that era. So were newspapers. So where is any verified pic? EDIT: So I did some more digging. The story you were told is proven to be 100% false. The Gas Turbine in the GTEL’s is the GE Frame V. Called a buddy who is still a Gas Turbine specialist in the Navy where they use the Frame V as well. The Exhaust temp at the outlet of the turbine runs at around 964 degrees F. By the time it mixes with ambient air that temp is around 800. Remember, a Gas Turbine is NOT operating like a Jet Engine. The energy is produces is meant to spin a shaft, not provide forward thrust. Either temp is FAR below a temperature hot enough to spall structural reinforced concrete bad enough to not just weaken, but literally fall to pieces. Further digging and reading accident reports regarding concrete failures and a large article on the subject on the concrete construction page further explains that even when exposed to temps in excess of 1,000 degrees F it would take hours to fail. So the idea that a GTEL parked under a bridge in the perfect spot at full RPM for 20+ hours is unequivocally false.

[@vincentsaunders4773]

No matter what anyone thought, they sure were cool looking and of course, LOUD!

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

Another factor in their failure was learning that the heat of their exhaust was likely to damage bridges if they parked and idled under one.

[@davidgrisez]

There was another problem with the Gas Turbine Locomotives. These Gas Turbine Locomotives were very loud when compared to Diesel Electric Locomotives. The third generation of the Gas Turbine Locomotives were called Big Blow Locomotives because of the loud noise of the Gas Turbine engines.

[@coppermike5550]

I grew up in Cheyenne, my dad, uncles and grandpa all worked for UP. We all called them the "Big Blow"!! Man were they loud!!

[@uncledubpowermetal]

I work at a train station in Marshall, Texas and we still get those GTELs coming through lol they do indeed sound like a fucking rocket taking off 😂

[@quadricornsrock]

Cool to here Omaha mentioned! Trains are everywhere here

[@Luscious3174]

I remember reading about these some years ago. One interesting quirk was the turbine EGT caused all kinds of headaches when taking these into 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 bunker 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. It's crazy to think that even the tender on the 3rd gen was powered, but you would need that pulling the kinds of loads these did across the steep inclines around the LA area. Even getting into Mojave it's a common sight today to see the heaviest consists with quad diesels up front, three helper units in the middle and two pushing up the rear. 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).

[@jasonjohnsonHVAC]

What about a mega project on ocean going ship's engines

[@chetanlikhar4064]

Thanks for this nice video on UPs Gas Turbine locos...But I am equally interested in the GEs Steam Turbine locos of late 1930s...So I will be more happy to see them in your seperate blog..

[@briancooper562]

One thing the German railways tried was to add a helicopter gas turbine to make a class 218 into DB class 218.9 with the turbine. The turbine would only engage in notch 4 or above to keep the noise down in stations. Did not last long