Southern Pacific GE U28C 7158 at Bayshore Yard, San Francisco, California, January 14, 1977. Photographer unknown.
(Craig Garver, Public domain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalrailartist/50378448688/)
GE U28C DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
The U28C locomotive was developed by General Electric from the U25C, with a slight increase in power of 300 hp (224 kW). A passenger-hauling variant, the U28CG, was also produced for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
Burlington Northern GE U28C 5663 at Lincoln, Nebraska, October 12, 1970. Photographer unknown.
(Craig Garver, Public domain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalrailartist/50380145483/)
Development
General Electric built ten uprated U25Cs in 1965. Facing the competitive pressure of the second generation horsepower race, GE built these units with increased horsepower. The competitive 2750 horsepower Alco C628 had more horsepower and the 3000 horsepower Alco C630 was announced in July 1965. General Motors had the 3000 horsepower EMD SD40 demonstrators testing on several railroads. The increase in unit horsepower was happening that year. The uprated units were built for three railroads that were already operating the U25C. The first uprated units were built for the Northern Pacific between May and July 1965. These were NP Nos. 2518-2520 and were rated at 2750 horsepower. Three more uprated U25Cs were built as Atlantic Coast Line Nos. 3011-3013 in December 1965. The ACL units were rated at 2800 horsepower. The last four uprated U25Cs were rated at 2800 horsepower and were built for the Pennsylvania Railroad in December 1965. These were PRR Nos. 6516-6519. Six additional PRR U25Cs were uprated to 2800 horsepower: 6500–6503, 6510–6511. In early 1966 General Electric began offering the 2800 horsepower U28C. A total of 28 look-a-like U28Cs were built between February 1966 and July 1966 as Chicago Burlington and Quincy Nos. 562-577 and Northern Pacific Nos. 2800-2811. These early Phase I U28Cs shared the 64 foot 4 inch frame that was standard with the predecessor U25C.
A drawing of the proposed longer frame U28C is in the November 1965 issue of Trains Magazine. Starting in May 1966 GE began producing the U28C on a longer frame. The new length for these U28Cs was 67 feet 3 inches. These are the 43 Phase II units built for Louisville and Nashville, Pennsylvania, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific. The Phase II units used either the General Electric GT 598 Generator or the GTA 9 Alternator. The 10 Santa Fe U28CGs were also built on this longer frame. Starting in November 1966 and through mid 1967 GE built 24 look a like Phase I U30Cs that used the same carbody as the Phase II U28Cs.
Penn Central GE U28C 6532 at Elrama, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1969. Photographer: Lee Hastman.
(Craig Garver, Public domain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalrailartist/50321189321/)
The Pennsy U28C's were unique in that they had alternators, which greatly simplified the wiring. This resulted in two fewer electrical control boxes on left side of the locomotive, behind the cab. - Craig Garver
A U28C phase guide and builder list is available Craig Garver's blog: digitalrailartist.blogspot.com/2022/02/u28c-phase-guide-a...
Original owners
GE produced 71 U28C locomotives, not including ten U28CG passenger variants for the Santa Fe:
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 16 | 562–577 | to Burlington Northern 5650–5665, U25C-style carbody |
| Louisville and Nashville Railroad | 8 | 1526–1533 | Late-style carbody |
| Northern Pacific Railway | 12 | 2800–2811 | to Burlington Northern 5666–5677, U25C-style carbody |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 15 | 6520–6534 | Late-style carbody |
| Southern Pacific Railroad | 10 | 7150–7159 | Late-style carbody |
| Union Pacific Railroad | 10 | 2800–2809 | Late-style carbody |
Union Pacific No. 2804 at the National Museum of Transportation.
(artistmac, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Preservation
Ex-Union Pacific No. 2804 (shown above) is preserved at the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. The rear of the locomotive has been cutaway to show the inner workings of a diesel locomotive.
Santa Fe No. 7908, a GE U28CG, in freight service at Fort Madison, Iowa in 1971.
(Roger Puta, Courtesy Marty Bernard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Pacific GE U28C 7150 at Indio, California, January 22, 1968. Photographer: R W Biermann.
(Craig Garver, Public domain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalrailartist/50378336663)
References
Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-258-2.
