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Athearn Genesis #ATHG41183 HO U50 Locomotive with DCC & Sound, SF #1657
Our Legendary Liveries series seeks to explore the “what if” questions that some folks like to indulge in. Like many other railroads in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Santa Fe was looking to push the envelope in locomotive horsepower by purchasing engines like EMD’s 2400-horsepower SD24, Alco’s 2400-horsepower RSD-15 and GE’s new groundbreaking 2500-horsepower U25B in 1962. Might they have joined their western counterparts UP and SP and taken a gamble on the U50 too? We think that it looks sharp in Santa Fe’s dress blues.
What are Legendary Liveries? An Athearn exclusive, they are the ultimate answer to “What if?” Featuring some of the most popular railroad paint schemes of all time, these models are perfect for collecting, proto-freelancing, or just plain fun! Whether company proposed paint schemes, canceled locomotive orders, or alternate takes on history, Legendary Liveries are fun and unique additions to any roster. Enjoy these items, and answer the ultimate railroad question of: “What if?”
In 1963, the diesel horsepower race had just reached 2,500 horsepower and the only way to get 5,000 horsepower was by putting two diesel engine and generator sets onto one chassis. Given the wheel slip and traction motor technology at the time, eight traction motors and powered axles were needed to convert the horsepower into pulling power. EMD had already produced the DD35, two cab less GP35s on one chassis. General Electric’s answer was to do the same with two U25Bs, which created the U50.
The U50 was 83 feet 6 inches long and towered over most contemporary locomotives at 15 feet 10 inches tall. They weighed in at 559,620 pounds and produced 139,175 pounds of starting tractive effort. Inside the hood were two FDL-16 diesel engines, each with a generator, full radiator, and dynamic brake setup. The U50 rode on two sets of two-axle AAR-B trucks mounted on a span bolster. The trucks were recycled from the scrapped gas turbines. Up front was a tall, blunt nose cab without a front walkway, which gave the U50 its unique appearance.
