EL 3315 (U33C) shown here at Port Jervis, NY on April 25, 1970.
(Roger Puta, courtesy Marty Bernard, railfan 44, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
GE U33C DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
The GE U33C is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems between January 1968 and January 1975. 375 examples of this locomotive were built for 11 North American railroads and one construction contractor.
Southern Pacific GE U33C 8703 at Bayshore Yard, San Francisco, California, August, 1978. Photographer unknown.
(Craig Garver, Public domain, https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalrailartist/51132485156/in/dateposted/)
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 25 | 8500-8524 |
| Burlington Northern Railroad | 39 | 5725-5763 |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | 4 | 8000-8003 |
| Delaware and Hudson Railway | 9 | 754-762 |
| Erie Lackawanna Railway | 15 | 3301-3315 |
| Great Northern Railway | 15 | 2530–2544 to Burlington Northern 5700-5714 5701 was wrecked and never wore the BN Cascade Green. |
| S J Groves & Sons Construction | 2 | 507-508 to Burlington Northern 5764-5765 |
| Illinois Central Railroad | 10 | 5050-5059 |
| Northern Pacific Railway | 10 | 3300-3309 to Burlington Northern 5715-5724 |
| Penn Central | 24 | 6540-6563 |
| Southern Railway | 10 | 3805-3814 |
| Southern Pacific Railroad | 212 | 8585-8796 |
An Tai Bao 3, one of three former Conrail (nee Erie Lackawanna) U33C's after recently being rebuilt. The An tai bao surface mine is a joint venture with the Chinese government These U-boats retain their low noses but the cab is removed in favor of remote control equipment while an 1800 hp Cummins engine replaces the original FDL, both features common to the mines existing dump truck fleet. These rebuilt units are reportedly the last U33C's in existence as of 2005.
(Extra 2200 South Issue #86, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Three former Conrail (née Erie Lackawanna) units were rebuilt in 1987 and sold to Island Creek Coal for the An tai bao surface mine in China.
A cab built from numerous GE locomotive parts representing D&H No. 757 survives at the Toronto Railway Museum and is currently in use as a locomotive simulator.
U33C control cab on display at the Toronto Railway Museum.
(oaktree_brian_1976 from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Overview
Type and origin
Power type: Diesel-electric
Builder: GE Transportation Systems
Model: U33C
Build date: January 1968 – January 1975
Total produced: 375
Specifications
Configuration:
• AAR C-C
Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Performance figures
Power output: 3,300 hp (2.5 MW)
Career
Locale: North America
Disposition: Most scrapped, three units heavily rebuilt and exported to China.
Delaware and Hudson 759 (U33C), August 1971, at Bevier St. Yard, Binghamton, NY.
(Roger Puta, courtesy Marty Bernard, railfan 44, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
