UP GTEL gas turbine locomotive - ENGINE & TENDER
Patch-Notes (24 sep 2025) :
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[*] First release
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Description of the mod :
I'M BACK
After 4 years making steam engine on this game, for the first time (and probably the last), I made a DIESEL locomotive.
I really enjoy bringing back to life experimental engines with very unique features so I didn't choose to make a conventionnal modern diesel.
That's why I decided to make an Union Pacific ALCO-GE GTEL gas turbine locomotive (3rd gen).
The 50's were really the age of engineers insane experiments with early diesels / new steam concepts and the GTEL are good example of it.
[b]I made this loco as easy as possible to drive[/b].
You have the reverser, the traction throttle and the brake lever but that's all so don't expect a Train-Simulator controls and behaviour.
Random casual player should be able to drive it without an engineer qualification and enjoy the POWER of the turbine.
[b]Startup procedure :[/b]
A-Unit (loco) :
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[*] Get into the cab and open the fuze panel to switch on power to all equipments in the loco
[*] You can start the diesel generator with the starter key on the top of the fuze box, the diesel generator will run automatically
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B-Unit (booster) :
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[*] Get into the booster unit and look out for the fuze panel (left side) to switch on power to all equipments.
[*] You can start the gas turbine on the control panel (right side) by activating the start switch, the turbine will run automatically.
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Simple as that !
[b]Note : Highly recommended to disable "Vehicle Damage" in game settings to prevent unexpected destruction due to tracks collision bugs (underclearance is very small)[/b]
Features :
[b]In-game :[/b]
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[*] [b]Manufacturing :[/b] 100% vanilla components (with some .xml edited parts)
[*] [b]Spawn :[/b] can be spawned only on custom missions or large workbenches (align loco with tracks before spawn)
[*] [b]Mass :[/b] around 30000 blocks (A_Unit + B_Unit + Tender)
[*] [b]Power :[/b] BIG BLOW JET POWER (50mph with 20 boxcars, if your PC can handle it)
[*] [b]Diesel consumption :[/b] Diesel-generator consumes 1.5L/s, so with full tank it should run around 2 hours.
[*] [b]Jet-fuel consumption :[/b] Gas-turbine consumes 5L/s, so with full tender it should run around 3.6 hours.
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Small history of this locomotive :
The GTELs were a series of gas turbine–electric locomotives built by ALCO and General Electric and operated by Union Pacific from the 50's to the 70's.
Following the design of 2 previous generation of gas turbines, in the late 50's Union Pacific ordered a 3rd generation of GTEL rated at 8500hp, making them the world's most powerful locomotives ever (record that still stands today).
Unlike previous generations, 3rd gen GTEL was made in 2 separate units : A-unit was equipped with the cab and the diesel generator while the B-unit contained the gas turbine. A tank tender was also added to improve turbine range due to the large fuel consumption
During late 1960's, Union pacific started retiring their gas turbines in favor of more conventionnal diesel power, mainly because of intensive maintenance cost due to the very complex gas turbines.
By 1965, all 1st and 2nd generation were scrapped and the last 3rd gen were retired in 1970.
Today, only 2 examples still remain in static preservation and none planned to be restored to operating condition.
