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GE GTEL 8500 'Big Blow' Super Turbine

One of my all time favorite locomotives! I present, the GE GTEL "Big Blow" 8500!

In the 1930s UP was beginning to experiment with different power as steam was drawing to a close. They had two units, steam turbines. They didnt have them very long (a whole two months) but it gave way for larger experiments.

In the 1950s, the first GTEL was lent to UP by GE, which was 4500HP and a dual cab. It was returned, in exchange for a single cab.

Then came Gen 2, the veranda turbine. It was also 4500hp, and was a hybrid of the car body and hood types.

Then came the glorious Big Blows. 8500HP, 3 unit locomotives. So loud they could make your ears die a slow painful death. Just absolutely glorious. The B unit is an actual jet engine, so its got some oomph.

• Available 1958, until 1972
  
• Top Speed=70mph
  
• Emissions = 72
  
• 8500HP
  
• $24M Cost, $4M per year
  
• 1.5M lbs
  
• 212,220lb/f Tractive Effort
  
• 35 year life span
  
• Two GTEL skins, #18 (Currently located at IRM near Chicago), and #26 (currently at Ogden, UT)
  
• Two buyable tender skins, steam program black and unmarked yellow
  -serve as tank cars in freight menu, will actually function as tank care
  
• custom sounds by MrCheesecake
  
• AAR Couplers by Model Citizen
  
• Turbine fan rotation matched to speed of vehicle
  
• Custom Aging
  
• Update 10/6/2025: Added assets and position dependent lights

Credit to Ben Coifman of railfonts.com and Pete Willard of railsimstuff.com for all my fonts.