Power type Diesel-electric Total produced 113 | Model U25C AAR wheel arr. C-C | |
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Builder GE Transportation Systems Build date September 1963 – December 1965 | ||
The U25C was General Electric's first six-axle road switcher intended for the United States domestic market. Launched in September 1963, it remained in production until December 1965. It was replaced by the U28C.
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Development
The origin of the U25C grew out of the need for six axle locomotives to operate on a 12 mile heavy haul railroad to construct Oroville Dam. The General Electric salesman to Oro Dam Constructors offered essentially a U25B riding on six axle trucks. When the salesman got back to GE's Erie Plant it was discovered that no six axle U25 was available, nor did GE wish to construct a domestic six axle road switcher until the horsepower threshold reached 3000 horsepower. Rather than lose the four unit sale GE quickly began a design of a six axle U25 that relied heavily on the U25B for engineering. The U25C was longer than the U25B by four feet four inches. The extra length was needed to accommodate the improved Trimount trucks. Completed in September 1963 the U25C was the first six axle unit of the second generation of dieselization. Following quickly on the Oro Dam Constructor's order was an order by Atlantic Coast Line for four U25Cs. The ACL also ordered the first four Alco C628s. Both of these ACL orders were delivered in December 1963.
Uprated U25Cs
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 Alco C628 had more horsepower and the Alco C630 was already announced that Summer. General Motors had the EMD SD40 demonstrators working 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 #2518-2520 and were rated at 2750 horsepower. Three more uprated U25Cs were built as Atlantic Coast Line #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 #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 #562-577 and Northern Pacific #2800-2811.
Preservation
The only U25C preserved is Lake Superior and Ishpeming #2501 displayed in Marquette, Michigan.