| AT&SF U28CG 7907 at Corwith Yard, Chicago, Illinois, October, 1979, photo by Chuck Zeiler. At the time, the Santa Fe wanted to replace the aging EMD F-units in passenger service, and since no builder cataloged a dedicated passenger locomotive, this design was selected because GE had a shorter waiting list and offered a better trade-in deal. Built in August 1966 as AT&SF U28CG 357 (c/n 36000), this was one of only ten U28CG's built, all for the Santa Fe, originally road numbers 350-359, later renumbered 7900-7909. From the beginning accommodations for a steam generator had been designed into the Universal series of GE locomotives by providing an empty space behind the cab. A skid-mounted Vapor-Clarkson steam generator was located in this space on the U28CG's. The fuel tanks were divided to carry water and fuel, and a notch in the frame can be seen for the now-removed water filler pipe. With a split water and fuel underbody tank, the U28CG's had a short range, and were used on secondary trains until the tanks were modified to carry fuel only. There are a couple of protrusions on the roof behind the cab where the steam generator was installed. After the derailment of a U30CG on February 9, 1969, both GE designs were suspect. After a series of tests, the Santa Fe withdrew both models from passenger service and reassigned them to freight duties. It appears there may have been some confusion re-installing the doors below the cab. |