(I guess this is the right forum, as I can't find a Maine Central forum.) How many U18Bs did the MEC have - and, more importantly, what were their names? And what was up with the words "Independence Class" on the side?
Yup. This is the place. I can't answer your questions. But would like to add one- What happened to these unique engines? Do any survive? Boxcab E50
They weren't unique. I'm not sure what happened to the MEC units; haven't seen any recent pictures of them. SCL also had some, though. They went to CSX, were repainted into MOW orange, and eventually got sold to a South Carolina shortline called the Pickens Railroad.
I mean their total lack of widespread sales. Making for a brief production window, before being pulled from the catalog. None sold new to Canada. Only one major domestic (US) company bought a quantity. The SCL. Ten to MEC. A couple other companies bought 1 and 2. Yes. I know some went to Mexico. In real terms, total production numbers were small. By definition, use of the word unique does fit: Meaning unusual, rare, etc. Which the U18B indeed was. Boxcab E50
Wait a minute - you answered one of my questions! Now I know the MEC had ten. Still looking for the names...
Did not have time to dig until just now. Independence class was named due to the USA's Bicentennial. Many RR's starting repainting units for that 1976 event, during 1975. The MEC U18B were delivered during May-June of 1975. And were from a cancelled SCL order. 400 General Henry Knox 401 Hannah Weston 402 General John Stark 403 General Peleg Wadsworth 404 Kenneth Roberts 405 Arundel 406 Colonel John Allan 407 Unity 408 Battle of the Bagaduce 409 Ethan Allen All names appear to be historically associated with the Revolutionary War. Boxcab E50
I would call U18's unique, in that they were relatively low production items,,, (re: unpopular ) SCL had small fuel tanks on theirs to hold the weight down... I think they also used EMD trucks from trade-ins. Harold
Harold- I'm not certain about the trade-in part. But while I was digging around, the trucks I saw in photos looked to be EMD style. Blomberg? Boxcab E50
I don't know if they were trade-in or not, but this situation was pretty common. L&N U23Bs and SCL Auto-Train U36Bs had EMD trucks. Conversely, GM&O GP30s rode on AAR trucks. I'm not sure why.
I believe the GM&O also had GP35 units on the AAR Type B trucks. They did own a lot of ALCos So maybe there was some economy there. But I seem to recall an ex-Milwaukee Road man talking about why they'd done the same on their GP30 fleet. And saying there was something beneficial about using those specific traction motors. (?) If true- Whether or not they found this by accident? Or by design? It would be interesting to learn more. Anyone know some ex-GM&O, or Milwaukee Road people we could ask? Boxcab E50
I am new to these forums., and I am going to revive this thread. The Seaboard Coast Line's first group of U18b's were numbered in the 200's. They had small fuel tanks and rode on FB-2 trucks. The next group had lrger fuel tanks and FB-2 trucks. These were numbered in the low 300's (301-324, I think). The third group had large tanks nd rode on Blomberg 'B' trucks,which were traded in. All these units had headlights on the nose and between the cab number boards. The fourth group was ordered but the SCL did not take delivery. These were the units that were sold to MEC. They had large tanks, Blomberg 'B' trucks, and NO headlight on the short hood. They also had different door latch handles on the long hood...the handles were in circular recesses. About 6 weeks ago Intermountain anounced they are making these in all variations, in HO. There goes the bank account.
There are possibly two MEC units used in excursion service in New England. They were repainted into the MEC yellow and green paint scheme when they were rehabilitated for the passenger business. As for the reason EMD trucks were used under GE's was economics and some cases part commonality. Greg Elems
Wonder if there are any recordings of these little gems? At low speed they had such a strange "chugging" sound, different and more pronounced than their bigger brothers. You didn't have to see the consist on the branch line local to know there was a U18b in the consist.
Older small U boats had a great chugging sound. Sure wish such a recording was available. Especially Milwaukee Road.... Boxcab E50
