A Guide to the U33C

[danraitz]

U33C

Dates Built: Jan.1968 to Jan.1975

Number Built: 375 (US)

From the front of the locomotive back to the radiator section, U33C shares a common car-body with the U30C and late U28C.  But as GE pushed the horse-power rating above 3000 additional cooling capacity was required.  The radiator cores were widened, resulting in the overhanging radiator that is now a familiar feature of GE's built since.

Phase Ia:

                a:    Radiator housing is taller then the car-body and overhangs out past the intake screens below.

                b:    Entire hood below radiator is wider then the car-body.

                c:    Radiator intake is a flat screen flush with the car-body,

                d:    Air-filter screen ahead of radiator intake screen.

                       High mounted for oil-bath filter and low mounted for paper air filters.

                e:    Small taper/flaring ahead of radiator.

                f:     Built-up pilots.

                g:    Half length handrail notch.

                h:    Rectangular headlight casing.

                i:     Circular door latches (two per door).

                j:     Eight equipment doors on left side under cab.

                k:    Double step on left side frame sill.

                       Built Dates:    Jan.1968 to Mar.1969

                       Number Built:    82    (EL #3301-3306)

                                                         (GN #2530-2538)

                                                         (IC #5050-5059)

                                                         (MILW #8000-8003)

                                                         (PC #6540-6563)

                                                         (SP #8600-8629)

phase Ib:

                a:    small taper/flaring disappears.

                b:    six equipment doors on left side under cab.

                c:    Single step on left side frame sill.

            

                        Built Dates:    Jun.1968 to Jul.1969

                        Number Built:    41    (ATSF #8500-8524)

                                                          (GN #2539-2544)

                                                          (NP #3300-3309)

phase Ic:

                a:    The intake screens become corrugated and project slightly from the hood.

                        Built Dates:    Apr.1969 to May 1970

                        Number Built:    74    (EL #3307-3315)

                                                          (SJ Groves #507-508)

                                                          (SOU #3805-3809)

                                                          (SP #8630-8687)

phase Id:

                a:    Flat pilot, built-up area on pilot disappears.

    

                       Built Dates:    Sept.1970 to Dec.1970

                       Number Built:    9    (DH #754-762)

phase Ie:

                a:    Handrail notch becomes full length.

                       Built Dates:    Feb.1971 to Feb.1973

                       Number Built: 134    (BN #5725-5763)

                                                        (SOU #3810-3814)

                                                        (SP #8688-8777)

phase If:

                a:    Oval headlight casing.

                       Built Dates:    Jan.1972 to Apr.1974

                       Number Built:    19   (SP #8778-8796)

phase Ig:

                a:    Square door latches - one per door.

                        Built Dates:    Dec.1974 to Jan.1975

                        Number Built:    15    (SP #8585-8599)

 

                    

[icghogger]

Thank you for sharing Dan!!

[talltim]

Very useful

[Eccentric_Crank]

Starting with the phase Ie photo, the windshields are wider.

Was this universal or road specific?

[fr8kar]

That's the "L" window common to Southern Pacific and Cotton Belt locomotives of the time period. Basically the pillar dividing the vertical pane on the engineer's side from the horizontal pane is removed to improve visibility and a single large L-shaped piece of glass replaces the two individual panes. This was not a Southern Pacific modification; the locomotives were delivered like this. Later they were modified to include a pillar between the windows so FRA-mandated impact-resistant glazing could be installed. Other railroads had some locomotives with the "L" window, including Illinois Central and Frisco, but nothing as extensive as the SP/SSW fleet.

So, to answer the question, this was a road-specific detail. Other contemporaneous locomotives produced by GE had the standard window configuration seem on the other photos above.

[nh375]

Can anyone help modifying the Atlas C40-8 truck sideframe to more closely match those used on the EL U33-c? These had the low brake cylinders.

[stevenhong]

Jan 4, 2021 7:29:44 GMT -5 nh375 said:

Can anyone help modifying the Atlas C40-8 truck sideframe to more closely match those used on the EL U33-c? These had the low brake cylinders.

Atlas also has a massive variety of U-Boats, all 6 axle models except the 23, 25, and early 28. They should have the side frames you need on their parts site