The GE U18B diesel-electric locomotive was introduced by GE Transportation as a branch line road switcher locomotive in 1973. It was the only North American locomotive powered by the 8-cylinder 7FDL engine. The U18B was not a popular seller with GE only making 163 of them, and they were mostly purchased by Maine Central and Seaboard Coast Line. Due to their size, the locomotives were given the nickname Baby Boats. Railroads lost interest in specialized road units entering the 1970s. The U18Bs were noted for having reliability issues and being underpowered. The Maine Central referred to their U18Bs as the Independence class and named their units after revolutionary war heroes. GE included information about a B18-7 locomotive (which would have followed the U18B) in its 1978 "Series-7 Road Locomotives" service manual, but none of these updated units were ordered, sold, or built. 8 ex CSX U18Bs, nos. 9500 - 9508, can be found in service on the Pickens Railway located in the Upstate Region of South Carolina, no. 9501 being used as a parts source.
Original Owners
Image Railroad Quantity Numbers NotesMaine Central Railroad10400–409Blomberg trucks; part of a cancelled SCL order Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México459000–9044AAR type-B trucksProvidence and Worcester Railroad11801FB-2 trucksSeaboard Coast Line Railroad105250–261, 300–392325-392 with Blomberg trucks, all others FB-2. All to CSX. 10 additional units on order but cancelledTexas Utilities2101–102AAR type-B trucks
See also Maine Central Seaboard Coast Line
References