GE U25B DCC Southern Pacific #6767 (gray, red)

This engine is from Bowser’s Executive Line and very close to the SP prototype on many levels. The prototype old GE U-Boats were not the same animal as GE locos of today. On the SP system they were primarily operated between Fresno and Los Angeles over the Tehachapi’s, between Roseville and Oakland, Ca. on the Western Division, on the Coast and Los Angeles Divisions, and on the southern portions of the railroad through the southwestern US on the Pacific Lines, and from Texas to Arkansas (SSW aka Cotton Belt) or Louisiana (T&NO) on the Atlantic Lines. They were outmatched by the heavy grade territory on the Sacramento and Oregon Divisions because the grades were very long (For example Roseville to Norden, 2.4% ruling grade and 7200 foot gain in altitude and 93 miles long) and they had an ongoing problem with overheating with no solution at hand, so we just didn’t see them all that much. When delivered they were assigned to the SP class DF-619. They were later reclassified as a GF425 (Note: With SP class the first letter denotes the manufacturer. G for GE, E for EMD, A for Alco etc. The second letter is the type of service, F for freight, P for passenger or FP for combined service. The first number denotes the number of axles and the last two numbers denote the horsepower in thousands). This model oozes with quality starting with the box. The cardboard box has a clear plastic sleeve around it and it slides out. When opening the box the engine case is encased in another clear plastic sleeve. After sliding the model out of that it is in a two piece top and bottom plastic case. Remove them and that exposes the engine in a hard plastic bulkhead. The engine is secured to that by two screws in the bottom of the fuel tank that holds it securely. Turn it upside down in your palm and carefully remove those and presto! The engine is ready to go on the rails... It doesn’t go in and out of the box a lot. I use this unit as part of an all GE road engine: Athearn Genesis U50, SP 9552, SP class GF850A-1 (there were only three of these critters on the SP and they were in their own unique class. In this case A stands for articulated and 1 as the series number) this unit and another Bowser U25B, SP 3100. (Note: When combining DCC with Sound models from differing makers, they may not work well together initially, but you can get around that. Most quality models offer 128 increment speed steps for scale speed ops. If you reduce that with the CVs you will get to a point where they work as one, but perhaps with only 64 speed steps as the commonality syncing them up). Bowser put just as much into the design of these engines as with the packaging. There are no pilot snow plows on them but footboards instead, because they didn’t work in snow country on the SP. There are full MU hoses on each end on both sides in addition to the brake pipe. There are scale operating cutting levers for the couplers. Handrails, steps, piping, handbrake wheel and windshield wipers all appear to be to scale. While latches on the long hood doors could be more distinct, those for the air box underneath the engineer’s seat, and high voltage boxes on the fireman’s side are more pronounced. The top seems like it is lacking in detail but like the prototype Alco PA units there wasn’t a lot of detail on the prototype top. For whatever wrong reason the exhaust stack is painted silver. Although molded the detailed grilles on the top and sides hold up under high magnification. The glazing is very good and includes wind side screens and the sun shields are hinged and positional, just like the prototype. Very delicate. It’s a trailing unit so once tested I’ve left them in. Paint color is accurate and the lettering and numbers are the correct font, and labeling is accurate under high magnification. Truck detail is pretty good but could be better in lieu of the more elaborate packaging, but not a deal breaker and the brake cylinders are in released position, unlike most others. The main reservoirs and the piping are in the right place on either end of the fuel tank, which is also squared off correctly. There is a molded fuel gauge on the tank but not convincing and not painted either. There is one major cosmetic drawback. There is no cab interior, which could be excused but for the fact wiring components are readily visible when looking into the cab at close range, thanks to the nice glazing. Lighting is okay but I expected better. The sound is excellent having captured the sound of the Alco prime mover in its entirety including start up. (Note: Dwell time between increasing throttle notches and start voltage for movement is already programmed out of the box quite realistically. As an example in the prototype world, engines don’t always move in run 1 when handling tonnage but it takes throttle run three or more to start the train. This is pre-programmed but variable via CV). The distinctive chirp of the turbo-charger is there. All of which means this model is above average in some respects yet average in most other parameters so this is an average engine in this price range.