Massive 82 Car Backyard Layout

Railroad hobby requires an investment of time and money!

Creative railroad enthusiast in Michigan stepped up his game by using a replica of a UP Turbine engine on Unit A with the gas power being supplied by the B Unit using a Briggs-Stratten 16HP V-2 gas engine. The hydraulic pump in turn powers the A unit and the 8 trucks.

Since this is a work in process, the owner states he will have “2 powered fuel tenders behind the B Unit that will make a 4 unit set over 31 feet long and weighing over 3000 lbs.!”

In real life, the Union Pacific Railroad was the only railroad in the US to actually own and operate gas turbine locomotives. Their fleet consisted 55 locomotives at one time and were all retired in 1970 due the deafening noise these turbine locomotives made similar to jet engines.

Let us know if you are a live steamer engineer and what you think of this layout. We would love to hear about your experiences.