GE had an amazing array of standard, common, modified and custom design diesel-electric locomotive designs. Most of the designs were built from common components, and in many cases can be grouped into "families" of electro-mechanical and model groupings.
For instance, the standard "44 ton" was also built in a "45 ton drop cab" as well as the narrow gauge "47 ton".
The standard 70 ton had a 95 ton industrial switching version, as well as two different variations for narrow gauge using GE747 traction motors as B-B (42" for Costa Rica and Philippines) as well as C+C (US Potash in NM and all over South America). The last 70 tons used the GE761 traction motor with an updated body, and Brazil got some ballasted units with a different body on road trucks.
Even the export "50 ton" had two different phases (minor truck and air intake changes) with SP#1 being a phase 1 and CLC/BFC/SVRR 720 being a phase 2. SP had dual gauge trucks (36"/std) as did United Fruit (36"/42"). The "52 ton" was two feet longer and had three buyers, but all were different. Philippines had the standard design with the turbocharged engine, Costa Rica got a modified design with dynamic brakes that ran cab forward, while Venezuela apparently had the roots blown engine with inboard sanding and were the only standard gauge ones built. These were replaced by the Universal end-cabs with Caterpillar engines which had their own model progression, options and modified versions.
In some cases, GE built the same basic design in several different generations for 40+ years.
I did find the following which might be of interest. These are being advertised as 42" gauge units but were originally built as 24" gauge, so changing them to 36" gauge should be possible.
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www.locomotives-for-sale.com]
Note the dealer bought these at scrap/salvage prices, but then apparently modified them to 42" gauge. These are a mid-generation U6B design modified to 24" gauge. The drawback is that these are the only use of this truck and traction motor I am aware of. While 19,000 pounds of continuous tractive effort is impressive for 24" gauge, the U6B on standard trucks with GE764 motors are rated at 26,400 pounds.
Anyone need three 50 ton lawn ornaments? I bet the 24" gauge teakettles in Maine would cringe next to these beasts - the 3' gauge 50 tons look like they are going to fall over at 9' wide, these are 7' wide. They had to be among if not the most powerful 24" gauge diesels built. 19,000 pounds tractive effort would haul around 220 tons on 3% - and they have multiple unit control! (With GE764 traction motors they would be about 325 tons each.) I would change the steps - I don't relish the concept of climbing upside down to get on and off.
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sa-transport.co.za]
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en.wikipedia.org]
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en.wikipedia.org]
(I kept getting a 403 error until I dumped the URL links, so now they may or may not work/)
