GE UM12C

The UM12C is a type of diesel-electric locomotive manufactured by GE for Southeast Asian rail operators. It is currently in service with the State Railway of Thailand. It was also operated by the Manila Railroad Company and the Philippine National Railways from 1956 until 1999.^[5] While the units for both companies feature a shovelnose layout, the MRR locomotives were single-ended and had a cowl unit cab, the SRT locomotives are double-ended cab forward units.

Manila Railroad 2000 class GE UM12C[1][2]
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric[3] Builder GE Transportation Systems[1][2][3] Serial number 32454-32463 (2001-2020; PNR) 34850-34889 (4001-4040; SRT)[1][2] 35947-35956 (4041-4050; SRT)[1][2] Model UM12C[1][2] Build date 1956 1963,1966[1][2] Total produced 20 (PNR) 50 (SRT)[1][2]
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C[2]  • UIC Co'Co'[3] Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) (PNR) 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) (SRT)[1][2] Wheel diameter 914 mm (36.0 in)[3] Length 16,288 mm (53 ft 5.3 in)[3] Width 2,794 mm (9 ft 2.0 in)[3] Height 3,753 mm (12 ft 3.8 in)[3] Loco weight 70.178 ton (empty)[3] 75.00 ton (in working order)[3] Prime mover Cummins KT38L (SRT) Cooper Bessemer (PNR) RPM range 2,000 RPM[3] Cylinders V12[2] Train brakes Combined air brake[3] and vacuum brake[3]
Performance figures Maximum speed 103 km/h (64 mph)[3] Power output 1,320 hp (0.98 MW)[3]
Career Operators Philippine National Railways State Railway of Thailand[1][2] Numbers 2001-2020 (PNR) 4001-4050 (SRT) [1][2][3] Official name GE UM12C[3] Locale Luzon, Philippines Thailand[1][2] Delivered February - June 1956 (PNR) 1964 (SRT)[3] Retired 1999 (PNR)[4] Disposition All scrapped (PNR) 45 in service, 5 retired (SRT)[5]

MRR/PNR 2000 class

A 2000 class locomotive as it appeared in the 1960s.

The Manila Railroad Company (MRR) announced the dieselization of its locomotive fleet in 1954. GE Transportation was selected as the supplier of diesel-electric locomotives. The agency bought fifty units in which thirty were streamlined mainline locomotives and twenty were switchers. Twenty of these were the UM12C road switcher model MRR 2000 class. These were some of the first locomotives to feature the cowl unit design.^[6]

The locomotives were introduced to the MRR in 1956. Along with the cab unit 1000 class, they formed the mainline locomotive fleet in Luzon until the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Starting in 1973, a newer GE Universal Series type numbered the PNR 900 class was introduced on mainline passenger services. Due to its popularity on services such as the Amianan Express and the Bicol Express, it eventually replaced the 1000 and 2000 classes from passenger service. The 2000 class continued service until January 1999 and the remaining units were immediately scrapped.^[4]

State Railway of Thailand

The State Railway of Thailand purchased 50 units of a meter gauge version of the UM12C. Unlike the Philippine version, it features a dual cab layout with a cab forward design. As of 2015, 45 units remain in service with the SRT.

References

1. Dave Dallner (November 20, 2010). "General Electric UM12C Production Roster".
2. Phil's Loco Page (July 4, 2015). "GE Export".
3. "SRT Diesel locomotive". September 6, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
4. "As of January 1999, the 2000 class have been withdrawn from service." from "asia pictures". locopage.net. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
5. ฝ่ายช่างกล การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย (July 3, 2015). "รายงานสถานการณ์รถจักร ของการรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย ประจำเดือนกรกฏาคม 2558". Facebook.
6. "1956 0421 MRR Roadswitchers". 25 January 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2020.