Best Lionel 6-28390 Union Pacific Non-Powered DD35A Diesel Locomotive #79 – Your Source for Gaming Essentials

Description

This is Lionel 6-28390 Union Pacific Non-Powered #79 DD35. UP Double Diesel dressed in the popular American flag paint scheme. In the early 1960s, Union Pacific approached three major loco manufacturers with a formidable challenge: Build the railroad a new diesel-electric loco set that could provide a total of 15,000 h.p. which would decrease the number of lash-ups necessary for U.P.s long distance operations. The winning builder was GMs Electro Motive Division with a massive, cabless double diesel called the DD35, completed in 1963. In essence, EMDs new 88-foot engine was made up of two GP35 diesel locomotives built on a single chassis, and resting on newly-designed 4-axle D trucks.

Originally GM configured the consist to run as a four-unit set, with two 5000 h.p. DD35 booster units sandwiched between two 1500 h.p. GP35 diesels. What an incredible sight it must have been in 1963 to see this prototype set of engines on its nationwide promotional tour, all four units decorated boldly in red and white stripes! Union Pacific was delighted with the performance of these engines and immediately bought 27 of them in 1964, along with GP35 diesels to complete the unit sets.

Soon after the initial purchase, Union Pacific requested EMD to redesign the DD35 booster engine to include a cab in front. EMD complied, and in 1965 they sold a total of 15 cab-equipped DD35A diesels to the U.P. Besides the obvious cab addition to the engine, the DD35A also sported a narrow nose and a new style of radiator on the roof that flared out dramatically along the roof sides. DD35A diesels were solid workhorses for the Union Pacific until the early 1980s when the downturn of the economy forced the last of these mammoth engines into retirement. Unfortunately, not a single DD35 diesel survives today. As we look back, the DD35 represents a significant turning point for the Union Pacific as it shifted out of the turbine era and committed fully to a new era of modern diesel electrics.

Its key features are:
Front and rear ElectroCouplers
Smokestack output from two separate stacks
Fan-driven smoke unit
Adjustable smoke output
Directional lighting, including LED headlights on front and rear
Illuminated number boards
Illuminated cab interior
Die-cast metal trucks, pilot, and fuel tank
Die-cast metal frame
Separately applied metal details
Engineer and conductor figures
Dimensions: Length: Approx. 22
Minimum Curve: O-42 /O-54 Recommended

Condition: Factory New (C-9)
Operational Status: Functional
Original Box: Yes (P-9)

Manufacturer: Lionel
Model Number: 6-28390
Road Name: Union Pacific (UP)
MSRP: $439.99

Scale/Era: O Modern
Model Type: Diesel Loco

The Trainz SKU for this item is P11641699.

Trainz Product Id: 11641699