General Electric fielded what it dubbed a universal (hence the “U” in U25) locomotive, capable of tackling virtually any freight job.
The Erie, Pa., firm built 476 of the four-axle 2,500-horsepower locomotives for U.S. railroads between 1959 and 1966, as well as another 113 of the six-axle U25C variation.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy possessed a small fleet of GEs, with the locomotives providing first-rate service for the prairie railroad. The U25Bs soldiered onward after the Burlington Northern merger until the last was withdrawn from service in late 1981.
At least seven U25Bs are still around, preserved in museums from New England to California.
The model
This is one attractive S gauge model. Yes, the red paint job helps give it pizzazz, but even if it were in New York Central black, the appearance of this model would stand out.
There are a ton of cast-in hinges, hatches, doors, and latches on the plastic body shell. There are cast-in lift rings on the roof and the top of the short hood. The decks and most steps feature cast-in traction treads.
There are a few extra touches that make this model special, including the etched brass see-through screens on the long hood and an add-on ladder going up and over a screen on the fireman’s side of the hood. There’s also a walkway over the top of the roof screens. An add-on brake wheel can be found on the fireman’s side of the short nose.
The trucks have a good level of cast-in detail. The coupler shaft pokes through a 11/4-inch cavity, giving the coupler a lot of freedom to pivot. The truck sideframes are good renditions of GE’s version of the AAR Type B road trucks.
The undercarriage is plain, but it does have simulated fuel and air tanks. Also, there’s no detail inside the cab windows.
Coupler to coupler the model measures 12 inches (63 inches) compared to the prototype’s 62 feet, 6 inches. The U25B of course features oversized, non-scale couplers.
American Models’ execution of the vibrant China red Burlington Route paint scheme is totally professional. Borders are crisp, and the lettering and lining are first rate. You’ll find a silver and black “type” label (U25B) below the road numbers on both sides of the cab.
The U25B is available undecorated and in Burlington Route (CB&Q), Chesapeake & Ohio, Erie-Lackawanna, Frisco, Great Northern, New Haven, Rock Island, Santa Fe, and Southern Pacific road names in AC and DC versions.
On the test track
This was the first new locomotive to operate on my revised home S gauge layout, and it ran like a champ.
Our low-speed test average was 18.2 scale mph, and our high-end average was 131.2 scale mph.
The 1-pound, 13-ounce locomotive features traction tires on the leading axle of the rear truck. Drawbar pull was 1 pound, 1 ounce, which equals to roughly 88 modern, free-rolling S gauge cars on straight and level track.
The U25B easily handled a 20-car test train comprised of new and vintage American Flyer, American Models, K-Line, and S-Helper Service rolling stock.
The U25B features one center-mounted can-style motor powering both trucks through drive shafts. The locomotive has a standard forward-neutral-reverse sequence. Speed response was great at all voltages. You should note that American Models does not recommend operating this locomotive above 15 volts or with newer transformers with non-traditional sine waves.
The motor noise was audible, but I suspect that’s because the model has no sound system to mask it. The noise wasn’t a distraction. The locomotive has directional lighting using bright white LEDs.
The American Models U25B delivers a lot of fun in a small package. It showcases smooth operation, rugged construction, and excellent graphics. The U25B deserves a spot on any S gauge railroad modeling the 1960s through 1980s.
