EMD Winton-engined switchers

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Early General Motors' Electro-Motive Division switchers were built with Winton 201-A engines. A total of 175 were built between February 1935 and January 1939. Two main series of locomotives were built, distinguished by engine size and output: the straight-8, 600 hp 'S' series, and the V12, 900 hp 'N' series. Both were offered with either one-piece cast underframes from General Steel Castings of Granite City, Illinois, denoted by 'C' after the power identifier, and fabricated, welded underframes built by EMD themselves, denoted by 'W'. This gave four model series: SC, SW, NC and NW. Further developments of the 900 hp models gave model numbers NC1, NC2, NW1, and NW1A, all of which were practically indistinguishable externally from the others, as well as a pair of unique NW4 models for the Missouri Pacific Railroad and a solitary, twin-engined T transfer locomotive model built for the Illinois Central Railroad.

[edit] 600 hp S series

Missouri Pacific Railroad SC #9002.

Boston and Maine Railroad SC #1104. The lifting vents at the front top of the hood are obvious here; these distinguish Winton-engined from 567-engined switchers.

The production S series locomotives are identical except for cast or welded underframes, which are identical to those used under the N-series 900 hp locomotives. The hood on the S series is shorter, and the locomotives have a characteristic, rounded-edged "satchel" in front of the radiator. The straight-8 600 hp Winton 201-A engine moved the exhaust stacks off-center to the engineer's left, while the N series' were central. The Winton-engined switchers can be distinguished from later EMD 567-engined units by small louvres at the top front sides of their hoods, as well as top-of-hood ventilation through several lifting vents rather than the large top grille of those later units.

The 600 hp series was much more successful than the 900 hp during this early period; 114 were sold.

[edit] Pre-SC

Two pre-production units were built in February 1935; they differed from full production units by having a hood that did not taper in toward the cab, and six rather than three small louvres on each top front hood side. They were built as EMD S/N 516 and 517 and were delivered to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad as their #425 and 426. One, #426, survives on the Genesee Valley Railroad in Lackawanna colors. It has been re-engined with an EMD 567 engine.

[edit] SC

42 cast-frame SC units were built between May 1936 and January 1939. They were delivered to a wide assortment of railroads:

1. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway: 4 locomotive, #2301, 2151-2153
2. Inland Steel: 3 locomotives, #40, 41, and 44
3. New York Central Railroad: 7 locomotives, #567-573
4. Boston and Maine Railroad: 6 locomotives, #1103-1108
5. Chicago Great Western Railway: 3 locomotives, #5-7
6. South Buffalo Railway: 2 locomotives, #50 and 51
7. River Terminal Railway: 1 locomotive, #50
8. Electro-Motive Corporation: 1 locomotive, #620
9. Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad: 2 locomotives, #204 and 205
10. Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad: 3 locomotives, #101-103
11. Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway: 1 locomotive, D438
12. Missouri Pacific Railroad: 4 locomotives, #9000-9003
13. Grand Trunk Western Railroad: 2 locomotives, #7800-7801
14. Central Railroad of New Jersey: 4 locomotives, #1005-1008

Three SC locomotives still survive: Missouri Pacific 9001 (as Dardenelle & Russellville 14, a later owner) at the Illinois Railroad Museum, and New York Central 570 (as later Empire Coke 570) at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. Neither is in operating condition. D&R 14 is in unrestored but substantially complete condition, while Empire Coke 570 is in poor condition. Lastly, PB&NE 206 is in Jim Thorpe, PA, as Railtours #11. While it has an EMD 567CR (C block, COUNTER-CLOCKWISE revolution), it retains its EMC electricals, cast frame, and early lifting hood vents.

[edit] SW

77 fabricated welded-frame SW units were built between December 1936 and January 1939. Original owners included:

1. Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad: 9 locomotives, #200-#208
2. Reading Railroad: 6 locomotives, #10-15
3. River Terminal Railway: 1 locomotive, #51
4. Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad: 12 locomotives, #100-#101
5. Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad: 1 locomotive, #206
6. Electro-Motive Corporation: #655
7. Inland Steel: 3 locomotives, #43, 45 and 46
8. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad: 29 locomotives, #500-#528
9. Great Lakes Steel: 2 locomotives, #6 and #7
10. Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad: 6 locomotives, #9130-9135
11. Buffalo Creek Railroad: 2 locomotives, #40-41
12. Pennsylvania Railroad: 1 locomotive, #3908
13. Steelton and Highspire Railroad: 1 locomotive, #32
14. Lehigh Valley Railroad: 6 locomotives, #106-111
15. Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad: 2 locomotives, #104-105
16. Missouri Pacific Railroad: 1 locomotive, #5
17. Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway: 1 locomotive, D838
18. Union Terminal Railway: 1 locomotive, #10

Two SW locomotives survive, but neither retains the original Winton engine. PB&NE 206 has been reengined with a 567c block and is stored in Jim Thorpe, PA. Missouri Pacific #5 survives and operates as Thermal Belt Railway #1, repowered with a 600 hp Cummins diesel.

[edit] 900 hp N series

Missouri Pacific Railroad NC2 #4100.

These locomotives were all nearly identical, except for cast versus welded underframes. The 900 hp V12 Winton 201-A engined NC and NW series locomotives can be distinguished from the less powerful 600 hp SC and SW because, although the underframes are identical, the hood on the N series is longer, leaving only a small amount of room before the front walkway. Many, but not all, N series locomotives have a short electrical box with sharp-angled corners in that location; this is easily distinguished by the lower, longer, rounded-cornered "satchel" of the SC and SW series. The other distinguishing feature from the S series is the central location of the twin exhaust stacks; the S series have them offset towards the engineer's left, because of the inline diesel engine.

[edit] Pre-NC

One experimental locomotive was built in March 1935 as a demonstrator, numbered EMD 518 (its builders number). EMD did not have a manufacturing plant ready to build the unit, so it was assembled by Bethlehem Steel of Wilmington, Delaware. After demonstration purposes, it was sold to the Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad in October as their #203, later renumbered to #55; it was later sold to the Parrish Line Railway as their #10. Its design was unique, having an off-center cab positioned over the inner wheel of the rear truck.

[edit] NC

Five NC locomotives were built. Some had General Electric electrical equipment, while others had Westinghouse, since EMD's own designs were not yet ready. This model did not have multiple unit equipment. They were:

1. EMD S/N 647:1 (built January 1938): Great Northern Railway #5101 (later #5300) rebuilt to an SW1200 in 1955.
2. EMD S/N 648:1 (built July 1937): Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad #208.
3. EMD S/N 649:1 (built July 1937): Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad #209.
4. EMD S/N 650 (built May 1937): Youngstown and Northern Railroad #201, to Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad #402 in April 1946, to Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England #55
5. EMD S/N 651 (built May 1937): Youngstown and Northern Railroad #202, to Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad #408 in April 1946, to Marinette, Tomahawk & Western Railroad #408, then finally to the Sabine River and Northern Railroad as #408 before being preserved in the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri.

[edit] NC1

Five NC1 locomotives were built during March 1937, all with Westinghouse electrics. The only difference between models NC and NC1 was the fitting of multiple unit connections to the NC1, to enable multiple working. All were delivered to the Birmingham Southern Railroad, as EMD S/N 642-646, BSR #71-75.

[edit] NC2

Two NC2 locomotives were built in July 1937 for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. They were functionally identical to the NC1; Pinkepank states EMD as recording, enigmatically, "Wiring" as the difference. They were EMD S/N 714 and 715, MP #4100 and 4101.

[edit] NW

Eight NW locomotives were constructed between September 1937 and December 1938. They were identical to the NC except for the EMD-built welded underframes. The first three were built as EMD S/N 725-727 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway as their #2350-2352, later renumbered #2400-2402 and rebuilt into SW1200s in 1959. Two were constructed as S/N 728 and 729 for the Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad as their #210 and 211, later renumbered as #53 and 54. Another two were built as S/N 730 and 731 for the Kansas City Terminal Railroad as their #60 and 61. The final NW, S/N #732 was built for the Northern Pacific Railway as their #100.

[edit] NW1

Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway locomotive D-538 at the National Railroad Museum.

The NW1 was the only 201-A engined N series locomotive model to be ordered in any significant number; 27 were built between November 1937 and January 1939. It had a lengthened hood and no electrical box in front of it as in the other N series models. Electrical equipment was General Electric. Owning railroads were:

1. Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad: 2 locomotives, #400-401
2. Lehigh Valley Railroad: 11 locomotives, #120-130
3. Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad: 2 locomotives, #9200-9201
4. Great Northern Railway: 1 locomotive, #5102
5. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad: 8 locomotives, #700-707
6. Chicago and North Western Railway: 1 locomotive, #901
7. Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway: 2 locomotives, D538 (now preserved at the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin) and D738

[edit] NW1A

The NW1A, of which only 3 were built, was equipped with EMD-built traction motors, although the generator was still a General Electric unit. All were built for the Soo Line: EMD S/N 841-843, SOO #2100-2102.

[edit] NW4

The NW4, of which two examples were built for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, used the hood and cab configuration of the regular N-series, but with an additional straight section between cab and hood, mounted on a lengthened frame with large air tanks on the front platform, in front of the radiator. The additional hood section contained a steam generator; the NW4 was the first switcher so equipped, for switching passenger cars. The water tanks were mounted beneath the frame; the air tanks were therefore displaced to the front. The locomotives ran on AAR type B trucks re-used from EMD boxcab demonstrators #511 and 512. The two NW4s were EMD S/N 823 and 824, and were MP #4102 and 4103. They were scrapped after 1959.

[edit] 1,800 hp T series

The solitary EMD transfer locomotive classified T was built as EMD S/N 533 in May 1936 for the Illinois Central Railroad as their #9201, but soon renumbered as #9202. The bodywork was built by St. Louis Car, and the electrical equipment was by General Electric. The main frame rested on two subframe bolsters which were articulated together; the four two-axle trucks were mounted to the bolsters, giving it a B-B+B-B wheel arrangement.

The locomotive was a center-cab design, with twin hoods extending in both directions, each containing a V12 Winton 201-A diesel engine of 900 hp, giving 1,800 total hp.

The locomotive's main underframe sagged over time, and was returned to EMD for straightening and gusseting for extra strength. IC #9202 was scrapped in 1950.

[edit] References

• Laundry, Mark. The Yard Limit Spotters Guide: EMC Winton Powered.
• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Milwaukee, WI. ISBN 0-89024-026-4. 
• TrainWeb.com. The Unofficial EMD homepage. Retrieved on January 7, 2005. Contains fairly complete builders' records for early EMD production.