EMD FP9

EMD FP9

RLGN 1400 (originally CN 6539) in 2003
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada)
Model FP9
Build date February 1954 – December 1959
Total produced 90
Specifications
Configuration:
 ​
 • AAR B-B
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Trucks Blomberg B
Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve 23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 m radius)
Wheelbase 43 ft (13.11 m)
Length 55 ft 2 1⁄4 in (16.82 m)
Width 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height 15 ft (4.57 m)
Loco weight 260,000 lb (120,000 kg)
Fuel capacity 1,200 US gal (4,500 L; 1,000 imp gal)
Prime mover EMD 567C
RPM range 800
Engine type V16 Two-stroke diesel
Aspiration Roots-type supercharger
Displacement 9,072 cu in (148.66 L)
Generator EMD D-12
Traction motors (4) EMD D-37
Cylinders 16
Cylinder size 8 1⁄2 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures
Power output 1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW)
Career
Locale North America, Saudi Arabia

The EMD FP9 is a 1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW), B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive that was produced between February 1954 and December 1959 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, except for Canadian orders, which were assembled by Canadian subsidiary GMD at London, Ontario. The FP9 was essentially EMD's F9 locomotive extended by four feet to give greater steam generator and water capacity for hauling passenger trains. A total of 90 cab-equipped lead A units were built; unlike the freight series, no cabless booster B units were sold. Regular F9B units were sometimes used with FP9 A units, since they, lacking cabs, had more room for water and steam generators. The FP9 and its predecessor, the FP7, were offshoots of GM-EMD's highly successful F-unit series of cab unit diesel locomotives.

Identification

Just as in the previous FP7, the FP9's carbody is essentially the F9's with 4 feet (1.22 m) extra added a little behind the cab, just aft of the forward truck. Unlike the FP7, the forward porthole window is relocated so that it is better balanced in the space, but there is still more room between the porthole and the first carbody filter grille behind it; it is just less obvious. As on the F9, there is now a carbody filter grille before the window as well.

Original buyers

Locomotives built by EMD at La Grange, Illinois

Railroad Quantity FP9 Quantity F9B
(where ordered with FP9) 		Road numbers FP9 Road numbers F9B Notes
Chicago & North Western Railway 4 4 4051A–4054A 4051B–4054B Built from trade-in FTs and rated at 1500 hp. "Diesel Spotters' Guide" counts these as FP7
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México 25 – 7010–7034 –
Saudi Government Railways 7 — 1502–1508 —
Totals 36 4

Locomotives built by GMD at London, Ontario

Railroad Quantity FP9 Quantity F9B
(where ordered with FP9) 		Road numbers FP9 Road numbers F9B Notes
Canadian National Railways 43 38 6500–6542 6600–6637 Model FP9ARM, 15 units were rebuilt in the 1980s with EMD 645C power up to 1800 HP.
Canadian Pacific Railway 11 8 1405–1415 1900–1907
Totals 54 46

FP10

MBTA #1150, an FP10, at South Station in 1981. This locomotive was built in 1947 as GM&O #885A, an EMD F3.

FP10 locomotives are not the linear successors of the FP9, as their designation might indicate. The FP10 units were 'built' in the late 1970s by the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad at its Paducah, Kentucky shops for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority using former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad F3 and F7 units. These F3 and F7 locomotives were used by the GM&O and ICG (for a short period) in Chicago-area commuter service and later in freight service until their retirement.

The rebuilding by ICG saw all of the units gain full-length stainless steel air intake grilles, which in many cases replaced the 'chicken wire' appearance which many had during their tenure with the GM&O and ICG. They were also equipped with a 480 V HEP generator at the rear of the locomotive, as well as dynamic brakes, and had their classification lights replaced with large red marker lights which enabled the locomotive to "carry the markers" when operating in push mode.

The FP10 units were never extended beyond their original length, thus making the "P" in their designation misleading. The FP10 designation, like that of the GP10 (also an ICG product) was conceived by ICG and was never sanctioned by EMD, though railroads and rail enthusiasts alike agree on the moniker.

The FP10 locomotives were painted in the MBTA's purple, silver, and yellow scheme, wearing two variations (one which had two substantial yellow swaths on the nose, and the second which used the yellow only as striping on the nose, as well as the rest of the carbody) of the transit agency's dress. At least one was painted in a scheme that was a "negative" of the conventional scheme, where purple was the primary color and silver taking a secondary role.

During the early 1990s, the FP10s were retired by the MBTA, with four being sold to the Metro North Commuter Railroad (MNCR 410-413), some leased (Cape Cod Central—and eventually resold after that operation ceased) and others being scrapped. In late 1999/early 2000, the last remaining MBTA-owned FP10 units were sold and have operated in Maryland, New Orleans, Georgia, and Idaho on various tourist trains.

See also

References

  • Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. p. 126. ISBN 0-87564-715-4. 
  • Lamb, J. Parker (2007). Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive. Railroads Past and Present. Bloomington, IN, USA: Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253348630. 
  • Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series (Book 10). Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890242585. 
  • Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide. Milwaukee, WI: Kalmbach Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89024-026-4. 
  • Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, WI, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 0760305072. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-0666-6. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2005). EMD F-Unit Locomotives. North Branch, MN, USA: Specialty Press. ISBN 1580071929. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2006). EMD Locomotives. St. Paul, MN: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2396-0. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, MN, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 9780760337950. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2011). Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760340073. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760343708. 
  • Wilson, Jeff (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading series. Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890243743. 
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