The EMD FP7 is a ,
B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling
diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving whee ...
produced between June 1949 and December 1953 by
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
'
Electro-Motive Division
Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its sub ...
and
General Motors Diesel
General Motors Diesel was a railway diesel locomotive manufacturer located in London, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1949 as the Canadian subsidiary of the Electro-Motive Diesel division of General Motors (EMD). In 1969 it was re-organiz ...
. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's
La Grange, Illinois
''(the barn)''
, nickname =
, motto = ''Tradition & Pride – Moving Forward''
, anthem = ''My La Grange'' by Jimmy Dunne
, image_map = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Grange Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 26 ...
plant, excepting locomotives destined for Canada, in which case final assembly was at GMD's plant in
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
. The FP7 was essentially EMD's
F7A locomotive extended by four feet to give greater water capacity for the
steam generator A Steam generator is a device used to boil water to create steam. More specifically, it may refer to:
*Boiler (steam generator), a closed vessel in which water is heated under pressure
*Monotube steam generator
*Supercritical steam generator or Ben ...
for heating passenger trains.
Design
While EMD's
E-units were successful passenger engines, their A1A-A1A wheel arrangement made them less useful in mountainous terrain. Several railroads had tried EMD's
F3 in passenger service, but there was insufficient water capacity in an A-unit fitted with
dynamic brake
Dynamic braking is the use of an electric traction motor as a generator when slowing a vehicle such as an electric or diesel-electric locomotive. It is termed " rheostatic" if the generated electrical power is dissipated as heat in brake grid r ...
s. The
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...
's solution was to replace the steam generators in A-units with a water tank, and so only fitted steam generators into the B-units. The
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. It was approved by Congress in 1864 and given nearly of land grants, whic ...
's solution was to fit extra water tanks into the first
baggage car
A passenger railroad car or passenger car (United States), also called a passenger carriage, passenger coach (United Kingdom and International Union of Railways), or passenger bogie (India) is a railroad car that is designed to carry passen ...
, and to pipe the water to the engines. EMD's solution to the problem was to add the stretched FP7 to its catalog increasing the water storage capacity.
![Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Amtrak_San_Francisco_Zephyr.jpg)
A total of 381 cab-equipped lead
A unit
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
s were built; unlike the freight series, no cabless booster
B unit
B, or b, is the second letter of the Latin-script alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' bee'' (pronounced ), plural ''bees''. It re ...
s were sold. Regular F7B units were sometimes used with FP7 A units, since they, lacking cabs, had more room for water and steam generators. The FP7 and its successor, the
FP9, were offshoots of GM-EMD's highly successful
F-unit series of
cab unit
In North American railroad terminology, a cab unit is a railroad "locomotive" with its own cab and controls.
"Carbody unit" is a related term, which may be either a cabless booster unit controlled from a linked cab unit, or a cab unit that cont ...
freight diesel locomotives.
F3s,
F7s, and
F9s equipped for passenger service are not FP-series locomotives, which, although similar in appearance, have distinctive differences. This includes, but not limited to, the greater body length. The extra of length was added behind the first body-side porthole, and can be recognised by the greater distance between that porthole and the first small carbody filter grille. The corresponding space beneath the body, behind the front
truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
, was also opened up; this either remained an empty space or was filled with a distinctive water tank shaped like a barrel mounted transversely.
Note that over their production run, there were numerous detail changes including the style of side grills (notably on Canadian-built units), carbody louvres, and dynamic brake fan sizing (36" initially, 48" on later production units). Some railroads such as Southern Pacific and Canadian Pacific outfitted their units with rooftop-mounted icicle breakers for protecting dome car windows in mountain territory where icicles formed around the roofs of tunnels.
Original buyers
Locomotives built by EMD at La Grange, Illinois
Locomotives built by GMD at London, Ontario
Preserved examples
![CP4038Minnedosa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/CP4038Minnedosa.png)
*
Alaska Railroad
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
1510 and 1512, used by the
Verde Canyon Railroad
The Verde Canyon Railroad is a heritage railroad running between Clarkdale and Perkinsville in the U.S. state of Arizona. The passenger excursion line operates on of tracks of the Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad (AZCR), a shortline. ...
in
Clarkdale, Arizona
Clarkdale (Yavapai: Saupkasuiva) is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The Verde River flows through the town as does Bitter Creek, an intermittent tributary of the river. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town w ...
, on its excursion train.
*
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota a ...
116-A, on display, at Hub City Heritage Railroad Museum,
Oelwein, Iowa
Oelwein is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,920 at the time of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, a decrease of 11.5% from the 2000 census. The largest community in Fayette County, ...
.
*
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
4038, at
Minnedosa, MB.
*
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
4069, in working condition and in use at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park; see
West Coast Railway Association
Founded in 1961, the West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) is a non-profit society dedicated to preserving British Columbia's railway heritage. The society operates the Railway Museum of British Columbia and the CN Roundhouse & Conference Cent ...
.
*
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
4071, renumbered as
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad (1852–1983) which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation.
The WM beca ...
243, in working condition and in use at the
Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad is a heritage and freight railroad in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. It operates the West Virginia State Rail Authority-owned Durbin Railroad and West Virginia Central Railroad , as well as ...
.
*
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
4099 was later renumbered 1400. After a stint with VIA Rail and Nebkota, it was reacquired by CP and given the number 1400 again. It was retired again in 2007 and is preserved on static display at the company's Ogden headquarters, as CP 1400.
*
Clinchfield Railroad
The Clinchfield Railroad was an operating and holding company for the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway . The line ran from the coalfields of Virginia and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, to the textile mills of South Carolina. The 35-mile segment ...
200, renumbered as
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad (1852–1983) which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation.
The WM beca ...
67, in working condition and in use at the
Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad is a heritage and freight railroad in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. It operates the West Virginia State Rail Authority-owned Durbin Railroad and West Virginia Central Railroad , as well as ...
. It was previously used on the
Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad
The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Romney, West Virginia.
The railroad operates excursion trains over a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line that runs between Green Spring and Petersburg. The West Virginia S ...
.
*
Milwaukee Road
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States fr ...
96C, in
Monon livery, inoperable at the former
Indiana Transportation Museum
The Indiana Transportation Museum ( initialized ITM, reporting mark ITMZ) is a railroad museum that was formerly located in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville, Indiana, United States. It owns a variety of preserved railroad equipment ...
in
Noblesville
Noblesville is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, a part of the north Indianapolis suburbs along the White River. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the state's 14th largest city/town ...
, Indiana. As of September 10, 2019, the locomotive is up for final auction and will be scrapped if not auctioned off by September 11.
*
Milwaukee Road
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States fr ...
101A, on static display (was non-operational when acquired but reportedly restored by volunteers to operable condition
) in
Cresco, Iowa
Cresco is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,888 in the 2020 census, a decline from 3,905 in 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County.
History
Cresco was platted in 1866 at the time the railroad was e ...
.
*
Milwaukee Road
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States fr ...
104C, at the
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM, reporting mark IRMX) is the largest railroad museum in the United States. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area at 7000 Olson Road in Union, Illinois, northwest of downtown Chicago.
Overview
Histo ...
,
Union, Illinois
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census, up from 576 in 2000.
History
A post office called Union has been in operation since 1852. The village was named for the federal union of th ...
.
*
Reading 900
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
, at the
Reading Railroad Heritage Museum
The Reading Railroad Heritage Museum is a railroad museum located at 500 S 3rd Street in Hamburg, Pennsylvania dedicated to the preservation of the Reading Railroad, owned and operated by the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society. It fea ...
in
Hamburg, Pennsylvania
Hamburg (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania German: ''Hambarig'') is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,270 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
*
Reading 902
Reading Company 902 and Reading Company 903 are two preserved ex-Reading Company EMD FP7s.
History
Reading 902 and 903 were among of the first six FP7s ordered by the railroad in March 1950 to replace passenger steam locomotives. The two units we ...
, on display at
Steamtown National Historic Site
Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is buil ...
in
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
.
*
Reading 903
Reading Company 902 and Reading Company 903 are two preserved ex- Reading Company EMD FP7s.
History
Reading 902 and 903 were among of the first six FP7s ordered by the railroad in March 1950 to replace passenger steam locomotives. The two units ...
, also on display at Steamtown.
*
Soo Line 500A (né EMD demonstrator #9051), on display at
Ladysmith, Wisconsin
Ladysmith is a city and the county seat of Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,414 at the 2010 census.
History
The Ojibwe who travelled the Flambeau River called the area that would become Ladysmith ''Gakaabikijiwanan'' ...
.
*
Soo Line 2500A (né EMD demonstrator #7001), restored to working condition, at
Lake Superior Railroad Museum
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Duluth, Minnesota, United States.
Opened in 1973, the museum focuses on railroading in the Lake Superior region. It is housed in the restored Duluth Union Depot complex.
The museum als ...
,
Duluth, Minnesota
, settlement_type = City
, nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City
, motto =
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...
.
*
Southern Railway (
CNO&TP) 6133, in working condition at the
North Carolina Transportation Museum
The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a museum in Spencer, North Carolina. It is a collection of automobiles, aircraft, and railway vehicles. The museum is located at the former Southern Railway's 1896-era Spencer Shops and devotes much ...
at
Spencer, North Carolina
Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States, incorporated in 1905. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 3,267.
History
The town was named for Samuel Spencer, first president of the Southern Railway, who is credi ...
.
*
Southern Railway (
CNO&TP) 6143 and 6147, in working condition and in use at the
Stone Mountain Park
Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, east of Atlanta, Georgia. Outside the park is the small city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state of Georgia.
...
at
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
.
*
Southern Railway (
CNO&TP) 6141 and 6138 as R J Corman 1940–1941 in use by the Kentucky Dinner Train operation out of
Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown is a home rule-class city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 11,700 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nelson County.
Bardstown is named for the pioneering Bard brothers. David Bard obtained a l ...
.
*
Western Pacific 805-A
Western Pacific 805-A is a preserved EMD FP7 diesel-electric railroad locomotive built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. It was mainly used to pull passenger trains, specifically the ''California Zephyr'' (CZ), which was operat ...
, a locomotive used on the famous ''
California Zephyr
The ''California Zephyr'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville), via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At , it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overal ...
'', is preserved in operable condition at the
Western Pacific Railroad Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum (WPRM) in Portola, California, known as the Portola Railroad Museum until January 1, 2006, is a heritage railroad and archives that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment and preserves docu ...
at
Portola, California
Portola ( ) is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2010 census, down from 2,227 at the 2000 census. Portola is located on the Middle Fork of the Feather River and was named afte ...
.
See also
*
List of GM-EMD locomotives
The following is a list of locomotives produced by the Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC), and its successors General Motors Electro-Motive Division (GM-EMD) and Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD).
Streamlined power cars and early experimental locomotive ...
*
List of GMD Locomotives
The following is a list of locomotives produced by General Motors Diesel (GMD), and its corporate successor Electro-Motive Diesel, Electro-Motive Canada (EMC).
The NF-110 and NF-210 locomotive models were narrow gauge railway, narrow gauge locomot ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* EMD Product Reference Data Card dated January 1, 1959 has the 567BC and 567C engine data used in the as-built roster.
External links
{{EMD cab and cowl
B-B locomotives
F07P
F07P
Passenger locomotives
Diesel-electric locomotives of the United States
Railway locomotives introduced in 1949
Standard gauge locomotives of Canada
Diesel-electric locomotives of Canada
Diesel-electric locomotives of Saudi Arabia
Standard gauge locomotives of the United States
Standard gauge locomotives of Mexico
Standard gauge locomotives of Saudi Arabia
Diesel-electric locomotives of Mexico
Streamlined diesel locomotives