EMD GP9E and GP9R

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EMD GP9E and GP9R
SP 3765 wb along Sunol Blvd Aug 85xRP - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg
Southern Pacific GP9E #3765 is heading back toward Fremont after a run to Radum, outside Pleasanton in August 1985.
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
Model GP9
GP9E
GP9R
Total produced340 (Southern Pacific)
60 (Cotton Belt)
Rebuild dateApril 1970 – March 1979
Number rebuilt283 (Southern Pacific)
10 (Cotton Belt)
Specifications
Configuration:
   AAR B-B
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Trucks EMD Blomberg B
Wheel diameter40 in (1.016 m)
Minimum curve 21° (273 ft (83.21 m) radius)
Wheelbase 40 ft (12.19 m)
Length56 ft 2 in (17.12 m)
Width10 ft 3+12 in (3.14 m)
Height15 ft 12 in (4.58 m)
Loco weight259,500 lb (117,700 kg)
Fuel capacity1,100 US gal (4,200 L; 920 imp gal)
Prime mover EMD 16-567C
RPM range835 max
Engine type V16 Two-stroke diesel
Aspiration Roots blower
Displacement9,072 cu in (148.66 L)
Generator EMD D-12-B
Traction motors (4) EMD D-37-B
Cylinders 16
Cylinder size 8+12 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output1,750  hp (1.30 MW)
Tractive effort 64,750 lbf (288.0 kN)
Career
Operators Southern Pacific Transportation Company
St. Louis Southwestern Railway ("Cotton Belt Route")
LocaleNorth America
Preserved See here
DispositionSix preserved, remainder scrapped

The EMD GP9E and GP9R are rebuilds from EMD GP9 diesel locomotives that were built by General-Motors Electro-Motive Division for the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (also known as the "Cotton Belt Route") and the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Beginning in 1970 with SP GP9 #3424, all of the pre-existing EMD GP9 diesel locomotives that were on the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (also known as the "Cotton Belt Route") and Southern Pacific's roster were rebuilt into GP9E's and GP9R's with the number series beginning at #3300. [1] [2] [3]

Because of the internal differences of the three 'Phases', different 'rebuild' schemes were required, which meant that they were placed into different number series. As well some got Farr air filter boxes behind the cab of the units. [1]

As the rebuilds had came and went, alongside the un-rebuilt units, no numbers were reused from the Southern Pacific's 1965 renumbering scheme. [1]

The Southern Pacific Transportation Company began rebuilding their units in 1970, while the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (also known as the "Cotton Belt Route") began rebuilding their units in 1974. [1]

SP's Paint scheme variants

SP GP9R #3792 in the Southern Pacific's "Kodachrome" livery. A Couple SP Trains in Sunset Whitney, CA in 1988 (30667563292).jpg
SP GP9R #3792 in the Southern Pacific's "Kodachrome" livery.

Nine of Southern Pacific's GP9E/GP9R locomotives were painted into the Southern Pacific's "Kodachrome" livery of the Failed merger between Southern Pacific and Santa Fe, these units were GP9E/R locomotives #2873, #3370, #3735, #3739, #3775, #3778, #3784, #3792 and #3846. [1]

Preservation

Out of all the 283 units that were rebuilt, six EMD GP9R locomotives have survived into preservation:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific Transportation Company</span> United States Class I railroad (1865–1996)

The Southern Pacific was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Company and Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Fe–Southern Pacific merger</span> 1980s attempt at Western US freight rail consolidation

The Santa Fe–Southern Pacific merger was an attempted corporate consolidation of two of the major railroads in the Western United States at the time: the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. The approximately US$5 billion deal was announced in September 1983 and in December 1983, both companies were acquired by a new holding company, the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation and both companies' extensive non-railroad related assets were immediately combined. However, the Southern Pacific Railroad remained in a voting trust and the railroads continued to be operated independently and competitively while the merger worked through the regulatory process.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP7</span> Diesel-electric locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP9</span> Model of locomotive built by EMD

The EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between 1954 and 1959. The GP9 succeeded the GP7 as the second model of EMD's General Purpose (GP) line, incorporating a new sixteen-cylinder engine which generated 1,750 horsepower (1.30 MW). This locomotive type was offered both with and without control cabs; locomotives built without control cabs were called GP9B locomotives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP20</span>

An EMD GP20 is a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between November 1959 and April 1962. Power was provided by an EMD 567D2 16-cylinder turbocharged engine which generated 2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW). EMD was initially hesitant to turbocharge their 567-series diesel engine, but was spurred on to do so following successful tests made by Union Pacific in the form of UP's experimental Omaha GP20 units. 260 examples of EMD's production locomotive model were built for American railroads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD7</span> Model of 1500 hp Co′Co′ American diesel locomotive

The SD7 is a model of 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between May 1951 and November 1953. It had an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine producing 1,500 horsepower (1.12 MW) for its six traction motors. United States railroads bought 188 units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD9</span> Model of 1750 hp Co′Co′ American diesel locomotive

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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 documents, photos and information. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is operated by the Feather River Rail Society, founded in 1983. It is located at a former Western Pacific locomotive facility, adjacent to the Union Pacific's former Western Pacific mainline through the Feather River Canyon.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific 1518</span> Preserved EMD SD7 diesel locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Ogden, Utah)</span> Train station in Ogden, Utah, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP10</span> Rebuilt locomotive class

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Central Railway (1992)</span>

The Utah Central Railway is a shortline railroad serving Ogden, Utah and surrounding areas. It interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad (UP), as well as with BNSF Railway trains running over the UP via trackage rights. The company began operations in 1992 as a private switching railroad, and became a common carrier in 1995. It expanded operations in 2001 and 2004, and the Patriot Rail Corporation gained control in January 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD45R</span> Rebuilt diesel locomotives

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD9E</span> Rebuilt diesel locomotives

The EMD SD9E was a rebuild from EMD SD9 diesel locomotives that were built by General-Motors Electro-Motive Division for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD7R</span> Rebuilt diesel locomotives

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Strapac (1974) , p. 23-28
  2. 1 2 Solomon (2000) , p. 74
  3. 1 2 Solomon (2000) , p. 168
  4. "Southern Pacific 2873". tour.wplives.org. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  5. "WPRM - SP 2873". wplives.org. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  6. "Southern Pacific #5623". Niles Canyon Railway. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  7. "SP 3194: EMD GP-9". Golden Gate Railroad Museum. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  8. "Southern Pacific #3709". Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  9. "SP #3709". www.sdrm.info. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  10. "Rolling Stock of the Utah State Railroad Museum: SP 3769: GP9". Utah State Railroad Museum: Spencer S. & Dolores Doré Eccles Rail Center. Ogden, Utah: Ogden Union Station. 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
  11. "Southern Pacific #3873". Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  12. "SP #3873". www.sdrm.info. Retrieved 2023-10-28.

Bibliography

Further reading