EMD SW900

Last updated
EMD SW900
CRIP 907 (SW900) at Seneca, IL on January 28, 1967 (21798162974).jpg
Rock Island 907 at Seneca, Illinois on January 28, 1967
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel–electric
Builder
ModelSW900
Build dateDecember 1953 – March 1969
Total producedEMD: 274; GMD: 97
Specifications
Configuration:
   AAR B-B
Prime mover EMD 8-567C
Engine type V8 Two-stroke diesel
Aspiration Roots-type supercharger
Cylinders 8
Performance figures
Power output900  hp (670 kW)
Career
Locale

The EMD SW900 is a diesel switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel (GMD) between December 1953 and March 1969. [1]

Contents

Built concurrently with the SW1200, the eight-cylinder SW900 model had a single exhaust stack, and replaced the EMD SW8 model in EMD's catalogue. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 8-cylinder engine that generated 900 horsepower (670 kW). The "900" model number reflected EMD's change to a more horsepower-based naming system at the time. The last two SW900s built by GMD for British Columbia Hydro were built with 8 cylinder 645E engines rated at 1,000 horsepower (750 kW).[ citation needed ]

260 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads and 97 were built for Canadian railroads. Canadian production of the SW900 lasted three and a half years past EMD production. Seven units were exported to Orinoco Mining Co (Venezuela); two units were exported to Southern Peru Copper Co; and five units were exported to the Liberian American-Swedish Minerals Company. Total production is 371 units.[ citation needed ]

Some SW900s were built with the generators from traded in EMC Winton-engined switchers and were classified as SW900M by EMD. Units rebuilt from SW or SC model locomotives developed 600 or 660 horsepower with the older generators instead of the full 900 horsepower of the SW900.[ citation needed ]

In the early 1960s, the Reading Company sent 14 of their Baldwin VO 1000 model switchers to EMD to have them rebuilt to SW900 specifications. The Reading units retained the Baldwin switcher carbody and were rated at 1000 horsepower by EMD.[ citation needed ]

A cow–calf variation, the TR9, was cataloged, but none were built.[ citation needed ]

Rebuilds

SW900E

In 1974, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company had decided to rebuild all ten of their EMD SW900 diesel locomotives at their own Houston Shops. [2]

The rebuilds included the installation of a 12-cylinder EMD 645E engine, which increased the horsepower from 900 hp (670 kW) to 1,200 hp (890 kW). [2]

The rebuilds had also included the installation of a new electrical system, which included a newer generator, newer traction motors, and a newer control system. The rebuilds were done specifically to extend the life of the locomotives and to increase their power and reliability. [2]

Original buyers

Built by Electro-Motive Division, USA

RailroadQuantityRoad numbersNotes
Electro-Motive Division demonstrator16534to River Terminal 99
16535to Waterloo Railway 4
Alabama By-Products Corporation 1900
American Steel and Wire 43–6
Armco Steel Corporation 13B80, 1203–1214
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 4650–653
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 29625–653
Birmingham Southern Railroad 591–95
General Motors-Buick Motor Division 2792, 818
Canton Railroad 544–48
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway 194
Champion Papers Inc 13
Chicago and North Western Railway 2144–145
Chicago Great Western Railway 15
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 29550–563, 900–914550-563 are 600 h.p. SW900M
Colorado and Wyoming Railway 1214
Texas Construction Material Company (Colorado River and Western Railroad)1201
Corinth and Counce Railroad 2901–902
Cuyahoga Valley Railway 2960–961
DeQueen and Eastern Railroad 1D-4
Detroit Edison Company 1214
Hammond Lumber Company (Feather River Railway)1102
Fernwood, Columbia and Gulf Railroad 1900
Grand Trunk Railroad (of Maine) 27225-7226
Grand Trunk Western Railroad 137227–7232, 7262–7268
Granite City Steel Company 2900–901
Great Lakes Steel Corporation 26-7
Hanna Furnace Company 117
Hercules Powder Company 161
Inland Lime and Stone Company 110
Jacksonville Terminal Company 337–39
Lancaster and Chester Railway 290–91L&C 91 was the last EMD built SW900 in 11/65
Lehigh Valley Railroad 12106-107, 110, 120–127, 130107,110 are 600 h.p. SW900M, 106 is 660 h.p. SW900M
Liberian American-Swedish Minerals Company 5201-205Liberia, Africa
McLouth Steel Corporation 26–7
Missouri Portland Cement Company 11
Monessen Southwestern Railway 328–30
New York Central Railroad 169631–9646
New York Central System (Cleveland Union Terminal Company)39628–9630
Orinoco Mining Company 71090–1096Venezuela, South America
Philadelphia Bethlehem and New England Railroad 251-52
Pickering Lumber Company 4101–104
Raritan River Railroad 61–6
Reading Company 2110-15, 1501–151510-15 are 660 h.p. SW900M
Republic Steel Corporation 12345, 347–349, 354–359, 373–374
River Terminal Railway 1090–98, 10099 was EMD demo
Sand Springs Railway 3100–102
Simpson Logging Company 1900Built with dynamic brakes.
South Peru Copper Company 29-10Peru, South America
Southern Pacific Transportation Company 104624–4633
Steelton and Highspire Railroad 221, 27
U.S. Steel Corporation 1157
U.S. Sugar Corporation 3154–156
Valdosta Southern Railroad 1955
Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company 11
Waterloo Railroad 31–3Waterloo 4 was EMD demo 6535
Woodward Iron Company 162
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company 5900–904
Total274

Built by General Motors Diesel, Canada

RailroadQuantityRoad numbersNotes
Algoma Steel 151
Aluminum Company of Canada ("Alcan")11003
British Columbia Electric Railway / BC Hydro 12900–911to Southern Railway of British Columbia BC Hydro 911 was the last SW900 built in 3/69, all twelve built with road trucks and M.U. and sometimes referred to as SW900RS
Canadian National Railways 547233–7261, 8535–8559CN group 8535-8542 production started 12/53 first built
Canadian Pacific Railway 116710–6720
McKinnon Industries 147074
Midland Railway Company of Manitoba 11
Steel Company of Canada ("Stelco")1678–93
Total97

See also

References

  1. Foster, Gerald L. (1996). A field guide to trains of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 10, 14. ISBN   0-395-70112-0.
  2. 1 2 3 Jewell (1976) , p. 15-17