Southern Pacific GP9E and GP9R

Last updated
Southern Pacific 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 outputGP9: 1,750 hp (1,300 kW; 1.30 MW)
GP9E/R: 1,800 hp (1,300 kW; 1.3 MW)
Tractive effort 64,750 lbf (288.0 kN)
Career
Operators Southern Pacific Transportation Company
St. Louis Southwestern Railway ("Cotton Belt Route")
LocaleNorth America
DispositionTen preserved, remainder scrapped

The Southern Pacific 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.

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, eight EMD GP9R locomotives and three EMD GP9E locomotives have survived into preservation:

GP9E

GP9R

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">GE U25B</span> GE U25B 2,500 hp diesel electric locomotive

The GE U25B is General Electric's first independent entry into the United States domestic road switcher diesel-electric locomotive railroad market for heavy production road locomotives since 1936. From 1940 through 1953, GE participated in a design, production, and marketing consortium (Alco-GE) for diesel-electric locomotives with the American Locomotive Company. In 1956 the GE Universal Series of diesel locomotives was founded for the export market. The U25B was the first attempt at the domestic market since its termination of the consortium agreement with Alco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Railroad Museum</span> Railroad museum in Sacramento, California

The California State Railroad Museum is a museum in the California State Parks system that interprets the role of railroads in the West. It is located in Old Sacramento State Historic Park at 111 I Street, Sacramento, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP30</span> Model of American 2250 hp diesel locomotive

The EMD GP30 is a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between July 1961 and November 1963. A total of 948 units were built for railroads in the United States and Canada, including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD F7</span> Model of 1500 hp North American cab diesel locomotive

The EMD F7 is a model of 1,500-horsepower (1,100 kW) diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) and General Motors Diesel (GMD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SW1</span> Diesel-electric locomotive manufactured between 1938 and 1953

The EMD SW1 is a 600-horsepower (450 kW) diesel-electric switcher locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Corporation between December 1938 and November 1953. Final assembly was at EMD's plant at LaGrange (McCook) Illinois. The SW1 was the second generation of 3,402 cu in (55.75 L) switcher from EMD, succeeding the SC and SW. The most significant change from those earlier models was the use of an engine of EMD's own design, the then-new 567 engine, here in 600 hp (450 kW) V6 form. 661 locomotives of this design were built, with a gap in production between March 1943 and September 1945 due to World War II.

<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 SD7</span> Model of 1500 hp Co′Co′ American diesel locomotive

The EMDSD7 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

The EMD SD9 is a model of diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. An EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine generated 1,750 horsepower (1.30 MW). Externally similar to its predecessor, the SD7, the SD9 was built with the improved and much more maintainable 567C engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SD45</span> Class of diesel-electric locomotives

The SD45 is a six-axle diesel-electric locomotive class built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between 1965 and 1971. It has an EMD 645E3 twenty-cylinder engine generating 3,600 hp (2,680 kW) on the same frame as the SD38, SD39, SD40, and SDP40. As of 2023, most SD45s have been retired, scrapped or rebuilt to SD40-2 standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Pacific Railroad Museum</span>

The Western Pacific Railroad Museum (WPRM) in Portola, California, known as the Portola Railroad Museum until January 1, 2006, is a heritage railroad 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific 6051</span>

Southern Pacific 6051 is an EMD E9 diesel locomotive. It was one of nine E9s built for SP by EMD in December 1954 for the Southern Pacific (SP).

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

The EMD GP10 is a diesel-electric locomotive that is the result of rebuilding a GP7, GP9 or GP18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Museum of the American Railroad</span> Railroad museum in Frisco, Texas, U.S.

The Museum of the American Railroad, formerly known as the Age of Steam Railroad Museum, is a railroad museum in Frisco, Texas. The museum has more than 70 pieces of steam, diesel, passenger, and freight railroad equipment sitting on 15 acres making it one of the largest historic rail collections in the US. Guests may walk through some of the equipment on guided tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP11</span>

The EMD GP11 is a four-axle diesel locomotive rebuilt by the Illinois Central Railroad's Paducah shops. It is very similar in appearance to the GP8 and GP10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krauss-Maffei ML 4000</span>

The Krauss-Maffei ML 4000 is a road switcher diesel-hydraulic locomotive, built between 1961 and 1969 by German manufacturer Krauss-Maffei in Munich, Germany. It generated 3,540 horsepower (2,640 kW) from two Maybach V16 engines. 37 examples were built for two North American railroads and one South American railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific 1744</span> Preserved SP M-6 class 2-6-0 locomotive

Southern Pacific No. 1744 is a preserved American class "M-6" 2-6-0 "Mogul" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Southern Pacific Railroad in November 1901. Originally equipped with Vauclain compound cylinders, it was rebuilt with conventional cylinders in 1912. It operated for many years out of Oakland, California on the Southern Pacific's Western Division and in California's Central Valley where the locomotive and its classmates were fondly called “Valley Mallets” by their crews. The locomotive was made famous in later years by pulling some of the last steam excursions on the SP alongside other steam locomotives, including 4-8-4 4460. In 1959, No. 1744 was donated to the Sons of Utah Pioneers in Corinne, Utah where it remained on static display, until 1980. That year, it was restored by New London Railroad and Village Incorporated to operate on the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber City for the rest of the decade.

<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

The EMD SD7R was a rebuild from EMD SD7 diesel locomotives that were built by General-Motors Electro-Motive Division for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP9R</span> Rebuilt diesel locomotives

The EMD GP9R was a rebuild from EMD GP9 diesel locomotives that were rebuilt by the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, Grand Trunk Western Railroad, Southern Pacific Transportation Company.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Strapac (1974) , p. 23-28
  2. Solomon (2000) , p. 74
  3. Solomon (2000) , p. 168
  4. 1 2 "California Western Railroad". Central Coast Chapter NRHS. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  5. "Southern Pacific 2873". tour.wplives.org. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  6. "WPRM - SP 2873". wplives.org. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  7. "Southern Pacific #5623". Niles Canyon Railway. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  8. "SP 3194: EMD GP-9". Golden Gate Railroad Museum. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  9. "Southern Pacific #3709". Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  10. "SP #3709". www.sdrm.info. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  11. "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.
  12. "Southern Pacific #3873". Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  13. "SP #3873". www.sdrm.info. Retrieved 2023-10-28.

Bibliography

Further reading