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![]() UP #949 leads an excursion through Clinton, Iowa in August 1995. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The E9 is a 2,400-horsepower (1,790 kW), A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois, between April 1954 and January 1964. 100 cab-equipped A units were produced and 44 cabless booster B units, all for service in the United States. The E9 was the tenth and last model of EMD E-unit and differed from the earlier E8 as built only by the newer engines and a different, flusher-fitting mounting for the headlight glass, the latter being the only visible difference. Since some E8s were fitted with this, it is not a reliable way to distinguish the two. The E9 has two 1,200 hp (895 kW), V12 model 567C engines, each engine driving one generator to power two traction motors.[1]
Engine and powertrain
The E9 uses twin 12 cylinder 567C engines developing a total of 2,400 hp (1,800 kW) at 800 rpm. Designed specifically for railroad locomotives, this Roots-blown, mechanically-aspirated 2-stroke 45-degree V-type, with an 8+1⁄2 by 10 in (216 by 254 mm), bore by stroke, giving 567 cubic inches (9.29 L) displacement per cylinder, remained in production until 1966. Two D.C. generators, one per engine, provide power to four motors, two on each truck, in an A1A-A1A arrangement. This truck design was used on all E units and on MP 7100 and CB&Q 9908 power cars. EMD has built all of its major components since 1939.[2][3]
Operation
The E9 powered American passenger and mail trains from the 1950s into the late 1970s. Many of America's finest trains — such as Union Pacific Railroad's "City" fleet, Burlington's "Zephyr" fleet and Southern Pacific Railroad's Coast Daylight and Sunset Limited — had E9s pulling them. E9s and their E7 and E8 kin ran throughout the country on lesser-known passenger trains, Chicago's network of commuter trains and many mail and express trains. As America's passenger train network shrank due to unprofitibility, Union Pacific, Rock Island and Illinois Central Railroad began using E9s on freight trains.
Amtrak, founded in 1971, bought 36 E9As and 23 E9Bs from the Union Pacific, Milwaukee Road, B&O and SCL. Amtrak used the E9s until 1979 and converted some E9B units to steam generator and head end power cars.[4][5]
Original owners
Railroad | Quantity A units |
Quantity B units |
Road numbers A units |
Road numbers B units |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | 4 | — | 34, 36, 38, 40 | — | all bought by Amtrak |
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 16 | — | 9985A,B–9989A,B 9990–9995 |
— | Renumbered into 9900–9924 series (with 9 E8As). Rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen with 645 power assemblies and HEP around the mid 1970's.[6] Used in Chicago suburban service by Burlington Northern into the 1990s. |
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad | 1 | — | 1102 | — | E9m rebuilt from wrecked EMD E7A (same number). to Missouri Pacific Railroad.[7] |
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | 12 | 6 | 200A,C–205A,C | 200B–205B | Built to Union Pacific specifications for City train service. Renumbered 30ABC–35ABC |
6 | — | 36A,C–38A,C | — | Built with Head end power for commuter service | |
Florida East Coast Railway | 5 | — | 1031–1035 | — | to Illinois Central 2036–2040 in 1969 via Precision National |
Illinois Central Railroad | 10 | 4 | 4034–4043 | 4106–4109 | |
Kansas City Southern Railway | 1 | — | 25 | — | Model E9m |
Seaboard Air Line Railroad | 1 | — | 3060 | — | bought by Amtrak |
Southern Pacific Railroad | 9 | — | 6046–6054 | — | |
Union Pacific Railroad | 35 | 34 | 900–914, 943–962 |
900B-904B, 910B–913B, 950B–974B |
Units 949, 951 and 963B are part of the Union Pacific Heritage Fleet. |
Totals | 100 | 44 |
Surviving examples
42 E9 locomotives survive today, donated to several museums and tourist railroads. A number of railroads keep a small number in service for hauling inspection specials, charter passenger trains, investor tours and other special trains.
- Five E9s are owned by the Illinois Railway Museum, in Union, Illinois.
- The Union Pacific Railroad rosters three E9s: two A units, 951 and 949, and a B unit, 963B (built as UP E9B 970B), in their heritage fleet. They were rebuilt in 1993 with a single 2000 hp EMD 16-645E engine and upgraded electrical and control equipment for compatibility with more modern locomotives.[8]
- Southern Pacific 6051, the last surviving SP E9, is preserved at the California State Railroad Museum and operates excursions hosted by the museum.
- CN owns and operates ex-Chicago, Burlington & Quincy E9A 9986A for its business train, Painted in CN's heritage livery and numbered 103.
- Milwaukee Road 32A is owned and operated by the Friends of the 261, who acquired it in 2019. This unit was previously used on the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad as their 101.
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Foster, Gerald L. (1996). A field guide to trains of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 100. ISBN 0-395-70112-0.
- ^ Pinkepank 1973, pp. 13, 26, 106, 124.
- ^ Ross 2003, pp. 273–274.
- ^ "The E8B, E-9B including heater cars, HEP cars made from E-9Bs". Amtrak Photo Archive: an unofficial Amtrak site. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016.
- ^ Pinkepank & Marre 1979, pp. 143–145.
- ^ Pinkepank & Marre 1979, p. 132.
- ^ "Missouri Pacific Locomotives". www.thedieselshop.us. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ^ "Diesel-Electric Locomotives".
Bibliography
- Lamb, J. Parker (2007). Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive. Railroads Past and Present. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34863-0.
- Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-258-2.
- Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
- Pinkepank, Jerry A.; Marre, Louis A. (1979). Diesel Spotters Guide Update. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-89024-029-9.
- Reich, Sy (1973). Diesel Locomotive Rosters – The Railroad Magazine Series. Wayner Publications. No Library of Congress or ISBN.
- Ross, David, ed. (2003). The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives. Barnes and Noble. ISBN 9780760796795.
- Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-0507-2.
- Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-0666-6.
- Solomon, Brian (2006). EMD Locomotives. St. Paul, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2396-0.
- Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-3795-0.
- Solomon, Brian (2011). Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4007-3.
- Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4370-8.
- Wilson, Jeff (2002). E Units: Electro-Motive's Classic Streamliners. Classic Trains / Golden Years of Railroading series. Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890246068.
- Extra 2200 South #43 November December 1973 Amtrak Roster by Dick Will p. 13
- Extra 2200 South #43 November December 1973 E8/E9 Roster and article by Dan Dover and Win Cuisinier (Preston Cook) pp. 14–24
External links
- Bachand, Jean-Denis. "EMC E9 Data Sheet". Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- Illinois Railway Museum's Equipment roster (type "E9" and search the collection)
- Andrew Toppan's list
- The Union Pacific's trio of re-engined E9s