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EMD F9

D&RGW F9 #5771 in 2009. Note the carbody filter grille ahead of the front porthole, the only reliable distinguishing feature of an F9.

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada)
Model	F9
Build date	February 1953 – May 1960
Total produced	101 A units, 156 B units

Specifications
Configuration:
• AAR	B-B
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Trucks	Blomberg B
Wheel diameter	40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve	23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 m radius)
Wheelbase	39 ft (11.89 m)
Length	A unit, 50 ft 8 in (15.44 m) B unit, 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
Width	10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height	15 ft (4.57 m)
Prime mover	EMD 16-567C
RPM range	275-835
Engine type	V16 Two-stroke diesel
Aspiration	Roots blower
Displacement	9,072 cu in (148.66 L; 32.70 imp gal)
Cylinders	16
Cylinder size	8+1⁄2 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)

Performance figures
Maximum speed	65–105 mph (105–169 km/h)
Power output	1,750 hp (1.30 MW)

Career
Locale	North America

The EMD F9 is a 1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW) Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1953 and May 1960 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) and General Motors Diesel (GMD). It succeeded the F7 model in GM-EMD's F-unit sequence. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant. The F9 was also built in Canada by General Motors Diesel at their London, Ontario plant. A total of 101 cab-equipped lead A units and 156 cabless booster B units were built. The F9 was the fifth model in GM-EMD's highly successful "F" series of cab unit diesel locomotives.

By the time cab units such as the F9 were built, railroads were turning to the road switcher-style of locomotive, as they had much better visibility from the cab without the need to lean out the window. The F9 was succeeded in most part by the EMD GP9.

Engine and powertrain

The F9 used a 16-cylinder 567C series Diesel engine developing 1,750 hp (1.30 MW) at 800 rpm. The 567 was designed specifically for locomotive applications, being a 45 degree V-type two-stroke design, with 567 cu in (9.29 L) displacement per cylinder, for a total of 9,072 cu in (148.66 L). A D.C. generator powered four D37 traction motors, two on each Blomberg B truck. EMD has built all of its major components since 1939. ^[1] ^[2]

Identification

An F9 can be distinguished reliably from a late F7 only by the addition of an extra filter grille ahead of the front porthole on the side panels on A units. Internally, the use of an 567C prime mover increased power to 1,750 hp (1.30 MW) from the F7's 1,500 hp (1.12 MW).

Original buyers

Locomotives built by EMD at La Grange, Illinois

Owner	Quantity A units	Quantity B units	Road numbers A units	Road numbers B units	Notes
Electro Motive Division (demonstrator)	1	—	975	—	To NP 7050A (freight), Built 2/53
Electro Motive Division (plant)	(1)	—	462	—	Rebuilt 5/60 from C&NW F7 6501A
Atlantic Coast Line	2	—	317:3, 417:2	—	Rebuilt May 1957 from wrecked F7's; same numbers.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway	18	18	281,C–289,C	281A,B–289A,B	Freight units, operated primarily in Texas.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway	2	0	7032-7033		Rebuilt February 1955 from wrecked F7s
Chicago and North Western	—	4	—	4051B–4054B	Built from trade-in FTs alongside four FP9 and rated at 1500 hp.
Clinchfield Railroad	—	5	—	864–868
Colorado and Southern Railway	1	—	700D	—	Rebuilt March 1959 from wrecked F7
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad	4	4	5531, 5571, 5771, 5774	5772, 5773, 5753, 5763	5571 rebuilt February 1954 from wrecked F7 and rated at 1500 hp. 5771 preserved.
Erie Mining Company	5	6	100–104	200–205	Now used by the Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville, Indiana.^[3]
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	10	10	7000A–7009A	7000B–7009B
Fort Worth and Denver Railway	1	—	750A	—	Rebuilt March 1959 from wrecked F7
Great Northern Railway	—	6	—	470B,C–474B,C (even)
Kansas City Southern Railway	2	2	58D, 74D	55B, 70B	rebuilt from wrecked F3A,F7A,F3B F7B
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana and Arkansas Railway)	1	—	32A	—	rebuilt from wrecked F7
Louisville and Nashville Railroad	9	4	811, 919–926	717–720	811 rebuilt from F7
Milwaukee Road	6	6	81C–86C	81D–86D	83c and 84c renumbered to 93c and 94A, for commuter service
Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad	—	4	—	226B–229B
Northern Pacific Railway	30	30	7000A,D–7014A,D	7000B,C–7014B,C	Freight units
Northern Pacific Railway	8	2	6700A,C–6701A,C, 6702A–6704A, 6500C	6700B–6701B	Passenger units
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway	—	13	—	5140–5152
Wabash Railroad	1	—	1141A	—	Rebuilt March 1959 from wrecked F7
Totals	101	110

Locomotives built by GMD at London, Ontario

Owner	Quantity B units	Road numbers A units	Road numbers B units	Notes
Canadian National	38		6600-6637	Passenger, ordered with FP9
Canadian Pacific	8	—	1900–1907	Passenger, ordered with FP9
Totals	46

References

Notes

^ Pinkpank, Jerry A (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Books. pp. 13, 26, 90–101. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
^ Ross, David, ed. (2003). The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives. Barnes & Noble. pp. 261, 273. ISBN 978-0-7607-9679-5.
^ "Equipment". Nickel Plate Express. Retrieved 7 October 2022.

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. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
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 (2005). EMD F-Unit Locomotives. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press. ISBN 978-1-58007-192-5.
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 (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-374-9.

External links

Media related to EMD F9 locomotives at Wikimedia Commons
EMD F9 and F9B locomotives data sheet

v t e Diesel cab and cowl locomotives built by GM-EMD
Passenger cab units (E-units)	TA EA/EB E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 AA AB6
Freight cab units (F-units)	FT F2 F3 F7 FP7 F9 FP9 FL9
Cowl units	FP45 F45 SDP40F F40C F40PH F40PH-2 F40PH-2C F40PH-2M SD40-2F SD50F SD60F F69PHAC F59PH F59PHI DE30AC, DM30AC F125
See also: List of GM-EMD locomotives

This page was last edited on 20 May 2024, at 00:43