EMD FP9

EMD FP9
RLGN 1400 (originally CN 6539) in 2003
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada) Model FP9 Build date February 1954 – December 1959 Total produced 86
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Trucks Blomberg B Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 m radius) Wheelbase 43 ft (13.11 m) Length 55 ft 2+1⁄4 in (16.82 m) Width 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) Height 15 ft (4.57 m) Loco weight 260,000 lb (120,000 kg) Fuel capacity 1,200 US gal (4,500 L; 1,000 imp gal) Prime mover EMD 16-567C RPM range 800 Engine type V16 Two-stroke diesel Aspiration Roots-type supercharger Displacement 9,072 cu in (148.66 L) Generator EMD D-12 Traction motors (4) EMD D-37 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 horsepower (1,300 kW)
Career Locale North America, Saudi Arabia

The EMD FP9 is an American 1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW), B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive that was produced between February 1954 and December 1959 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, except for Canadian orders, which were assembled by Canadian subsidiary GMD at London, Ontario.

The FP9 was essentially EMD's F9 locomotive extended by 4 feet (1.2 m) to give greater steam generator and water capacity for hauling passenger trains. A total of 86 cab-equipped lead A units were built; unlike the freight series, no cabless booster B units were sold. Regular F9B units were sometimes used with FP9 A units, since they, lacking cabs, had more room for water and steam generators. The FP9 and its predecessor, the FP7, were offshoots of GM-EMD's highly successful F-unit series of cab unit diesel locomotives.^[1]

Original owners

EMD built 86 FP9 locomotives. The two largest buyers were the Canadian National Railway and Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, which bought 43 and 25 locomotives, respectively. Four locomotives delivered to the Chicago and North Western Railway were rebuilt from traded-in EMD FT locomotives and designated FP9M.^[2] Locomotives intended for use in Canada were built by General Motors Diesel, EMD's Canadian subsidiary. These included the Canadian National's order,^[3] and eleven for the Canadian Pacific Railway.^[4]

See also

• Trains portal

• VIA FP9ARM
• EMD F9
• EMD FL9
• List of GM-EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives

References

1. Foster, Gerald L. (1996). A field guide to trains of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 98. ISBN 0-395-70112-0.
2. Cook (2015a), p. 33.
3. Wilson (2017), p. 171.
4. Wilson (2017), p. 175.

Bibliography

• Cook, Preston (Spring 2015). "F Units, T to 9". Classic Trains. pp. 20–35. ISSN 1527-0718.
• 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.
• Wilson, Jeff (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-374-9.
• Wilson, Jeff (2017). Guide to North American Diesel Locomotives. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62700-455-8.

External links

• EMD/GMD "FP9" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History
• EMD FP9 Data Sheet