Diesel Locomotives, Extinguishing The Fire Of The Steam LocomotiveDiesel locomotives, technically known as diesel-electrics, came into widespread use here in the United States with the development of the Electro-Motive Corporation’s (EMC, later to become the General Motors' Electro-Motive Division, or EMD) EA/EB design, first tested on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) in the late 1930s. The diesel-electric locomotive would also become a major milestone in technological development for North American railroads as it symbolized the end of the only motive power type (aside from electrics) to be used in the industry up until that time, the steam locomotive.
Diesel-electric locomotives have been around in one shape or form since the mid-1920s when the American Locomotive Company (Alco) joined with General Electric and Ingersoll-Rand to produce a 300 hp, 60-ton model in 1924 that would be purchased by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, followed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The B&O also has the distinction of being the first railroad in the country to purchase a diesel-electric passenger locomotive in 1935 from EMC (B&O #50). While these early designs were somewhat successful and new diesel switch engines were becoming quite popular from makers such as Alco, it would not be until the development of EMD’s legendary E and F models (which followed the EA/EB design they were nicknamed "covered-wagons") to pull heavy passenger and freight consists did the diesel-electric locomotive really come of age and overtake the steam locomotive as the dominant means of moving freight across America’s rails. It would take the diesel-electric locomotive nearly fifty years to equal the horsepower output of the steam locomotive during its technological height. However, diesels offered an advantage that far surpassed steamers and it was the deciding factor in them becoming the prime choice of motive power, efficiency. Diesels required far less maintenance in terms of overhauls (scheduled time in the shops for routine maintenance) and refueling (no longer were there frequent stops requiring water and coal/oil), which allowed them to be spending much more time moving freight and paying the bills.
Diesel locomotives have come a long way from the early designs by EMC and Alco-GE-IR, with comfort cabs and electronic equipment the norm on new units now being built by Electro-Motive Diesel (now an independent company having been spun-off by EMD in 2005) and GE. However, when the diesel was first coming of age there were still several builders, many of whom were legendary steam locomotive manufacturers (such as Baldwin, Lima, and Alco) that began switching to diesel-electric development when the writing on the wall became apparent that steam's days were numbered. Below you can find each manufacturer and a number of their most popular first and second-generation diesel locomotive models. Simply click on their link to learn more about them. Locomotives of Fairbanks-Morse
Also, listed below are many surviving first and early second generation diesel locomotives from the classic fallen flag systems (as well as complete roster information). Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (BAR) Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE) Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) Delaware & Hudson Railway (D&H) Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W) Lehigh & Hudson River Railway (L&HR) Lehigh & New England Railroad (L&NE) Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT) Missouri Pacific Railroad (MP) Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway (NC&StL) Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W) Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (RF&P) Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S)
While many of these companies no longer manufacture locomotives, their legacies will forever live on and many of both their steam and diesel locomotive models still survive, some even continuing to haul freight. Also, while diesel locomotives may have replaced the mighty steam locomotives, nothing can quite compare to seeing steam power at work!
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