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The EMD SW9

The EMD SW9 was the fifth in the builder's SW series and once again Electro-Motive hit a home run. The SW9 would go on to become one of EMD's most successful small switcher lines. Once again this model was virtually identical to others in the series. However, it did include yet another updated version of EMD's model 567 prime mover and as with the earlier SW7 model, the SW9 featured more than 1,000 horsepower. Apparently railroads liked EMD's higher-horsepower small switchers as they seemed to sell better. In any event, as with virtually every other small switcher model EMD produced, the SW9's reliability and versatility has become legendary with many remaining in operation on shortlines, industrial settings, and excursion trains. To date there are four SW9s officially known to be preserved; U.S. Army #2015 and #2028 both at the South Carolina Railroad Museum, Conemaugh & Black Lick #121 at the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, and Atlantic Coast Line #685 at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.

The EMD SW9 began production in December, 1950 and was built during the same time period as the SW8. The SW9 carried the typical EMC/EMD carbody with a short hood, tapered towards the end-cab. A design that was common before the SW8, EMD went back to its standard two conical, exhaust stacks and the SW9 remained very short at just over 44-feet in length (up to this time EMD's switchers remained all the same length built from the same frame). EMD stepped up the weight on the SW9, back to 124-tons, which was the same weight as the SW7. The model used General Motors' model D37 traction motors and could produce a respectable 43,000 pounds of continuous tractive effort, and 62,000 pounds of starting effort, for a locomotive of its small size. As with all of the company's switchers, MUing was not optional (although this was not of particular importance for the duty the locomotive was intended to perform).

Perhaps the biggest difference with the EMD SW9 was its use of yet another upgraded prime mover, the model 567C which produce a healthy 1,200 horsepower. Railroads tended to like the higher horsepower switcher models since they were more ideal for use in many different applications (such as the ability to pull heavier freight trains on light branch lines), which is a significant reason why small road-switchers like Alco's RS series sold so well (while the RS series was technically a road switcher, they were so light they could be used on branch lines and perform typical switcher duties while producing better than 1,000 horsepower). By the time the SW9 was cataloged EMD was fast becoming the dominant locomotive builder, as it had just released the GP7 in 1949.

The EMD SW9 had a three year production period, through December 1953. By the end of its production the model had sold some 815 units (including those built by General Motors Diesel of Ontario, Canada, which sold 29 examples to the Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, C&O, Great Northern, Steel Company of Canada, and Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway) along with an additional 22 cow-calf TR5s (this sold only to Union Pacific and the Union Railroad). As with previous SW models railroads loved the SW9 for its versatility, reliability, ease of maintenance, and cheap price tag which allowed shortlines and indutries to purchase the model right along with the Class Is (the Atlantic Coast Line would come to own the most, 65).

Because of this reliability and versatility SW9s continue to perform admirably in all types of settings from shortlines to excursion trains, more than a half-century since the last unit rolled out of LaGrange, Illinois and London, Ontario. Today, you can find SW9s in service with the Huntsville & Madison County Railroad, Simpson Railroad (the famed logging line), Independent Locomotive Service, Locomotive Specialists, Cenex Harvest States, Conrad Yelvington, Vandalia Railroad, Wimpey Minerals USA Inc., Juniata Valley Railroad, St. Louis Car Company, ArcelorMittal, Big South Fork Scenic Railway, York Railway, Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad, Coopersville & Marne, Tulsa & Sapulpa Union Railway, Lycoming Valley Railroad, and United States Steel. For technical data regarding the EMD SW9 please click here. Also, for information about EMD's various switchers please refer to the chart below.

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Electro-Motive Division Switchers

Model Type	Units Built	Date Built	Horsepower
NW2	1,145	1939-1949	1,000
NW3	7	1939-1942	1,000
NW5	13	1946-1947	1,000
SW1	661	1939-1953	600
RS1325	2	1960	1,325
SW600	15	1954-1962	600
SW7	489	1949-1951	1,200
SW8	374	1950-1954	800
SW9	815	1950-1953	1,200
SW900	371	1953-1969	900
SW1000	119	1966-1972	1,000
SW1001	230	1968-1986	1,000
SW1200	1,056	1954-1966	1,200
SW1500	808	1966-1974	1,500
SW1504	60	1973	1,500
MP15/DC/AC/T	640	1974-1987	1,500

For more reading about EMD SW9s and related diesel locomotives built by General Motors consider Mike Schafer’s Vintage Diesel Locomotives which looks at virtually all of the classic builders and models from Alco PAs to early EMD Geeps. If you’re interested in classic EMDs, or diesels in general, this book gives an excellent general history of both.

You might want to also consider the book EMD Locomotives from author Brian Solomon. Solomon's book highlights the history of EMD from its earliest beginnings in the 1920s, to its phenomenal successes in the mid-20th century, and finally its decline into second spot behind General Electric in the late 20th century and eventual sale by General Motors in 2005. The book features 176 pages of EMD history and is filled with excellent photography and illustrations. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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