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Kansas City Southern Railway Diesel Roster

The all-time Kansas City Southern Railway diesel roster has been made up entirely of EMDs, save for recently when it has began purchasing some newer GE models. For a complete/all-time Kansas City Southern Railway diesel roster please click here. This list of surviving KCS diesel locomotives will be categorized by original numbers the railroad assigned its units and where they are today, whether in operation, cosmetically restored, or in some state of preservation at railroad museums and tourist railroads. Also, just as something to keep in mind if you are not aware, while some locomotives may be painted/preserved in KCS colors this does not necessarily mean that they are of KCS heritage (and likewise, some locomotives may be of KCS heritage that are not in KCS colors).

The Kansas City Southern Railway, better known as simply the KCS, may be our country’s smallest Class I railroad in terms of route miles, surrounded by the other four giants Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern (six including the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific).

However, the railroad is the second oldest Class I still in operation, next to the Union Pacific, and its history dates back to the late 19th century. Other than the Union Pacific, the KCS is the only remaining Class I railroad whose name has never changed prior to the diesel era. In recent years the railroad has witnessed substantial growth by acquiring four different railroads, two of which are located in Mexico.

Electro-Motive Division (EMD)

· EMD F7A #70A: Preserved by the Choctaw County Historical Society as Kiamichi SL1.

· EMD F7A #73D: On display in Decatur, Arkansas as KCS #73D.

Also, it should be noted that most former KCS EMD switcher and road units continue to remain in some state of operation and in active revenue service with the railroad, other others, and so this is why you do not yet see more preserved. To learn more about the disposition of these locomotives please click here to visit The Diesel Shop.

While this list will continually be updated it certainly does not completely cover every surviving unit, which was on the Kansas City Southern Railway diesel roster. So, if you know of any other survivors out there, whether they are parked and gleaming in a museum or sitting out in the weeds along a forgotten siding please let me know so we can keep this list growing, and you will be given full credit for your help.

For more information on the all types of classic diesel locomotives 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 FMs, or diesels in general, this book gives an excellent general history of both.

You may also want to consider the book Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the title implies the book looks at the history and development of the diesel locomotives, covering 200 pages, from its earliest beginnings to the newest designs and models operated today. 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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