The EMD SD50 and SD60

EMD originally began as the Electro-Motive Corporation and has its beginnings in 1922 being based out of Cleveland, Ohio building inexpensive motorcars. With the purchase of the company in 1930 by General Motor, and more resources at its disposal the company began developing the precursor of the modern-day diesel-electric road unit (cabs and road-switchers), the streamlined trainset, which consisted of a powered car permanently attached to a few coaches (usually two or three cars). The most famous of these streamlined trainsets was the Burlington Zephyrs, a beautiful streamlined stainless steel creation (originally powered by Winton engines, which would also become a subsidiary of GM) that was extremely lightweight and fast. The original trainset, the Zephyr 9900, made headlines in 1934 when it completed a non-stop journey from Denver to Chicago in a little over 13 hours.

Because the power cars with these trainsets were permanently attached to the coaches EMC sought to design a locomotive free of this articulated setup but designed in such a manner that a railroad could still attach it to any passenger train and obtain the same, smooth streamlined look. This it did with the unveiling of the EA model in 1937, the first in a long line of passenger diesel locomotive designs that would come to be known as the E series.

Not surprisingly, soon after the EA unveiling the company decided to take things a step further and develop the first true diesel road unit, capable of pulling long freights in main line service. In 1939 it introduced the FT model (perhaps the key difference between the E and F series was that Fs rode on B-B trucks whereas Es rode on C-Cs and carried a noticeably longer carbody), the first in EMC’s F series and one of the most success diesel-electric designs of all time. The F series would go on to define American railroading for years and you can still see it in regular use today, over 60 years after it first debuted! The FT (which stood for Freight, Twenty-seven hundred horsepower) was a superb locomotive and although its 2,700 horsepower came from an A-B setup of a cab (A) and booster (B) units rated at 1,350 horsepower each, it was quickly loved by railroads for the efficiencies it held over steam such as its ruggedness and ease of maintenance.

The FT (which stood for Freight, Twenty-seven hundred horsepower) was a serious locomotive and although its 2,700 horsepower came from an A-B setup of cab (A) and booster (B) units rated at 1,350 horsepower each it would become embraced by the rail industry for the efficiencies it held over steam power as well as being rugged and easy to maintain.

Following the success of its cab units, EMD realized that there was a market to be made in the road-switchers, which at the time was mostly dominated by Alco with its RS series. Its first attempt at this type of locomotive, which gave the train crews both excellent vision all around the locomotive for switching and local service as well as enough horsepower to be used in main line operations, was the BL2. Although unsuccessful from a sales standpoint the BL2 was really a mere stepping-stone for its next model, the GP series (meaning General Purpose).

When the SD50 hit the market in 1980 GE was already well established and was providing EMD more competition with every passing year. Overall the SD50 was very similar to the SD40 series in terms of its layout and design (although it was a bit longer at just over 71 feet and included an extra 600 hp), and its most striking difference was not in appearances at all but what was under the “hood” as the locomotive carried new microprocessors and electronics.

Unfortunately for EMD the SD50 was not the answer to quelling GE’s increasing market share. While the locomotive provided sufficient power, rated at 3,600 hp, it was habitually unreliable and prone to numerous mechanical troubles. To make matters worse the locomotive had a very complicated electrical system and was a headache for maintenance and shop crews. Not surprisingly because of the SD50’s setback it was mostly a failure in terms of sales and only sold over 400 units when production ended in 1985.

To correct these flaws EMD moved quickly to launch the SD60 model, which it released in 1984. While the locomotive was more fuel efficient, featured EMD’s new 710-G3A engine, and was much more reliable the failures of the SD50 haunted the model and it only sold slightly better at right around 600 units when production ended in 1991.

While both models were only marginally successful and the market had already turned heavily in favor of GE-built locomotives, the SD50 and SD60 can continue to be found on railroads all across the country, including Class Is. The SD50 was also the last EMD to be built solely with the standard cab design as the SD60 was offered with the now popular (and mandatory) wide-cab "safety" design (the SD70 was the last EMD locomotive to receive any standard cabs and most were purchased by Norfolk Southern).

In any event, be on the lookout for the locomotives, while together they can hardly be distinguished, compared against other EMDs they can easily be picked out with their extremely long frames compared to others like the SD40 and SD45 series.

For more information on the SD50 and SD60 series consider one (or both) of the books below. Mike Schafer’s Vintage Diesel Locomotives 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.

Also, Brian Solomon’s The American Diesel Locomotive also studies many of the same diesel models and builders as Mr. Schafer’s publication although at nearly twice the size the book goes into a bit more detail than Vintage Diesel Locomotives and also covers newer models. All in all, though, both books are a great read and you shouldn’t be disappointed with them, not to mention that they are loaded with photos (many in color)!