EMD "GP18" Locomotives: Data Sheet, Specs, Roster

Last revised: December 17, 2024

The GP18 sequentially followed the builder's extraordinarily successful GP9. Introduced in 1959 when Norfolk & Western #915 rolled off the assembly line, the model was very similar in appearance to its predecessors.

It continued to sport EMD's traditional road-switcher styling, including the high, short hood. In addition, the GP18 was the first to offer a low, short hood as a standard option.

This early version predated Electro-Motive's modern Spartan Cab, which became the face of EMD products for the next three decades. The GP18 saw respectable interest during its nearly four-year production run but sales were modest.

Currently, two are officially preserved; Rock Island #1349 is privately owned in California as Central California Traction #1795, and Nickel Plate Road #514 is located at Steamtown in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Photos

Missouri Pacific GP18 #1976 and GP7u #1776 in their Bicentennial colors at Austin, Texas, circa 1976. Mike Bledsoe photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

The GP18 was the final variant in Electro-Motive's original line of General Purpose road-switchers (GP7, GP9, GP18). The model featured General Motors' latest version of its 567 power plant, the 567D1. This engine offered a slight, 50 horsepower increase (1,800) over the earlier GP9.

In his book, "EMD Locomotives," author Brian Solomon notes the GP18 was essentially a slightly improved GP9. Just fourteen years after Electro-Motive closed out production on the original FT, improvements in the 567 power plant enabled a three-unit GP18 set to produce the same horsepower (5,400) output as a four-unit FT set.

Sales, however, declined sharply in comparison to the GP7 and GP9, largely because most railroads had completed dieselization by the late 1950s/early 1960s.

Designation

For a brief period between the late 1950s and early 1960s, namely with the GP18/SD18 and SD24/GP20, EMD began listing models by their horsepower ratings.

The builder's system, however, was never universally applied to either switchers or road-switchers making it difficult to use this trait in identifying various types. Interestingly, by the GP30's release in 1961, EMD had dropped the horsepower designation.

Spotting Features

The GP18 was the first EMD model offered with a low, short hood as a standard option. The original high, short hood had been standard with the earlier models and served two functions; increased crew protection and room for an optional steam generator.

The GP9 was the first to feature a low, short hood as an optional feature for improved crew visibility, and then became standard on the GP18.

On high, short hood variants the model looks nearly identical to the GP9. Its only distinguishing feature is the use of a metal grid over the radiator shutters in place of the earlier "chicken wire" covering, according to Louis Marre's, "Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years."

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	12/1959 (Norfolk & Western #915)
Years Produced	12/1959 - 11/1963
Engine	567D1
Engine Builder	GM
Horsepower	1800
RPM	835
Cylinders	16
Length	56' 2"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	14' 6"
Width	10' 3"
Weight	249,000 Lbs (Average)
Fuel Capacity	1700 Gallons
Air Compressor	Gardner-Denver
Air Compressor Model	WBO
Air Brake Manufacturer	Westinghouse
Air Brake Schedule	6BL
Trucks	B-B
Truck Type	Blomberg
Truck Wheelbase	9'
Wheel Size	40"
Traction Motors	D47 (4), GM
Primary Generator	D22, GM
Auxiliary Generator	Delco
Alternator	D14
MU (Multiple-Unit)	Yes
Dynamic Brakes	Yes
Gear Ratios	65:12, 62:15, 61:16, 60:17, 59:18, 58:19
Tractive Efforts (Continuous)	52,400 (65:12); 40,000 (62:15); 37,000 (61:16); 34,000 (60:17); 32,000 (59:18); 29,509 (58:19)
Top Speed	55 mph (65:12), 65 mph (62:15), 71 mph (61:16), 77 mph (60:17), 83 mph (59:18), 90 (58:19)

Production Roster

Total Built = 305

Owner	Road Number(s)	Serial Number(s)	Order Number	Completion Date
Norfolk & Western	915-938	24924-24947	5609	12/1959-1/1960
Rock Island	1333-1342	25450-25459	5605	1/1960-2/1960
Rock Island	1343	25683	5605	2/1960
Grand Trunk Western	4700-4707	25732-25739	5612	2/1960-3/1960
Grand Trunk Western	4950-4952	25740-25742	5613	3/1960
Illinois Central	9400-9414	25752-25766	5614	3/1960
Chicago & North Western	1774-1779	25767-25772	7585	3/1960
Missouri Pacific	4801-4806	25798-25803	7586	4/1960
Missouri Pacific	4807-4824	25829-25846	7586	5/1960-6/1960
Lehigh Valley	302-305	25890-25893	7587	5/1960-6/1960
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	1145-1149	25906-25910	5619	5/1960
Louisville & Nashville	460-461	25911-25912	8067	6/1960
Central of Georgia	171-178	26000-26007	5620	5/1960-6/1960
Northern Pacific	376-384	26008-26016	5621	6/1960
Missouri Pacific	4825-4826	26021-26022	8068	5/1960
New York, Chicago & St Louis (Nickel Plate Road)	700-709	26023-26032	5622	6/1960
Louisville & Nashville	462-464	26104-26106	8067	7/1960
Seaboard Air Line	400-409	26114-26123	5626	8/1960-9/1960
Rock Island	1329 (rated at 1,750 horsepower)	26348	8069	11/1960
Rock Island	1256	26648	8070	2/1961
Toledo, Peoria & Western	600	26655	7601	4/1961
Boston & Maine	1750-1754	26659-26663	7602	5/1961
Boston & Maine	1755	26664	7603	5/1961
Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia	801	26675	5610	2/1960
Norfolk & Western	939-962	26780-26803	5633	6/1961-8/1961
Rock Island	1344-1353	26933-26942	7610	10/1961
Missouri Pacific	4827-4829	26953-26955	7616	1/1962
Missouri Pacific	400-446	26956-27002	7612	1/1962-3/1962
Baltimore & Ohio	6599 (rated at 1,750 horsepower)	27086	7615	1/1962
Missouri Pacific	447-480	27228-27261	7623	5/1962-6/1962
Missouri Pacific	534-549	27262-27277	7625	5/1962-6/1962
Phelps Dodge Corporation	44-46 (New Cornelia Branch Mine)	27463-27465	5640	9/1962
New York, Susquehanna & Western	1800, 1802, 1804	27504-27506	5642	8/1962
Norfolk Southern	1-16	27772-27787	5655	9/1963-10/1963
Texas-Mexican	854-855	27856-27857	5646	1/1963
Missouri Pacific	481-499	27998-28016	7639	12/1962-1/1963
Missouri Pacific	550	28017	7641	1/1963
Illinois Central	9415-9428	28278-28291	5651	3/1963-11/1963
Norfolk Southern	17	28353	5655	10/1963
Aberdeen & Rockfish	300	28357	7660	8/1963
Rock Island	1238-1239	28631-28632	7686	10/1963

Export

Total Built = 55

Owner	Road Number(s)	Serial Number(s)	Order Number(s)	Completion Date
Araraquara Railway (Brazil)	1006-1017	25719-25730	702303-702314	3/1960-4/1960
Southern Peru Copper Company	24-25	25777-25778	702324-702325	4/1960
Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes (Mexico)	7123-5 thru 7123-7	26314-26316	702765-702767	8/1961 (702765-702767)
Saudi Government Railway	1200 (GP18M)	26514	700178	12/1961
Ferrocarril Nacional de México	7518-7519	26670-26671	700153-700154	8/1961
Ferrocarril Nacional de México	7500-7517	26726-26743	700122-700139	6/1961-8/1961
Ferrocarril Nacional de México	7530-7536	27824-27830	700543-700549	11/1962
Ferrocarril Nacional de México	7520-7529	27831-27840	700550-700559	12/1962

Interestingly, no Canadian lines purchased the GP18, although Canadian National subsidiary Grand Trunk Western did buy a few. Three of its examples (#4950-4952) were some of the only featuring steam generators, in addition to air reservoir tanks on the long hood.

Other variants with steam generators included Nation Railways of Mexico's #7520-7529. Interestingly, Missouri Pacific's units, #400-499, featured AAR Type B trucks and GE traction motors from trade-in Alcos.

While no Canadian roads were interested, a number of foreign lines acquired the GP18 including the National Railways of Mexico (Ferrocarril Nacional de México) and Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes of Mexico as well as lines in Peru, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.

Sources

Marre, Louis A. Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years, A Guide To Diesels Built Before 1972. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1995.

Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.

Schafer, Mike. Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 1998.

Solomon, Brian. American Diesel Locomotive, The. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 2000.

Solomon, Brian. GE and EMD Locomotives: The Illustrated History. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2014.

Trzoniec, Stanley W. Vintage & Modern Diesel Locomotives: Prime Movers Of America. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2015.

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