EMD "E8" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History

Last revised: February 20, 2025

In many ways, Electro-Motive's E8 was the builder's pinnacle passenger locomotive; it saw nearly as many sales as the earlier E7, boasted several upgrades, and was a very common sight leading both well-known, and relatively obscure, trains until the start of Amtrak.

The 1950s was the last great decade of privately operated passenger trains; rising costs, growing competition from other transportation modes, and a national recession in 1958 saw most railroads greatly curtail investment.

In fact, some lines were already slashing schedules before 1960. The Southern Pacific was one such example. In his book, "Southern Pacific Railroad," Brian Solomon notes the SP, once lauded for its many fine trains like the Daylights, began cutting back drastically on its services as early as 1957 in an effort to curb the growing losses from automobiles and airlines.

As a result of the public abandoning trains, Electro-Motive sold far fewer of its final "E" model, the E9, which entered the catalog in 1954. While these were the finest locomotives in the series from a mechanical and technological standpoint, EMD sold only 152 examples to a handful of railroads.

An Electro-Motive company photo of freshly outshopped Rock Island E8A #652 in early 1952. American-Rails.com collection.

History

The E8 began production in August, 1949 when Electro-Motive unveiled demonstrator #952, a unit that was later purchased by the Rock Island as #643. It featured numerous enhancements over its earlier counterpart, the E7.

In his book, "Electro-Motive: E Units And F Units," author Brian Solomon notes these included AC motor-operated applications which eliminated belt-driven exhaust fans, dual steam generators (or a single, large steam generator) for greater steam heating, upgraded (and more rugged) D27 traction motors, slightly more horsepower (2,250 hp), and EMD's first A1A-A1A locomotive offered with dynamic braking.

The new traction motors allowed the E8 to produce greater tractive effort at lower speeds and improved short-time ratings while the AC motors were more reliable and provided greater cooling capacity. The D27s were also interchangeable with older traction motors, allowing them to operate in older locomotives without additional engineering, or other work, necessary to do so.

Preserved Southern Railway E8A #6900 at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer. Warren Calloway photo.

All of these new features presented railroads with a locomotive that was much more reliable and easier to maintain than any previous EMD design. It was all part of the builder's efforts to improve efficiency by keeping locomotives out on the road, where they belonged, earning money.

Parts, such as traction motors, could be swapped in an out among virtually any model. This design feature is a significant reason why EMD enjoyed such incredible success from the 1940s until the early 1980s.

Santa Fe E8Am #84-L, rebuilt from E1A #6 in the spring of 1953, is seen here at Colorado & Southern's Rice Yard in Denver during the 1960s. The unit was later retired in June, 1970. American-Rails.com collection.

If you were a train enthusiast from the 1950s through the 1970s, you most likely saw at least one E8 in service; the model was not only in widespread use throughout the industry but as railroads cutback on passenger services, they purchased very few models dedicated solely to such trains.

In this Electro-Motive photo, a pair of the Pennsylvania Railroad's recently completed E8A's bask in the midday sun during the spring of 1952. American-Rails.com collection.

In addition, Amtrak continued to run E8s (and E9s) for nearly a decade until new power, which had arrived in the mid-1970s by way of the SDP40Fs and F40PHs, finally displaced them.

The previously-mentioned E9 saw less than half the sales of the E8, and future models like the F45/FP45 saw only a handful of sales. In the mid/late 1960s, railroads which did purchase passenger variants tended to acquire dual-service models like the SDP40 and SDP45.

These locomotives, which were essentially road-switchers, carried no streamlining and C-C trucks, allowing them to also carry out freight assignments. Interestingly, some roads, like Erie Lackawanna, regeared their E8s for freight service after their days handling passenger trains had ended.

Rock Island E8A #645 and an E7B have an outbound commuter run from Chicago's LaSalle Street Station during a June evening in 1971. American-Rails.com collection.

Spotting Features

The easiest way to denote an E8 from any earlier E model is by the grilles. All other versions (EA through E7) sported rectangular, "chicken wire" air-intake grilles whereas the E8 was the first to feature a seamless, stainless-steel filter grille running the length of the carbody.

Other notable spotting features include flush number-boards, built directly into the carbody, and four evenly-spaced portholes in place of raised number-boards and rectangular/square windows along the locomotive's periphery.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	8/1949 (Demonstrator #952)
Years Produced	8/1949 - 12/1953
Engine	567B (2)
Engine Builder	GM
Horsepower	2250
RPM	800
Cylinders	12
Length (E8A)	70' 3"
Length (E8B)	70' 0"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	14' 10 ½" (E8A)
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	14' 7 ½" (E8B)
Width	10' 7 ½"
Weight	316,500 Lbs (A Units): 308,300 Lbs (B Units)
Fuel Capacity	1,200 Gallons
Air Compressor	Gardner-Denver
Air Compressor Model	WXO
Air Brake Manufacturer	Westinghouse
Air Brake Schedule	24RL
Trucks	A1A
Truck Type	Blomberg
Truck Wheelbase	14' 1"
Wheel Size	36"
Steam Generator Manufacturer	Vapor-Clarkson
Steam Generator Capacity	1200 Lbs/Hr
Traction Motors	D27/D27B (4), GM
MU (Multiple-Unit)	Yes
Dynamic Brakes	Yes (A Units)
Gear Ratio	52:25, 55:21, 56:21, 57:20
Tractive Effort (Starting)	56,500 Lbs at 25%
Tractive Effort (Continuous)	19,500 (52:25); 23,500 (55:21); 25,000 (56:21); 27,000 Lbs (57:20)
Top Speed	117 mph (52:25), 98 mph (55:21), 92 mph (56:21), 85 mph (57:20)

A sharp Norfolk & Western E8A, #3800 (ex-Wabash #1000) lays over at the Decatur Shops on an October night in 1966. James D. Bopp photo, Rick Burn collection.

Production Roster

E8A

Total Built = 426

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date
Wabash	1003-1008	7812-7817	2001	11/1949
Central of Georgia	811	8527	2003	8/1950
Canadian Pacific	1800-1802	8680-8682	2005	12/1949
Missouri Pacific	7018-7021	8635-8638	2006	6/1950
Boston & Maine	3821	9088	2008	1/1950
Atlantic Coast Line	544-548	9182-9186	2009	1/1950
Southern Pacific	6018	9317	2010	1/1950
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac	1001-1005	9528-9532	2011	11/1949
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9937B, 9938A-9945A, 9938B-9945B, 9946A	9674-9691	2012	12/1949 - 5/1950
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9946B	10031	2012	5/1950
St Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)	2006-2015	10172-10181	2014	2/1950
Baltimore & Ohio	90, 90A, 92, 92A	10231-10234	2015	9/1950
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator)	952 (became Rock Island 643)	10306	E952	8/1949
Pennsylvania	5884A-5893A	10421-10430	6079	3/1950 - 4/1950
St Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)	2016-2017	10451-10452	2014	5/1950
St Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)	2018-2019	10528-10529	2014	5/1950 - 6/1950
Union Pacific	926-930	10777-10781	2019	5/1950 - 8/1950
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy)	106A, 106B - 107A, 107B	11223-11226	6082	3/1950
Chicago & North Western	5021A, 5021B - 5022A, 5022B	11491-11494	6095	7/1950
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2014-2017	11584-11587	6104	10/1951 - 11/1951
Illinois Central	4018-4021	11633-11636	2021	6/1950
Central of Georgia	812	11700	2003	8/1950
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9947A, 9947B - 9948A, 9947B	11701-11704	2023	9/1950
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9949A	11762	2023	9/1950
St Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)	2020-2022	11965-11967	2014	7/1950
Erie Railroad	820-833	12218-12231	2027	1/1951 - 3/1951
Baltimore & Ohio	94, 94A, 96, 96A	12712-12715	6162	9/1950 - 10/1950
Pennsylvania	5808A-5810A, 5835A-5839A, 5894A-5899A, 5902A-5905A	13101-13118	6181	1/1951 - 4/1951
Seaboard Air Line	3049-3054	13274-13279	6192	10/1950
Electro-Motive (Demonstrators)	810-811 (became Delaware, Lackawanna & Western 810-811)	13676-13677	Sold on 6232	1/1951
Louisville & Nashville	794-797	13830-13833	2036	5/1951
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western	812-820	14011-14019	2033	4/1951 - 5/1951
Illinois Central	4022-4025	14083-14086	2037	4/1951
Southern	2923-2926	14172-14175	2039	9/1951
Southern	2927-2929	14176-14178	2049	9/1951 - 10/1951
Rock Island	644-649	14276-14281	2032	6/1951 - 7/1951
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy)	131-135	14283-14287	6268	5/1951
Wabash	1009-1011	14420-14422	6281	10/1951
Wabash	1012-1013	14423-14424	6282	6/1951
New York Central	4036-4039	14425-14428	2016	6/1951
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2010-2011	14548-14549	6104	8/1951
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2012-2013	14557-14558	6104	10/1951
New York Central	4040-4044	14583-14587	6291	8/1951 - 9/1951
Chicago & North Western	5023A, 5023B - 5024A, 5024B	14659-14662	2034	7/1951
Kansas City Southern	26-29	14736-14739	6312	2/1952
Chesapeake & Ohio	4000-4026	14759-14785	2040	8/1951 - 1/1952
Wabash	1000	15063	6327	10/1951
Rock Island	650-655	15197-15202	2047	2/1952 - 3/1952
New York Central	4045-4053	15304-15312	6291	11/1951 - 3/1952
New York Central	4054-4061	15313-15320	6358	3/1952 - 4/1952
Pennsylvania	5765A-5769A, 5788A-5799A, 5801A-5807A	15648-15671	6354	3/1952 - 7/1952
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac	1006-1009	15711-15714	2050	2/1952
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac	1010-1011	15715-15716	2050	8/1952
Illinois Central	4026-4031	16392-16397	2042	4/1952 - 6/1952
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9964-9969	16705-16710	2048	8/1952 - 9/1952
Pennsylvania	5700A-5716A, 5760A-5764A	16769-16790	2054	9/1952 - 11/1952
Chicago & North Western	5025A	16901	2043	8/1952
Chicago & North Western	5025B	17032	2043	8/1952
Seaboard Air Line	3055-3059	17339-17343	6426	11/1952 - 12/1952
Fort Worth & Denver (Burlington)	9981A, 9981B	17440-17441	6458	12/1952
Wabash	1014-1015	17565-17566	6474	1/1953
Illinois Central	4032-4033	17751-17752	2053	4/1953
Union Pacific	931-938	17783-17790	2052	3/1953 - 4/1953
Chesapeake & Ohio	4027-4030	18081-18084	6504	5/1953
Chicago & North Western	5026A, 5026B - 5030A, 5030B, 5031A	18113-18123	2056	6/1953
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac	1012-1015	18266-18269	6471	9/1953 - 10/1953
Union Pacific	939-942	18270-18273	2060	5/1953
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9970-9977	18312-18319	2059	8/1953 - 9/1953
New York Central	4062-4063	18345-18346	6515	5/1953
New York Central	4064-4095	18522-18553	2055	6/1953 - 9/1953
Baltimore & Ohio	26, 26A - 32, 32A (Evens)	18675-18682	2061	10/1953
Southern (New Orleans & North Eastern)	6906-6915	19004-19013	2063	11/1953 - 12/1953

E8A Rebuilds

Total Built = 21

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date	Heritage
Santa Fe	2	662	7500	9/1952	E1A #2
Santa Fe	4	663	7502	2/1952	E1B #2B
Santa Fe	5	792	7502	2/1952	E1A #5
Santa Fe	85	794	7502	2/1953	E1A #7
Santa Fe	82	791	7502	4/1953	E1A #3
Santa Fe	87	797	7502	4/1953	E1A #9
Santa Fe	86	795	7502	5/1953	E1A #8
Santa Fe	84	793	7502	6/1953	E1A #6
Gulf, Mobile & Ohio	100A	668	7504	3/1953	ex-Baltimore & Ohio EA #52
Baltimore & Ohio	56	800	7507	6/1953	EA #56
Baltimore & Ohio	55	767	7507	8/1953	EA #55
Baltimore & Ohio	53	765	7507	10/1953	EA #53
Baltimore & Ohio	51	7507 666	7507	12/1953	EA #51
Baltimore & Ohio	54	766	7507	1/1954	EA #54
Kansas City Southern	23	1034	8005	10/1952	E3A #3
Atlantic Coast Line	500	958	8022	3/1953	E3A #501
Chicago & North Western	5019B	6596	8024	6/1953	E7A #5019B
New York Central	4003	2868	8025	6/1953	E7A #4003
New York Central	4020	4175	8026	6/1953	E7A #4020
Atlantic Coast Line	532	3408	8027	7/1953	E7A #532
Rock Island	656	1063	8028	12/1953	E6A #627

E8B

Total Built = 31

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac	1051-1055	9533-9537	2011	12/1949
Union Pacific	926B-930B	10782-10786	2019	5/1950 - 8/1950
Illinois Central	4104-4105	16398-16399	2042	5/1952
Union Pacific	931B-944B	17791-17804	2052	2/1953 - 3/1953
Union Pacific	945B-949B	18274-18278	2060	4/1953 - 5/1953

E8B Rebuilds

Total Built = 15

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date	Heritage
Santa Fe	4A	799	7501	9/1952	E1B #4A
Santa Fe	80A	796	7502	2/1953	E1A #4
Santa Fe	82A	798	7502	4/1953	E1B #3A
Union Pacific	922B	745	7503	2/1953	E2B #SF2
Union Pacific	923B-924B	746,742	7503	3/1953	E2B #SF3, E2B #LA2
Union Pacific	925B	743	7503	4/1953	E2B #LA3
Baltimore & Ohio	51X	667	7507	10/1953	EB #51X
Baltimore & Ohio	52X	669	7507	5/1953	EB #52X
Baltimore & Ohio	53X	768	7507	5/1953	EB #53X
Baltimore & Ohio	54X	769	7507	8/1953	EB #54X
Baltimore & Ohio	55X	770	7507	11/1953	EB #55X
Baltimore & Ohio	56X	801	7507	1/1954	EB #56X
Santa Fe	83A	535	7508	8/1953	ex-Boxcab #1A
Santa Fe	84A	536	7508	9/1953	ex-Boxcab #1B

Santa Fe E8Am #85-L (rebuilt from E1A #7) and a pair of E8Bm's (also rebuilt from E1's) head east through Argentine Yard (Kansas) during the 1960s. The locomotives are about to cross Santa Fe Junction on their way to Kansas City Union Station. American-Rails.com collection.

Another notable feature was its single-stack manifold for each engine instead the four stacks per engine used on the E7. Spotting, however, can sometimes be difficult as railroads tended to rebuild and modify their E8 fleets over the years. For example, some E7s were given E8-like appearances, such as the addition of portholes.

Interestingly, there are very few visual clues that distinguish an E8 from the later E9. In his book, "Diesel Locomotives: Cyclopedia, Volume 2 (Model Railroader)," author Bob Hayden notes the only notable distinction between the two, externally, is a minor change in the headlight casing. Today, there are numerous E8A's preserved; in fact, there are more E8A's extant today than any other variant in the E series.

Photos

Boston & Maine's only E8A, #3821, is seen here all shined up in Boston, Massachusetts on December 26, 1956. Ed DeVito photo/Warren Calloway collection.

An Electro-Motive manufacturer's photo of freshly outshopped Rock Island E8A #648 in the summer of 1951.

Sources

Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.

Hayden, Bob. Diesel Locomotives: Cyclopedia, Volume 2 (Model Railroader). Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1980.

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.

Solomon, Brian. EMD Locomotives. Minneapolis: MBI Publishing Company, 2006.

Solomon, Brian. Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2011.

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