FM "Erie-Built" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History

Last revised: December 16, 2024

The Erie-Built's were Fairbanks Morse's first cab design it ever cataloged. While largely designed as a passenger model, aimed at competing against Electro-Motive's successful E series, the Erie's were also offered with freight gearing.

In addition, their looks rivaled Alco's beautiful PA design as well as EMD's E series. Fairbanks Morse worked incredibly hard to market a passenger model that could effectively hold its own against the leading manufacturers.

Incredibly, FM never really gave the locomotive a formal name; railfans coined the term "Erie Built" after FM elected to outsource manufacturing to General Electric at its Erie, Pennsylvania plant.

When the locomotives initially entered production in late 1945, FM did not have available capacity to build them. In an effort to keep up with the competition, company officials elected to utilize General Electric, as GE was also supplying internal electrical equipment (traction motors, generators, etc.)

Fairbanks Morse did make several initial sales with the Erie-Built but overall failed to truly compete against either EMD or Alco.

In an ironic twist, both FM and American Locomotive cataloged passenger models which were quite aesthetically pleasing, featuring a long nose, sloped windshield, and clean streamlining.

Unfortunately, neither could rival Electro-Motive's "E" series, which dominated the market until it was retired in the late 1950's.

Photos

Santa Fe's only A-B-A set of "Erie-Builts" is seen here in front of the beautiful station at San Diego, California, circa 1950. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

Fairbanks Morse's cab models basically all carried a similar appearance, not unlike Alco's FA and PA. FM introduced its cab line in an effort to compete against Electro-Motive's highly successful E and F series.

The first of these was known simply as the "Erie-Built" because the carbody was manufactured by General Electric at its Erie, Pennsylvania plant.

In 1950, however, the company introduced a formal line of passenger units known as the “Consolidated Line,” commonly referred today as C-Liners. These later models were available in three different variations; 1,600, 2,000, and 2,400 horsepower.

The Erie-Builts began production in December of 1945; they featured a look somewhat similar to the PA with a long, graceful nose followed by a sweeping, streamlined body behind the cab. Overall, it was a very classy and elegant locomotive.

The Erie-Builts utilized A1A-A1A trucks and produced a hearty 2,000 horsepower, equipped with the builder's 2-cycle 38D8 1/8, 10-cylinder opposed-piston prime mover.

In this Union Pacific publicity photo an A-B-A set of "Erie Builts" have the eastbound "Pony Express" in Nevada's Rainbow Canyon south of Caliente, circa 1955.

The locomotive's continuous tractive effort ranged from 26,200 to 41,000 pounds depending on the gear ratio chosen. Aesthetically, some of the best remembered Erie-Builts were those constructed for the Milwaukee Road.

Manufactured between December of 1945 and March of 1947 the locomotives powered the famous Olympian Hiawatha between Chicago and the Pacific Coast at Seattle.

A New York Central "Erie-Built" lays over between assignments in Jackson, Michigan on July 29, 1961. The railroad owned both freight and passenger versions of these locomotives. This particular unit was part of the former, completed in 1947.

They were clad in Milwaukee’s beautiful two-tone red/orange livery with chrome plating around the nose with Olympian Hiawatha included just under each side the cab.

It was a very graceful, albeit brief look. Surprisingly, the Erie-Builts sold relatively well (by Fairbanks Morse standards anyway) with 111 units outshopped by the time the builder had ceased construction in April of 1949.

Milwaukee Road "Erie-Built" #9-A (outshopped in March, 1947) is seen here in Council Bluffs, Iowa during July, 1957. The railroad was never particularly fond of these locomotives and they were traded in to EMD in the early 1960s. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

In all, seven Class Is purchased the diesel including the Santa Fe, Chicago & North Western, Milwaukee Road, New York Central, Kansas City Southern, Pennsylvania, and Union Pacific. The Canadian roads never purchased the model although the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific did purchase the C-Liner.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	12/1945 (Fairbanks-Morse A-B-A Demonstrators*)
Years Produced	12/1945 - 9/1949
Fairbanks-Morse Class	None
Engine	38D8 1/8, 10-cylinder Opposed-Piston
Engine Builder	Fairbanks-Morse
Horsepower	2000
RPM	850
Length (Inside Couplers)	64' 10" (194' 6" In A-B-A Configuration)
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	15' 1"
Width	10' 6"
Weight (Passenger Units)	328,000 Lbs
Weight (Freight Units)	314,000 Lbs
Trucks	A1A-A1A
Truck Type	GSC Swing Bolster, Drop Side Equalizer
Truck Wheelbase	15' 5"
Wheel Size	40" (42" Optional)
Steam Generator (Passenger Units Only)	2,250 Lb/Hour, 1,170 Gallon Supply
Traction Motors	GE746 (4), GE
Traction Generator	GT567, GE
Auxiliary Generator	AM807, GE
MU (Multiple-Unit)	Yes
Dynamic Brakes	Optional
Gear Ratio (Freight)	See Table Below
Tractive Effort (Freight)	See Table Below
Top Speed (Freight)	See Table Below
Gear Ratio (Passenger)	See Table Below
Tractive Effort (Passenger)	See Table Below
Top Speed (Passenger)	See Table Below

* This A-B-A set became Union Pacific 50-M-1A, 50-M-3B, 50-M-2A. They were soon renumbered as 981A, 983B, and 982A.

Gearing Options

(Freight Units)

Gear Ratio	Wheel Diameter	Maximum Speed	Continuous Tractive Effort (Lbs)	Continuous TE Rating Speed (MPH)
68:19	40"	75	37,400	17
70:17	42"	68	41,000	15

(Passenger Units)

Gear Ratio	Wheel Diameter	Maximum Speed	Continuous Tractive Effort (Lbs)	Continuous TE Rating Speed (MPH)
63:24	40"	102	27,400	23
63:24	42"	107	26,200	24

An A-B-A set of Milwaukee Road's "Erie-Builts", which powered the original "Olympian Hiawatha", are seen here in at the railroad's Everett Street Depot in Milwaukee during the late 1940s.

Production Rosters

Passenger Units

Total Built = 46

Owner	Road Number	Construction Number	Contract Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Union Pacific	50-M-1A	L1060	LD6	12/1945	1
Union Pacific	50-M-2A	L1061	LD6	12/1945	1
Union Pacific	50-M-3B (B)	L1062	LD6	12/1945	1
Milwaukee Road	5A	L1063	LD8	10/1946	1
Milwaukee Road	5B (B)	L1064	LD8	10/1946	1
Milwaukee Road	5C	L1065	LD8	10/1946	1
Milwaukee Road	6A	L1066	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	6B (B)	L1067	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	6C	L1068	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	7A	L1069	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	7B (B)	L1070	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	7C	L1071	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	8A	L1072	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	8B (B)	L1073	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	8C	L1074	LD8	1/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	9A	L1075	LD8	3/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	9B (B)	L1076	LD8	3/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	9C	L1077	LD8	3/1947	1
Chicago & North Western (CStPM&O)	6001-A	L1090	LD12	6/1947	1
Chicago & North Western (CStPM&O)	6001-B	L1092	LD12	6/1947	1
Chicago & North Western (CStPM&O)	6002-A	L1093	LD12	5/1947	1
Chicago & North Western (CStPM&O)	6002-B	L1095	LD12	5/1947	1
Santa Fe	90	L1099	LD9	5/1947	1
Santa Fe	90A (B)	L1100	LD9	5/1947	1
Santa Fe	90B	L1101	LD9	5/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	22A	L1102	LD20	8/1947	1
Milwaukee Road	22B	L1104	LD20	8/1947	1
Union Pacific	984A-985A	L1117-L118	LD28	6/1947	2
Milwaukee Road	21A, 21C	L1119-L120	LD20	8/1947	2
Union Pacific	986B-987B (B)	L1127-L1128	LD28	10/1947	2
Union Pacific	704-706	L1136-L1138	LD34	3/1948	3
Union Pacific	707	L1139	LD34	4/1948	1
Union Pacific	706B (B)	L1140	LD34	4/1948	1
Union Pacific	21B (B)	L1157	LD41	4/1948	1
New York Central	4400-4403	L1177-L1180	LD47	3/1949	4
New York Central	4404-4405	L1181-L1182	LD47	4/1949	2

Freight Units

Total Built = 65

Owner	Road Number	Construction Number	Contract Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	60A	L1087	LD11	11/1946	1
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	60B (B)	L1088	LD11	11/1946	1
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	61A	L1089	LD11	11/1946	1
Kansas City Southern	61B (B)	L1091	LD11	11/1946	1
Kansas City Southern	60C	L1094	LD16	1/1947	1
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	61C	L1096	LD16	1/1947	1
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	62C, 62A	L1097-L1098	LD22	6/1947	2
Pennsylvania	9456B (B)	L1103	LD29	11/1947	1
New York Central	5000	L1105	LD19	10/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9458B (B)	L1106	LD29	11/1947	1
New York Central	5001	L1107	LD19	10/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9456A	L1108	LD29	11/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9460B (B)	L1109	LD29	11/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9457A	L1110	LD29	11/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9458A	L1111	LD29	12/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9462B (B)	L1112	LD29	11/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9459A	L1113	LD29	12/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9460A	L1114	LD29	1/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9464B (B)	L1115	LD29	12/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9461A	L1116	LD29	1/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9462A-9463A	L1121-L1122	LD29	1/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9464A-9465A	L1123-L1124	LD29	2/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9466B, 9468B (B)	L1125-L1126	LD29	12/1947	2
Pennsylvania	9470B (B)	L1129	LD29	12/1947	1
Pennsylvania	9466A-9468A	L1130-L1132	LD29	2/1948	3
Pennsylvania	9469A	L1133	LD29	3/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9470A	L1134	LD29	2/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9471A	L1135	LD29	3/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9472A-9473A	L1140-L1141	LD35	6/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9476B (B)	L1144	LD35	7/1948	1
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas)	62B (B)	L1145	LD49	4/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9472B, 9474B (B)	L1146-L1147	LD35	6/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9474A-9475A	L1148-L1149	LD35	6/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9476A-9477A	L1150-L1151	LD35	7/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9478A-9479A	L1152-L1153	LD35	9/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9480A-9481A	L1154-L1155	LD45	10/1948	2
Pennsylvania	9482A	L1156	LD45	12/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9478B (B)	L1158	LD35	9/1948	1
New York Central	5100	L1159	LD46	12/1948	1
New York Central	5101	L1160	LD46	1/1949	1
Pennsylvania	9483A	L1161	LD45	11/1948	1
Pennsylvania	9484A-9487A	L1162-L1165	LD45	10/1948	4
Pennsylvania	9488A-9490A	L1166-L1168	LD45	12/1948	3
Pennsylvania	9491A	L1169	LD45	12/1948	1
New York Central	5002	L1170	LD46	12/1948	1
New York Central	5003	L1174	LD46	1/1949	1
New York Central	5004-5005	L1175-L1176	LD46	2/1949	2

A pair of Pennsylvania's Erie-Builts, with #9466 pictured (Class FF-20), is seen here at Toledo, Ohio in August, 1964. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

The later C-Liners were a bit unorthodox as passenger locomotives with an odd B-A1A truck arrangement resulting in very few railroads purchasing it.

The freight model, offered in a range of horsepower ratings, did a little better but in the end, FM gave up on the cab design altogether by 1953.

Today, no Erie-Builts are known to survive. Interestingly, a piece of this unique model lives on in Doyle McCormack's restored Alco PA #190.

The unit's trucks (designed by General Steel Castings) were salvaged for the restoration as they came from a scrapped Erie-Built, which had been converted for use by the Canadian Pacific in rail trains to lay continuous welded rail (CWR).

Facebook X Pinterest Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp Messenger