Chicago Great Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)

Published: October 20, 2026

The Chicago Great Western dieselized a railroad whose freight was already famous for its length, and it did the job with a compact fleet. The table below counts 157 frames, each once. A renumber is the same locomotive. A rebuild of a locomotive already in the table is the same frame.

Builder photo of new Chicago Great Western F7A 156 and an F7B at Electro-Motive in June 1949

A builder photograph of new covered wagons, F7A 156 and an F7B, at Electro-Motive’s plant in Illinois in June 1949.

On this page: At a glance · Switchers · Road switchers · Cab units · Roster

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Chicago Great Western. Mark CGW. Company history
This table	Diesels that carried Chicago Great Western numbers. A renumber is the same frame. A unit sold before the 1968 merger is still counted
Switchers	56. Three EMC SC engines, three Alco S2s, five Alco S1s, seventeen EMD NW2s, ten Baldwin DS-4-4-1000s, and eighteen TR2 cow-and-calf units
Road switchers	27. Eight Alco RS2s, two GP7s, eight GP30s, and nine SD40s
Cab units	39. Thirty-three F3A, four F7A, and two FP7
Boosters	35. Thirty F3B and five F7B
Same frame	SC 5, serial 614, rebuilt by EMD as an SW900 in December 1957. GP7s 120 and 121, rebuilt as GP7Rs after wrecks
Total	157
1963 fleet	141, the year-end snapshot on the company page

Switchers

A Westinghouse switcher, No. 2, an 800-horsepower locomotive of 1934, was on the property before the catalog switchers. The production list opens with three Electro-Motive Corporation SC engines, numbers 5–7, order E142, in 1936. Number 5, serial 614, went back to Electro-Motive and returned in December 1957 as an SW900, the same frame, and later carried Chicago & North Western number 143. Number 7 is serial 616.

Chicago Great Western S1 13 at Oelwein, Iowa, circa 1965

S1 13 at the Oelwein terminal, circa 1965. American-Rails.com collection.

Alco’s three S2s, 8–10, came in 1947 on order 20116, in three serial blocks: 73925 in February, 74984 in May, and 75239 in June. Five S1s, 11–15, followed in June through August 1948 on order 20171, serials 75890–75894. They later carried Chicago & North Western numbers 1216–1220.

The seventeen NW2s arrived in four orders. Numbers 16–24, nine engines, are order E916, serials 5536–5544, April and May 1948. Numbers 25–29, five engines, are order E989, serials 6253–6257, June 1948. Numbers 30 and 31 are order E1192, serials 8603 and 8604, March 1949. Number 42, serial 7716, came in November 1949. Number 30 later became Chicago & North Western 1016, and number 42 became 1033, second.

Baldwin’s ten DS-4-4-1000s divide on the construction numbers. Numbers 32 and 33 are 73914 and 73915, February 1948. Numbers 34–41 are 74225–74232, July 1948. Number 32 later became Chicago & North Western 1073. Numbers 38 and 39 became 1074 and 1075.

The TR2s are nine cow-and-calf pairs, 58A/58B through 66A/66B, 18 frames, serials 6877–6894, built from August 1948 through August 1949. Orders read on individual units include E1033 on 63A and 63B, E1097 on 58A and 59B, and E1239 on 66A and 66B. The order cell on that row is blank. Those three order numbers were read on the units named in the table. The switchers are 56.

Road switchers

Alco built eight RS2s in 1949 on order 20251. Numbers 50–52, serials 76821–76823, came in May. Numbers 53–57, serials 77185–77189, came in August. Number 51 was rebuilt in July 1970 as slug BU-40, the same frame.

Chicago Great Western RS2 56 switching the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota, in February 1964

RS2 56 switching the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota, in February 1964. Rick Burn photo.

The only Geeps bought new were GP7s 120 and 121, serials 14719 and 14720, September 1951. Both were wrecked and returned as GP7Rs, the same two frames, and later carried Chicago & North Western numbers 4337 and 4338.

Eight GP30s, 201–208, came in August and September 1963 on order 7679, serials 28526–28533, frame numbers 7679-1 through 7679-8. They became Chicago & North Western 802–809. Several were retired on November 26, 1991, and sold to National Railway Equipment. Nine SD40s, 401–409, came in August and September 1966 on order 7912, serials 32092–32100, and became Chicago & North Western 921–929. The road switchers are 27.

Newly delivered Chicago Great Western GP30s, including 201 and 202, at Oelwein in July 1963

Newly delivered GP30s, with 201 and 202 closest to the camera, at Oelwein in July 1963. American-Rails.com collection.

Cab units

The covered wagons are 39 cabs and 35 boosters. The cabs are F3A, F7A, and FP7. The first large block is the twelve 101–106 A and C units of October 1947, order E762A. Serials read on six of them are 101A as 4117, 101C as 4118, 103A as 4121, 103C as 4122, 104A as 4123, and 106A as 4126. The boosters 101B–106B are serials 4129–4134. Numbers 101C, 104A, and 106A passed to the Chicago & North Western. The other nine cabs in that block were sold before the merger, and they are still in this count.

Further F3A cabs came in 1948 and 1949. Numbers 107C, 108A, and 108C are serials 5005–5007, March 1948, later 203, second, 204, and 205. Numbers 109C, 110A, 110C, and 111A are serials 5009–5012, later 206, second, 207, second, 208, and 209. Numbers 112A and 112C are serials 5014 and 5015, later 210, second, and 211, second. Six more, 113A, 113C, 114A, 114C, 115A, and 115C, are serials 5989–5994, February 1949, and took Chicago & North Western numbers in the 212–216 group. Numbers 150 and 152 are serials 5995 and 5997, November 1948 and January 1949, later 225, second, and 226, second. Number 151, between them, was sold before the merger. So were 107A, 109A, and 111C.

The four F7A cabs are 153–156, June 1949. Number 153 is serial 7058. Numbers 155 and 156 are serials 7060 and 7061. Number 156 is the cab in the builder photograph at the top of this page. Number 154 was sold before the merger. The two FP7 cabs, 116A and 116C, are serials 13559 and 13560, December 1950, later Chicago & North Western 217 and 218.

The boosters that share the 116 series are F7Bs: 116B, 116D, 116E, 116F, and 116G, serials 13561–13562 and 14724–14726, December 1950 and May 1951. Number 116E was sold. The remaining boosters are F3Bs, thirty of them, including 111B, serial 5020, February 1949; 104D, serial 5237, February 1949; and 115D, serial 14723, May 1951, all three sold before the merger and all three counted here. Number 106D became slug BU-31, the same frame.

Roster

The quantity column sums to 157. Serial and order are separate columns. A blank cell is an em dash. Where a serial list is shorter than the quantity, the note names the units that were read.

Switchers

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
SC	5	EMC	614	E142	1936	1	Rebuilt by EMD as an SW900 in December 1957. Same frame. Later Chicago & North Western 143
SC	6	EMC	—	E142	1936	1
SC	7	EMC	616	E142	1936	1
S2	8	Alco	73925	20116	February 1947	1	Later Chicago & North Western 1010, then 1090
S2	9	Alco	74984	20116	May 1947	1	Later Chicago & North Western 1014
S2	10	Alco	75239	20116	June 1947	1	Later Chicago & North Western 1015, then 1085
S1	11–15	Alco	75890–75894	20171	June–August 1948	5	Later Chicago & North Western 1216–1220
NW2	16–24	EMD	5536–5544	E916	April–May 1948	9
NW2	25–29	EMD	6253–6257	E989	June 1948	5
NW2	30, 31	EMD	8603, 8604	E1192	March 1949	2	30 later Chicago & North Western 1016
NW2	42	EMD	7716	—	November 1949	1	Later Chicago & North Western 1033, second
DS-4-4-1000	32, 33	Baldwin	73914–73915	—	February 1948	2	32 later Chicago & North Western 1073
DS-4-4-1000	34–41	Baldwin	74225–74232	—	July 1948	8	38 and 39 later Chicago & North Western 1074 and 1075
TR2	58A–66A, 58B–66B	EMD	6877–6894	—	August 1948–August 1949	18	Nine cow-and-calf pairs. E1033 read on 63A and 63B. E1097 read on 58A and 59B. E1239 read on 66A and 66B

Road switchers

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
RS2	50–52	Alco	76821–76823	20251	May 1949	3	51 rebuilt in July 1970 as slug BU-40
RS2	53–57	Alco	77185–77189	20251	August 1949	5
GP7	120, 121	EMD	14719–14720	—	September 1951	2	Wrecked and rebuilt as GP7R. Same frames. Later Chicago & North Western 4337 and 4338
GP30	201–208	EMD	28526–28533	7679	August–September 1963	8	Frame numbers 7679-1 through 7679-8. Later Chicago & North Western 802–809. Several retired November 26, 1991, and sold to National Railway Equipment
SD40	401–409	EMD	32092–32100	7912	August–September 1966	9	Later Chicago & North Western 921–929

Cab units

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
F3A	101A	EMD	4117	E762A	October 1947	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	101C	EMD	4118	E762A	October 1947	1	Later Chicago & North Western 201
F3A	102A, 102C, 104C, 105A, 105C, 106C	EMD	—	E762A	October 1947	6	Sold before the merger
F3A	103A	EMD	4121	E762A	October 1947	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	103C	EMD	4122	E762A	October 1947	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	104A	EMD	4123	E762A	October 1947	1	Later Chicago & North Western 202
F3A	106A	EMD	4126	E762A	October 1947	1
F3A	107A	EMD	—	—	—	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	107C, 108A, 108C	EMD	5005–5007	—	March 1948	3	Later 203, second, 204, and 205
F3A	109A	EMD	—	—	—	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	109C, 110A, 110C, 111A	EMD	5009–5012	—	March 1948	4	Later 206, second, 207, second, 208, and 209
F3A	111C	EMD	—	—	—	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	112A, 112C	EMD	5014–5015	—	March 1948	2	Later 210, second, and 211, second
F3A	113A, 113C, 114A, 114C, 115A, 115C	EMD	5989–5994	—	February 1949	6	Later Chicago & North Western numbers in the 212–216 group
F3A	150	EMD	5995	—	November 1948	1	Later 225, second
F3A	151	EMD	—	—	—	1	Sold before the merger
F3A	152	EMD	5997	—	January 1949	1	Later 226, second
F7A	153	EMD	7058	—	June 1949	1
F7A	154	EMD	—	—	June 1949	1	Sold before the merger
F7A	155, 156	EMD	7060–7061	—	June 1949	2	156 is the cab in the builder photograph
FP7	116A, 116C	EMD	13559–13560	—	December 1950	2	Later Chicago & North Western 217 and 218

Boosters

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
F3B	101B–106B	EMD	4129–4134	—	October 1947	6
F3B	107B–110B, 112B	EMD	5016–5019, 5021	—	March 1948	5	112B sold
F3B	111B	EMD	5020	—	February 1949	1	Sold before the merger
F3B	113B–115B	EMD	13546, 13563–13564	—	October and December 1950	3
F3B	101D–103D	EMD	5234–5236	—	February 1949	3	103D sold
F3B	104D	EMD	5237	—	February 1949	1	Sold before the merger
F3B	105D–111D	EMD	7912–7915, 7905–7906, 7911	—	October 1949	7	105D sold. 110D retired before the merger. 106D became slug BU-31
F3B	112D–114D	EMD	13543–13545	—	October 1950 and May 1951	3	114D sold
F3B	115D	EMD	14723	—	May 1951	1	Sold before the merger
F7B	116B, 116D, 116E, 116F, 116G	EMD	13561–13562, 14724–14726	—	December 1950 and May 1951	5	116E sold

Sources

Don Strack, roster in Paul K. Withers, Diesels of the Chicago & North Western, and Strack’s Chicago & North Western pages at utahrails.net. Serials, order numbers, and builder dates for the Chicago Great Western units that can be read there, including the NW2 blocks, the RS2s, the GP7s, the GP30s, and the SD40s.
The Chicago & North Western roster at thedieselshop.us, revised May 27, 2018, which embeds the former Chicago Great Western units. The Chicago Great Western page on that site was unavailable. Used for the cab and booster groups that reached the Chicago & North Western, the TR2 serial span, and the Baldwin construction numbers.
The company page holds the 1963 fleet of 141, the two-tone livery, and the merger at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 1968.