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Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Diesel Roster: All-Time

Published: March 15, 2025

By: Adam Burns

The C&O operated diesels from nearly every major builder including Electro-Motive, Alco, General Electric, and even a few models from Baldwin.  Interestingly, the railroad never purchased any Fairbanks-Morse products.

The C&O's first-generation road power primarily consisted of EMD products while second-generation products included both EMD and General Electric.  The railroad's final new units included a group of SD50s acquired in 1984/1985.

The information presented here provides a complete, all-time Chesapeake & Ohio diesel roster.  The railroad was late to the diesel era thanks to its strong commitment to steam technology as a result of its considerable coal business.

01-9251857172u36k18092u1y651yiu860788.jpgChessie System (Chesapeake & Ohio) GP40-2's in Chicago; April 28, 1973. American-Rails.com collection.

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Original Road Number(s) Second Road Number(s) Third Road Number(s) Builder/Model Construction Number(s) Date Built
Fort Street Union Depot 1-2 - - EMD NW5 4148-4149 1/1947-2/1947
Manistee & North Eastern 1 8303 - GE 44-Tonner 28501 8/1946
Manistee & North Eastern 2-3 5297-5298 - EMD NW2 5555-5556 5/1948
Pere Marquette 10-11 8401 (ex-#11) - EMC SW1 902, 1714 7/1939, 4/1942
Pere Marquette 20-22 20-22 - GE 70-tonner 28506, 28508, 28510 12/1946
Pere Marquette 51-64 5275-5289 (no #5279) - EMD NW2 1715-1718, 3463-3472 10/1942-5/1946
1850-1856 9558-9565 (ex-#1850-1856, #1858) - EMD NW2 6268-6274 11/1948-12/1948
5000-5057 9165 (ex-#5015), 9168-9169 (ex-#5022 and #5025), 9172-9175 (ex-#5033, 5036, 5045-5046), 9179 (ex-#5051) - Alco S2 76770, 76771, 76781-76783, 77130-77150, 77165, 77796-77813, 77827, 77828, 77941-77945, 76897-76902 5/1949-1/1950
5060-5079 9160-9164 (ex-#5000, 5005-5006, 5011-5012) - EMD NW2 10381-10386, 10367-10380 6/1949-9/1949
5080-5093 - - EMD SW9 11713-11722, 17262-17263, 19298-19299 4/1952-12/1953
Baltimore & Ohio 480/9024 5100 (2nd) - Alco S2 70253 9/1943
5100-5113 - - Alco S4 80622-80626, 80629-80637 7/1953-9/1953
5200-5213 - - EMD NW2 10259-10272 8/1949-11/1949
5214-5239 - - EMD SW7 10273-10298 1/1950-3/1950
5240-5244 - - GMD SW9 A149-A153 1/1951-2/1951
5245-5265 - - EMD SW9 15504-15524 10/1951-11/1951
6000A and 6000B (Cow-Calf) - - EMD TR4A and TR4B 11945-11946 6/1950
6001A and 6001B (Cow-Calf) - - EMD TR4A and TR4B 11947-11948 6/1950
6500A/B/C (Herd) - - EMD TR3A/B/C 10253-10255 10/1949
6501A/B/C (Herd) - - EMD TR3A/B/C 10256-10258 10/1949
B&OCT 219/8419 - - EMD SW1 1604 5/1942
Baltimore & Ohio 9099 9164 (2nd) - Alco S4 81972 6/1956
6500A, 6501C, 6500B, 6501A, 6500C, 6501B 9552-9557 - EMD TR3A/B/C - 10/1949
6000A, 6000B, 6001A, 6001B 9622-9625 - EMD TR4A/B - 6/1950
28481726725387268978900978.jpgChesapeake & Ohio F7A #7047 between runs at Springfield, Illinois in August, 1965. From the Mac Owen collection.

Classic Road-Switchers

Original Road Number(s) Second Road Number(s) Third Road Number(s) Builder/Model Construction Number(s) Date Built
80-85 1839 (ex-83) - EMD BL2 4724-4729 6/1948-7/1948
1800-1818 - - EMD SD18 27598-27616 1/1963-3/1963
1840-1847 - - EMD BL2 6275-6281 10/1948-3/1949
1840-1847 - - Alco RSD5 79427-79431 10/1948-3/1949
5570-5595 2000-2006 (ex-5574-5576, 5587, 5589, 5591, 5592) - Alco RSD5 79427-79431, 79702-79706, 79945-79954, 80189-80194 3/1952-7/1952
6700-6709 2007-2016 - Alco RSD12 81943-81952 4/1956-5/1956
2100-2103 - - Alco C630 S-3486-01 thru S-3486-04 10/1967
5114-5115 - - Alco RS1 5114, 5115 9/1953
5500-5501 - - Alco RS2 76826-76827 5/1949
5530-5532 2200 (5530) - BLW DRS-6-6-1500 74701-74703 11/1949
5533-5550, 5551-5558, 5559-5569, 5528-5529 2202-2209 (ex-5534-5542), 2211-2231 (ex-5546-5566), 2232-2233 (ex-5528-5529) - BLW AS616 74917-747929, 74951, 74966-74969, 75171-75178, 75345-75355, 75391-75392 11/1950-7/1953
5570-5595 - - Alco RSD5 79427-79431, 79702-79706, 79945-79954, 80189-80194 3/1952-7/1952
5600-5601 - - Alco RS3 81160, 81161 4/1955
5700-5709, 5715-5719, 5710-5714, 5739-5797, 5800-5811, 5812-5828, 5831-5839, 5829-5830, 5840-5855, 5862-5885, 5860-5861, 5898-5900, 5886-5897, 5856-5859 - - EMD GP7 10129-10143, 10532-10536, 15245-15303, 16692-16703, 17033-17049, 17278-17286, 17287-17288, 17289-17304, 18036-18059, 18060-18061, 18062-18064, 18065-18076, 18077-18080 4/1950-4/1953
5720-5735, 5736-5738 - - GMD GP7 A154-A169, A239-A241 3/1951-6/1951
5901-5919, 5929-5937, 5938-6008, 5920-5928, 6009-6082, 6083-6088, 6109-6158, 6089-6108, 6159-6263 - - EMD GP9 20183-20201, 20646-20654, 20847-20886, 21026-21045, 21182-21192, 21193-21201, 21487-21511, 21524-21538, 21686-21719, 21720-21725, 22017-22051, 22052-22066, 22090-22109, 22540-22547, 22550-22591, 23368-23397, 23501-23525 12/1954-8/1957
6700-6709 - - Alco RSD12 81943-81952 4/1956-5/1956
6800-6811 - - Alco RSD7 81901-81912 2/1956-4/1956

Contemporary Road-Switchers

Original Road Number(s) Second Road Number(s) Third Road Number(s) Builder/Model Construction Number(s) Date Built
1800-1818 7300-7318 - EMD SD18 27598-27616 1/1963-3/1963
2300-2329 - - GE U23B (equipped with Blomberg trucks) 37228-37257 9/1969-10/1969
2500-2537 8100-8137 - GE U25B 34566-34570, 34724-34726, 34731-34760 8/1963-1/1964
3000-3047 - - EMD GP30 27584-27597, 27798-27799, 28410-28411, 28494-28519, 28520-28521, 28522-28523 8/1962-10/1963
3045 (2nd), 3047 (2nd) 3583-3584 - EMD GP35 30987-30988 9/1965
3300-3312 - - GE U30C 36300-36303, 36767-36775 6/1967-7/1968
3520-3539 - - EMD GP35 29110-29129 4/1964-6/1964
3560-3575 - - EMD GP35 29392-29407 9/1964-11/1964
3537, 3563 (2nd), 3574 (2nd) - - EMD GP35 30989-30991 9/1965
3582 - - EMD GP35 31439 12/1965
3850-3899 - - EMD GP38 33681-33730 11/1967-12/1967
3900-3919 - - EMD GP39 34784-34804 5/1969-7/1969
4065-4089 - - EMD GP40 38545-38569 5/1971-8/1971
4090 - - EMD GP40 39236 12/1971
4091-4099, 3780-3794 - - EMD GP40 39237-39260 12/1971
4165-4184 - - EMD GP40-2 7394-1 thru 7394-20 11/1972
4262-4281 - - EMD GP40-2 776085-1 thru 776085-20 1/1978
4282-4286 - - EMD GP40-2 777094-1 thru 777094-5 2/1978-3/1978
4372-4391 - - EMD GP40-2 786288-1 thru 786288-20 1/1980
4392-4421 - - EMD GP40-2 787289-1 thru 787289-30 2/1980-3/1980
4820-4829 - - EMD GP38 36666-36675 7/1970-8/1970
7420-7431 - - EMD SD35 29428-29439 9/1964-11/1964
7425 (2nd) - - EMD SD35 30741 8/1965
7428 (2nd) - - EMD SD35 30740 8/1965
7450-7469, 7475-7481, 7501-7536 - - EMD SD40 31929-31948, 33154-33160, 34779-34784, 36696-36705, 36746-36755, 37204-37213 7/1966-3/1971
8200-8222 - - GE U30B 38218-38227, 38475-38487 12/1971-12/1972
8223-8224 (ex-demonstrators #301-302) - - GE U30B 35880-35881 5/1966
8225-8234 - - GE U30B 40068-40077 12/1974
8235-8298 - - GE B30-7 41897-41906, 42138-42147, 42279-42288, 42770-42783, 43256-43275 5/1978-5/1981
8553-8575, 8624-8643 - - EMD SD50 837057-1 thru 837057-23, 857095-1 thru 857095-20 1/1984-11/1985
1927841825285389268097979354578.jpgChesapeake & Ohio E7A #4520 is ahead of train 26 as it departs Traverse City, Michigan for Grand Rapids in August, 1962. Rick Burn photo.

Passenger Cab Units

Original Road Number(s) Second Road Number(s) Third Road Number(s) Builder/Model Construction Number(s) Date Built
95-98 4520-4521 (ex-PM 95-96) 1418-1419 EMD E7A 6262-6265 7/1948
Pere Marquette 101-108 4510-4515 (ex-103-108) 1414-1417 (ex-4512, 4515) EMD E7A 2911-2912, 4252-4255, 4722-4723 6/1946, 4/1947, 8/1947
4522-4523 (ex-PM 102, 98) - - EMD E7A 6265, 2912 7/1948, 6/1946
4000-4026 1468-1473 (ex-4003, 4016, 4025-4028) - EMD E8A 14759-14785 8/1951-1/1952
4027-4030 - - EMD E8A 4027-4030 4/1953
8000-8013 - - EMD FP7 16050-16063 2/1952-4/1952
8014-8015 7094-7095 - EMD FP7 17490-17491 12/1952
49336784708_53e3b44ac3_o.jpgA trio of Chesapeake & Ohio GP35s, led by #3520 and #3566, work their train out of Rockwell Yard at Kedzie Avenue and 75th Street in Chicago on April 9, 1965. At the time of this photo the units were nearly new. Marty Bernard photo.

Freight Cab Units

Original Road Number(s) Second Road Number(s) Third Road Number(s) Builder/Model Construction Number(s) Date Built
7000-7015 - - EMD F7A 9728-9743 9/1950
7016-7031 - - EMD F7A 11842-11857 9/1950
7032-7085 - - EMD F7A 15969-16022 1/1952-5/1952
7086-7093 - - EMD F7A 17264-17271 10/1952-11/1952
7500-7515 - - EMD F7B 11858-11873 9/1950
7516-7542 - - EMD F7B 16023-16049 1/1952 -5/1952
7543-7546 - - EMD F7B 17272-17275 10/1952-11/1952
8500-8506 - - EMD F7B 16064-16070 2/1952-4/1952

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    Grand Trunk Railway of Canada—charter Nov. 10, 1852, Montreal–Toronto 1856, Portland, Sarnia, Victoria Bridge, St. Clair Tunnel 1891, Great Western 1882, GTPR, CN Jan. 20, 1923. 1893 map and Official…

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  44. Troop Trains In World War II: Sleepers, Kitchen Cars & Movements

    Sep 09, 26 11:42 PM

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    WWII U.S. troop trains—almost 44 million armed-services passengers, Pullman troop sleepers, ACF kitchen cars, hospital trains, monthly movement tables 1942–45. Not the Military Railway Service. ODT an…

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  45. Railroads In The 1940s: War Traffic, Last Steam & the Diesel Flood

    Sep 09, 26 11:37 PM

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    U.S. railroads 1940–1950—233,670 to 223,779 miles. World War II as the decade’s center, last new steam, diesel flood after V-J Day, 1945 car orders, California Zephyr 1949.

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  46. Railroads In World War II: ODT, Record Traffic & Private Operation

    Sep 09, 26 03:00 PM

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    U.S. railroads in World War II—Lend-Lease freight, Pearl Harbor, Office of Defense Transportation, 1944 peak ~740 billion ton-miles, Dec. 1943–Jan. 1944 seizure. Private operation, not a USRA sequel.

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  47. Montana Christmas Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide

    Sep 09, 26 02:54 PM

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    2026 Montana Christmas trains—Charlie Russell Chew Choo North Pole Adventure from Hanover/Lewistown, Nov. 27–Dec. 19, $71, about 1.5 hours. Not Polar Express.

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  48. Railroads In The 1930s: Depression, Streamliners & the FT

    Sep 09, 26 09:32 AM

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    U.S. railroads 1930–1940—249,052 to 233,670 miles. Section 77, Eastman, Motor Carrier Act, M-10000 and Pioneer Zephyr 1934, EMC FT 1939. Decade frame, not the streamliner encyclopedia.

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  49. Sugar Cane Train (Lahaina): LK&P History, Roster & 2026 End

    Sep 09, 26 08:19 AM

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    Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Sugar Cane Train—3-foot tourist line 1970–2014. Anaka, Myrtle, 2023 and 2025 fires, September 2026 scrapping. Roster, Hahakea trestle, Pioneer Mill corridor.

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  50. Massachusetts Christmas Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide

    Sep 09, 26 08:16 AM

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    2026 Massachusetts Christmas trains—Shelburne Falls Moonlight Magic Friday Nov. 27; Edaville Festival of Lights in Carver. Polar is Cape Cod Central in Buzzards Bay.

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