Canadian Pacific Diesel Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos

Published: September 17, 2026

Canadian Pacific tried diesel in the yard in the late 1930s and did not finish the job until November 6, 1960. The first true road units were Electro-Motive E8As 1800–1802, 2,250 horsepower, La Grange, 1949—the same year Montreal delivered the last Selkirk. GMD FP7s and MLW FA-2s did the everyday passenger and freight work. The last steam-hauled train was a CRHA extra, 4-4-0 29, Montreal to St. Lin.

Canadian Pacific Desert Sand SD70ACu 7021 and heritage 7017 lead CSX empty grain train at Tifft Street Buffalo July 31 2020

Canadian Pacific “Desert Sand” #7021 and heritage #7017, both SD70ACus, lead CSX train V101-31, a westbound empty grain train, at Tifft Street in Buffalo, New York on July 31, 2020. Doug Kroll photo.

On this page: At a glance · 1937 to November 1960 · Passenger cabs · Alco, MLW, and the Century · SD40-2 and the Red Barn · GE, ECO, SD70ACu · Current power (2026) · All-time roster

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Canadian Pacific Railway. Mark CP. From April 14, 2023, the fleet is CPKC
First diesels	Yard experiment, 1937. Production switchers from 1943
First road units	EMD E8A 1800–1802, 1949, 2,250 hp. Photo: #1800 Ottawa
Last steam train	November 6, 1960, CRHA extra, 4-4-0 29, Montreal–St. Lin
Builders	GMD London / EMD, MLW / Alco, CLC (Fairbanks-Morse), Baldwin, GE, Budd (RDCs). Later Progress Rail rebuilds
CP-only look	Three E8As; MLW C424s; SD40-2F “Red Barn” cowls 9000–9024; SD30C-ECO 5000–5049; SD70ACu heritage 7000s
Passenger to VIA	FP7s, FP9s, E8s, and F-boosters passed with intercity trains October 29, 1978
Paint	Maroon and grey, then the 1968 Multimark, Action Red, dual flags. Heritage SD70ACus from 2019
U.S. subsidiaries	Soo Line and D&H keep their own tables. Milwaukee, DM&E, ICE, CMQ: inherited blocks as notes

Number series follow builder records as compiled by The Diesel Shop (revised July 27, 2026), Extra 2200 South, Canadian Trackside Guide, and the CP diesel archive at trainweb.us/galt-stn. Information compiled September 16, 2026.

Switchers first, then three E8s

CP put a diesel in the yard in 1937. Production switchers followed in 1943: Alco S-2s, Baldwin DS-4-4-1000s, later GMD SW8s, SW9s, SW900s, and the SW1200RS road-switcher that became a Canadian trademark. Road freight and passenger still belonged to G3s and Selkirks. In 1949 Electro-Motive delivered three E8As, 1800–1802, A1A-A1A, 2,250 horsepower, the only E-units on the railroad. They were oddities beside GMD F-units and MLW FAs. #1800 at Ottawa in 1968 is that trio still at work, nineteen years on. 1800 and 1802 later went to VIA.

Canadian Pacific E8A 1800 with its train at Ottawa Ontario November 1968

Canadian Pacific E8A #1800, one of three the railroad rostered, stopped with its train in Ottawa, Ontario, November 1968. Author’s collection.

The same years brought Alco and MLW FA-1s and FB-1s in the 4000s and 4400s, then FA-2s. #4093 at Côte Saint-Luc on the company page is that 244-engine fleet in 1970, a year before most of the FAs were stored. GMD F7Bs and F9Bs filled out the booster end. First-generation road paint was maroon and grey with script lettering. The Multimark—the Pac-Man diamond—arrived with the 1968 CP Rail reorganization and lasted into the 1980s.

Passenger cabs: FP7, FP9, RDC

The Canadian of April 24, 1955, wanted steam-generator cabs. GMD delivered FP7As in the 1400s (1951–53) and FP9As 1405–1415, with F7B and F9B boosters. They handled Montreal–Vancouver, the Atlantic, and the eastern corridor until VIA took the trains on October 29, 1978. FP7 #1424 at Hull and FP9 #1410 at Dorval stay on the company page with the train. CLC built Fairbanks-Morse C-Liners for freight (CFA16-4) and a handful of Train Masters. Budd RDCs covered the locals the steam Ten-Wheelers had given up: Toronto–Buffalo, Montreal–Ottawa, Sudbury–White River.

A few FP9s came back decades later for the Royal Canadian Pacific and office specials—ex-CN/VIA cars in CP paint, 1401, 4106, 4107. They are tourist and business power, not a second passenger fleet.

Alco, Montreal, and the C424

Montreal Locomotive Works was CP’s other store. RS-2s, RS-3s, RS-10s, RS-18s, and RS-23s did four-axle freight and transfer. RS10 #8470 at Sunnyside, on the company page, is that fleet. One six-motor oddity, RSD-17 8921 of 1957, was a demonstrator CP kept—the only RSD-17. S-3, S-10, and S-13 switchers filled the yards.

When the 244-powered FAs wore out, CP traded cores to MLW for C424s, the four-axle Century: about fifty-one to fifty-four units in the 4200s, 1963–66. #4201 at St. Luc in March 1970 is the class at home. The publicity C424s in the Spiral Tunnels stay on the company page. Six-motor MLW power followed: C630M, M630, M636, and a single M640, 4744, 4,000 horsepower, 1971. Those 251 engines did not last into the Dash-9 years. GMD Geeps and SD40s took the main line.

Canadian Pacific C424 4201 laying over at St Luc Yard Montreal March 22 1970

Canadian Pacific C424 #4201 laying over between assignments at St. Luc Yard, Montreal, Quebec, on March 22, 1970. Roger Puta photo.

SD40, SD40-2, and the Red Barn

GMD SD40s in the 5500s (1966–71) were the first high-horsepower six-motor standard. Then came the SD40-2, the locomotive that dieselized the Selkirks for a generation: original CP numbers in the 5565–6092 range, hundreds of units, 1972–84, plus Soo and later secondhand blocks. In 1988 GMD built twenty-five cowl SD40-2Fs, 9000–9024, unique to CP, nicknamed Red Barns. A handful later ran on Central Maine & Quebec and came home.

Four-axle second-generation power was the GP38-2. Parent GMD units filled 3021–3135. Soo GP38-2s became CP 4400s; Milwaukee GP38-2s the 4500s; D&H GP38-2s the 7300s.

General Electric, ECO rebuilds, SD70ACu

CP’s modern road fleet is General Electric six-motors. AC4400CWs arrived from 1995 in the 8500s, 8600s, 9500s, 9700s, and 9800s. From 2017 many were rebuilt as AC4400CWMs and renumbered into the 8000s and 8100s. ES44ACs filled 8700–8960 (2005–11) and 9350–9379 (2012). EMD’s late new six-motors were SD90MAC / SD9043MAC units in the 9100s, 1998–99. Those cores became the SD70ACu 7000s at Progress Rail in 2019–20: 7000–7059 plus 6644. 7010–7014 left the shop in script heritage; 7015–7019 in serif heritage; 7020–7024 in military commemorative colors, including Desert Sand #7021 in the Buffalo photograph.

Ogden and EMD also rebuilt first- and second-generation power to EPA rules. GP20C-ECOs 2200–2329 came from GP9 cores, 2012–14. SD30C-ECOs 5000–5049 came from SD40-2 cores, 2012–16, new crashworthy cabs, 12-710 engines, 3,000 horsepower. #5036 at Sedan, Minnesota, in 2019 is that program on the old Soo/Milwaukee map.

Canadian Pacific SD30C-ECO 5036 on a short westbound local at Sedan Minnesota June 26 2019

Canadian Pacific SD30C-ECO #5036 on a short westbound local at Sedan, Minnesota on June 26, 2019. Doug Kroll photo.

Current power (2026 snapshot)

Heavy road power in 2026 is still a CP-numbered GE fleet under CPKC paint: AC4400CWM 8000s/8100s/8200s, remaining AC4400CWs, ES44ACs 8700s and 9350s, and new ET44ACs in the 7400s. EMD’s contribution is the SD70ACu 7000s, leftover SD40-2s, SD30C-ECOs, GP38-2s, and GP20C-ECOs. Progress Rail has SD70ACe-T4s 5500–5564 on order. Treat any single current number as a snapshot. The present-tense railroad is CPKC.

Model	Road numbers (CP / CPKC)	Notes
GE AC4400CWM	8000–8080, 8100–8178, 8200s	Rebuilt from AC4400CW. CPKC paint appearing
GE AC4400CW	8500s, 8600s, remaining 9500s/9700s/9800s	1995–2004 new. Many already in the 8000 rebuild
GE ES44AC	8700–8960, 9350–9379	2005–12. Still the Evolution standard
GE ET44AC	7430s, 7450s on	Tier 4; some ex-Baffinland. CPKC deliveries 2025–
EMD SD70ACu	7000–7059, 6644	From SD90MAC cores, 2019–20. Heritage 7010–7019; military/Desert Sand 7020s. Photo: #7021 / #7017 Buffalo
EMD SD30C-ECO	5000–5049	From SD40-2 cores. Photo: #5036 Sedan, Minn.
EMD GP20C-ECO	2200–2329	From GP9 cores, 2012–14
EMD/GMD GP38-2	3000s, 4400s, 4500s, 7300s remaining	Parent, Soo, Milwaukee, D&H blocks
GMD SD40-2	5700s–6000s remaining	Cores for ECO and SD40-3; still on grain extras

Current assignments follow The Diesel Shop CP roster, revised July 27, 2026. Numbers come and go with rebuilds, CPKC paint, and storage.

All-time roster (by builder)

This is an owned-and-lettered parent-CP diesel roster by model and original number series, not a serial-by-serial card for every unit CP ever ran. Quantities are builder production for CP unless noted. Renumberings and rebuild programs are in the notes. Soo, D&H, Milwaukee, DM&E, and Kansas City Southern diesels stay on those company pages; inherited blocks appear here as notes.

Electro-Motive / General Motors Diesel

Model	Numbers	Qty	Dates	Notes
E8A	1800–1802	3	1949	Only CP E-units; first road diesels. La Grange. Photo: #1800 Ottawa. 1800, 1802 to VIA
FP7A	1400–1404, 1416–1434	~24	1951–53	Passenger. Some from 4099–4103. To VIA 1978
FP9A / F9B	1405–1415 / 1901–1908 group	11 A + Bs	1954–58	See FP9. Company-page photos: #1410 Dorval
F7B / F9B	1900s, 4400s boosters	—	1951–54	Many to VIA
SW8 / SW9 / SW900 / SW1200 / SW1200RS	6700s, 1200s, 8100s groups	—	1950–60s	Yard and transfer. SW1200RS was the Canadian road switcher
GP7 / GP9	8400s–8700s original	hundreds	1950s–60	Later GP9u and GP20C-ECO programs
GP35	8200s, later 5000s	~25	1964–65	Renumbered 1965
GP38AC / GP38-2	3000–3020 AC; 3021–3135 Dash-2	~20 + ~115	1970–86	Parent GMD four-axle
SD40	5500–5564 group	~65	1966–71	First high-horsepower six-motor standard
SD40-2	5565–6092 and later blocks	500+	1972–84	The CP freight engine of the 1970s–90s. Cores for ECO / SD40-3
SD40-2F	9000–9024	25	1988	“Red Barn” cowl; CP-only. Some to CMQ and back
SD90MAC / SD9043MAC	9100s	~61	1998–99	Cores for SD70ACu 7000s
GP20C-ECO	2200–2329	130	2012–14	Rebuilt from GP9s
SD30C-ECO	5000–5049	50	2012–16	Rebuilt from SD40-2s. Photo: #5036 Sedan
SD40-3	5100–5109	10	2017–18	Hump / yard rebuilds from SD40-2s
SD70ACu	7000–7059, 6644	~60	2019–20	From SD90MAC. Heritage 7010–7019; Desert Sand / military 7020s. Photo: #7021 / #7017 Buffalo

Montreal Locomotive Works / Alco

Model	Numbers	Qty	Dates	Notes
S-2 / S-3 / S-4 / S-10 / S-13	6500s, 7000s, 8500s groups	—	1943–60s	Yard. Production diesels from 1943
FA-1 / FB-1	4000–4027 / 4400–4423	~28 / ~24	1949–50	Alco and MLW. See FA series. Cores to C424s
FA-2 / FB-2 / FPA-2	4042–4098, 4082s / 4463s	—	1951–54	Photo on company page: #4093 Côte Saint-Luc. Fleet stored 1975, retired 1977
RS-2 / RS-3 / RS-10 / RS-18 / RS-23	8400s, 8700s, 1800s groups	RS-18 ~54	1950s–60	Four-axle road. Photo on company page: RS10 #8470 Toronto. See RS-18
RSD-17	8921	1	1957	Only RSD-17 built; demonstrator CP kept
C424	4200s	~51–54	1963–66	FA trade-ins. Photo: #4201 St. Luc. Spiral Tunnels publicity C424s remain on the company page
C630M / M630 / M636	4500s, 4700s groups	~9 / 27 / 43	1968–75	Six-motor 251s
M640	4744	1	1971	4,000 hp; only M640

Canadian Locomotive Company / Fairbanks-Morse / Baldwin / GE

Model	Numbers	Qty	Dates	Notes
Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 / DRS-4-4-1000	switcher series	~11	1940s	Early production switchers
CLC / FM H16-44	—	~8	1950s	Kingston-built FM
CFA16-4 C-Liner	freight 4000s/8700s groups	~7 A	1950s	See C-Liner
H24-66 Train Master	—	~9	1950s	CLC FM six-motor
Budd RDC-1/2/3/4	9000s passenger	~26	1950s	Branch passenger; not a road freight locomotive
GE AC4400CW	8500–8580, 8600–8655, 9500s, 9700–9785, 9800–9840	400+	1995–2004	First modern GE road fleet
GE AC4400CWM	8000s, 8100s, 8200s	260+	2017–20 rebuild	From AC4400CW. CPKC paint from 2023
GE ES44AC	8700–8960, 9350–9379	~291	2005–12	Evolution AC
GE ET44AC	7430s on	—	2014 cores; 2025+ new	Tier 4. CPKC deliveries

Soo Line GP38-2 4400s and SD60 6221–6262, Milwaukee GP38-2 4506–4515, D&H GP38-2 7306–7312, and DM&E/ICE SD40-2s are the American companies. Those rosters stay on Soo, Milwaukee Road, D&H diesel, and DM&E. Kansas City Southern power from April 14, 2023, is CPKC.

Sources

The Diesel Shop. Canadian Pacific locomotives. Revised July 27, 2026. Current-fleet snapshot, SD70ACu and AC4400CWM notes, ECO lineage
Extra 2200 South. Canadian Pacific diesel coverage; builder serials as cited by The Diesel Shop
Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotive Roster and Photo Archives (trainweb.us/galt-stn). Number-series index
Canadian Trackside Guide. Bytown Railway Society. Annual CP model and number checks
CPTDB Wiki, Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive roster. SD30C-ECO 5000–5049; SD70ACu 7000s; GP38-2 blocks
American-Rails.com: Canadian Pacific Railway; CP steam; FP9; FA series; C-Liner; GMD; MLW; Soo Line; D&H diesel; CPKC

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