Conrail Diesel Roster (All Time)

Last revised: September 17, 2026

Conrail started on April 1, 1976, with nobody’s idea of a diesel roster. Gordon Lloyd, Jr., and Louis A. Marre counted about 5,000 first- and second-generation locomotives from some sixteen railroads and ninety models. Three of every four came off Penn Central. The rest were Erie Lackawanna, Reading, Lehigh Valley, Jersey Central, Lehigh & Hudson River, Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, and odds. Reporting mark CR. The holding company owned the engines; predecessors’ all-time lists stay on their pages. This page is what wore a Conrail number from conveyance to the June 1, 1999, split. The company is Conrail.

What made the roster recognizable, once the shops caught up, was Conrail blue: white lettering and Tony Palladino’s can-opener, steel wheels on steel rails, from May 1976. The first locomotive in dress blues was GP40 3091, still carrying its New York Central number, out of Collinwood on May 20. For years the railroad ran a rainbow—Penn Central black, Erie maroon, Reading green, Central red, Lehigh Valley yellow—with CR stencils on the cab. Big Blue was a paint program, not a new fleet.

First-generation road-switchers were the bulk of what arrived. Hundreds of GP7s (CR 5600s–5900s) and GP9s (7000–7559) from Penn Central, EL, CNJ, Reading, and Lehigh Valley handled locals and secondary freights. GP30s and GP35s from the Pennsylvania, Central, Reading, and EL filled the mid-range. Switchers ran to the hundreds: SW1s, SW7s, SW8s, SW9s, SW900s, SW1200s, NW2s, and later SW1500s and Reading SW1001s. Six-axle holdovers included Pennsylvania SD35s and SD40s, EL SD45s and SDP45s, and a handful of SD7s and SD9s. Alco was still everywhere in 1976: RS-3s, RS-11s, C-420s, C-424s, C-425s, C-430s, C-628s, C-630s, and Penn Central’s fifteen C-636s. GE U-boats—U23B, U25B, U30B, U33B, and the six-motor U23C through U36C—were the other second-hand high horsepower. Baldwin leftovers were almost gone.

Second-generation power already on the property became the Conrail standard before the new orders arrived. Penn Central GP38s and GP40s, Lehigh Valley and PRSL GP38s, Reading and PC GP40-2s, and EL SD45-2s were the reliable four- and six-axle cores. Conrail numbered GP38s into 7600–7939 and GP38-2s into 8040–8281; GP40-2s, including five ex-Reading units, filled 3275–3403. New Haven FL9s stayed on Metro-North third-rail. A few E8As lasted as office-car power, 4020–4022. Paducah and others rebuilt GP7s into GP8s and GP9s into GP10s. Altoona made MT-4 and MT-6 slugs from Alco RS-11s, RSD-12s, and RSD-15s. RS-3ms kept a few Centuries working.

New locomotives are what turned the roster from a deadline into Big Blue. First new six-motors were SD40-2s 6358–6524 (1977–79) and ten GE C30-7s, 6600–6609 (1977). Four-axle Dash-7s followed: B23-7s 2800–2816 and 1900–2023, then 100 GP15-1s, 1600–1699, in 1979—the largest GP15-1 fleet. The 1980s brought B36-7s, SD50s 6700–6834 (135 units, 1983–86), C30-7As, C32-8s, C36-7s, C39-8s, B40-8s, and the first C40-8s. The 1990s were wide-noses: SD60s including three EMD demonstrators, SD60M 5500–5574, SD60I 5575–5654 plus 5544, C40-8W 6050–6265, and LMS-leased 700–759. Last unique Conrail power was thirty SD80MACs, 4100–4129, 1995–97. Last new diesels at all were SD70s 2557–2580 to Norfolk Southern specs and SD70MACs 4130–4144 to CSX specs, both 1998, ordered with the split already in view. When CSX and NS took the railroad on June 1, 1999, the blue Geeps and Dash-8s went with them. A handful still wear the can-opener in preservation.

Conrail GP7s #5826 and #5823, and a GP9, layover at the former Michigan Central shops in St. Thomas, Ontario, August 1977. First-generation Geeps, still the locals’ power a year into Big Blue. American-Rails.com collection.

On this page: At a glance · Inherited · Rebuilds and slugs · New Conrail orders

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Consolidated Rail Corporation. Mark CR. Company encyclopedia Conrail
Start fleet	About 5,000 diesels, ~90 models, ~16 predecessors. Roughly three-quarters Penn Central
Paint	Conrail blue, white can-opener, from May 1976. First unit GP40 3091, Collinwood, May 20
First new six-motor	EMD SD40-2 6358–6524, 1977–79; GE C30-7 6600–6609, 1977
GP15-1	1600–1699, 100 units, 1979. Largest GP15-1 fleet
SD50	6700–6834, 135 units, 1983–86
Last unique	SD80MAC 4100–4129, 30 units, 1995–97
Last new	SD70 2557–2580 and SD70MAC 4130–4144, 1998
Split	June 1, 1999, to CSX and Norfolk Southern
Predecessor all-time	Penn Central diesels · CNJ diesels

CR number series follow Lloyd & Marre, Conrail Cyclopedia, The Diesel Shop (R. Craig, 2006), Extra 2200 South / builder records, and the live American-Rails Conrail tables as cleaned below. Inherited rows are Conrail-era series, not complete PC, EL, or CNJ dumps. Information compiled September 17, 2026.

Inherited (April 1, 1976)

Numbers are Conrail series. Many units kept predecessor numbers until renumbered. Penn Central all-time is /pcdiesel.html.

Switchers

Model	Builder	CR numbers	Heritage	Notes
SW1	EMD	8400s–8500s	PC, PRR, NYC, others
SW7 / SW8 / SW9	EMD	8800s–9100s	PC, EL, CNJ, RDG
SW900	EMD	8600s; 8646 lasted late	PC
SW1200	EMD	9300s	PC, EL
NW2	EMD	9200s	PC, EL
SW1001	EMD	9400–9424	Reading, 1973	25 built; ~21 on the 1998 roster
SW1500	EMD	9500–9620	PC, LV, Reading, IU	1966–73. About 76 on the 1998 roster
MP15DC	EMD	9621-series	LV
S-2 / S-4 / T-6	Alco	scattered	PC, CNJ, EL	Most retired early

First-generation road-switchers and cabs

Model	Builder	CR numbers	Heritage	Notes
GP7	EMD	5600–5999	PC, EL, CNJ, RDG	Photo: #5826 St. Thomas. Most gone by mid-1980s
GP9 / GP9B	EMD	7000–7559	PC (PRR/NYC), EL, LV	PC contributed 300-plus. Some traded on B40-8s, 1988
GP18	EMD	7496–7499	LV	Retired early 1980s
GP20	EMD	2100s	NYC / PC
GP30	EMD	2188–2249	NYC, PRR / PC
GP35	EMD	2250s–3600s	PC, EL, RDG	Last stored into the 1990s
F7A / F7B / FP7	EMD	scattered 1600s–4300s	PC, EL, RDG, LV	Retired early. PC cab-unit list is on /pcdiesel.html
E8A	EMD	4000s; OCS 4020–4022	PRR, EL, NYC / PC	4020–4022 office-car power into the 1990s. Photo: #4021 Toledo
FL9	EMD	5000–5059	New Haven / PC	Third-rail. Photo: #5059/#5022 Brewster. See FL9
RS-3 / RS-11 / RS-27 / RS-32	Alco	5000s–7600s as assigned	PC, CNJ, EL, RDG, LV	Many to RS-3m or slug
C-420 / C-424 / C-425 / C-430	Alco	2000s–2400s	LV, L&HR, PRR, NYC, EL	Some directed to D&H April 1, 1976
C-628 / C-630 / C-636	Alco	6000s–6700s	PC (PRR C-636 6330–6344), LV, others	See C-636
U23B / U25B / U28B / U30B / U33B / U36B	GE	2700s–2900s as assigned	PC, EL, others
U23C / U25C / U28C / U30C / U33C / U36C	GE	6500s–6800s as assigned	PC, EL
SD7 / SD9	EMD	low 6000s	PC	Few
SD35	EMD	6000–6039	PRR / PC
SD38	EMD	6925–6959	PC, 1970	35 units. 6941 later R&N 2000
SD40	EMD	6040–6104, later 6240s	PRR / PC	Some rebuilt as SD40-2 6960–6999. Photo: #6351 Horseshoe is on the company page (ex-PRR 6098)
SD45	EMD	6105–6239	PRR / PC
SDP45	EMD	6667–6699	EL	33 units
SD45-2	EMD	6654–6666	EL, 1972	13 units. Some to SD40-2

Conrail GP38 7892 picking up a load at the freight depot in downtown Coshocton Ohio April 13 1983

Conrail GP38 #7892 picks up a load from Shaw-Barton at the freight depot in downtown Coshocton, Ohio, April 13, 1983. American-Rails.com collection.

Conrail GP38 7776 built as Penn Central 7776 in Bicentennial livery circa 1976

Conrail GP38 #7776 (built as Penn Central #7776) in Bicentennial paint, circa 1976. Warren Calloway collection.

Second-generation inherited

Model	Builder	CR numbers	Heritage	Notes
GP38	EMD	7600–7939	PC, LV, PRSL	Series spans 340 numbers. Photo: #7892 Coshocton; #7776 Bicentennial
GP38-2	EMD	8040–8281	PC and later Conrail orders	242-number span; ~235 on the 1998 roster. Some LV units directed to D&H
GP40	EMD	3000–3274	PC (NYC/PRR)	3091 was the first Conrail blue locomotive, May 20, 1976
GP40-2	EMD	3275–3403	Reading 3275–3279; PC/CR 1973–80	~124–129 units. Photo: #3281

Conrail GP40-2 3281 and other power working local service May 1983 likely former PRR in Ohio

Conrail GP40-2 #3281 and other power on a local, May 1983. Location not recorded; likely former Pennsylvania in Ohio. American-Rails.com collection.

Conrail FL9s 5059 and 5022 in blue and yellow commuter livery at Brewster New York September 27 1980

Conrail FL9s #5059 and #5022 in blue-and-yellow commuter paint at Brewster, New York, September 27, 1980. Doug Kroll photo. New Haven third-rail motors; Metro-North took the assignment.

Rebuilds and slugs

Paducah (Illinois Central Gulf) chopped GP7s into GP8s and GP9s into GP10s from 1976. Morrison-Knudsen and Precision National took later GP10 batches; PNC’s contract was cut after quality trouble. Altoona built mother-slug sets from dead Alcos.

Model	Builder	CR numbers	Dates	Notes
GP8	ICG Paducah	5720–5728, then 5400–5462	1976–78	Rebuilt GP7s; chopped nose. First nine 5720–5728, later 5400–5408
GP10	Paducah / MK / PNC	7560–7575, then 7513–7597	1976–79	Rebuilt GP9s, 1,800 hp. Lasted into the 1990s
RS-3m	CR shops	9900s as assigned	late 1970s	Re-engined Alco RS-3s
MT-4 slug	CR (Alco frames)	1000–1023	frames 1957	From PRR/PC RS-11s. 24 frames; few remained in 1998
MT-6 slug	CR (Alco frames)	1100–1128	frames 1955–58	From RSD-12s and four RSD-15s. 29 units
SD40-2 (rebuild)	CR	6960–6999	1993	40 units from SD40s
B30-7R	CR / GE	2030–2040	rebuilt 1989, 1993	11 units. Ex-Monongahela; originally U23Bs / S23-7B

Conrail E8A 4021 leading the office car special at Toledo Ohio June 1990

Conrail E8A #4021 leads the office-car special at Toledo, Ohio, June 1990. Built as Pennsylvania #5711-A in 1952. Rick Burn photo.

New Conrail orders, 1977–1998

Serials from The Diesel Shop, Extra 2200 South, and American-Rails model pages. LMS 700–759 were GE-owned leases, lettered for Conrail.

Electro-Motive

Model	CR numbers	Qty	Serial / order	Built	Notes
GP15-1	1600–1699	100	—	7/1979–12/1979	Largest GP15-1 fleet. 1699 later Operation Lifesaver
SD40-2	6358–6524	~165	—	1977–79	First new Conrail six-motors
SD50	6700–6834	135	—	1983–86	6700–6804 Flexicoil trucks
SD60	6840–6842	3	836054-1, 2, 4	1984	Ex-EMD demonstrators 1, 2, 4
SD60	6843–6867	25	886006-1 thru 25	8/1989–9/1989
SD60M	5500–5529	30	916246-1 thru 30	12/1992–2/1993	Wide cab. See SD60
SD60M	5530–5543	14	926330-1 thru 14	3/1993
SD60I	5544	1	926331-1	4/1993	Isolated cab, in the M-number hole
SD60M	5545–5574	30	936400-1 thru 30	4/1993–6/1993
SD60I	5575–5614	40	946506-1 thru 40	12/1994–4/1995	GMDD. Whisper cab
SD60I	5615–5654	40	946530-1 thru 40	3/1995–9/1995
SD80MAC	4100–4127	28	946501-1 thru 28	11/1995–5/1996	5,000 hp. Only railroad to buy the model. See SD80MAC
SD80MAC	4128–4129	2	946501-29, 30	7/1995 (demos)	Ex-EMDX 8000–8001; on roster 1997. Photo: Emsworth
SD70	2557–2580	24	—	1998	Standard cab, NS specs. To NS same numbers
SD70MAC	4130–4144	15	—	1998	CSX specs. To CSX 775–789

Conrail C40-8W #751 leads a westbound freight crossing over at MG Tower in Altoona, Pennsylvania on May 13, 1995. Wade Massie photo.

General Electric

Model	CR numbers	Qty	Serial / order	Built	Notes
C30-7	6600–6609	10	—	1977	First new Conrail GEs
B23-7	2800–2816	17	—	1977
B23-7	1900–2023	124	—	1978–79
B36-7	5000–5059	60	—	1983	Number collision with FL9 5000s after FL9s left
C30-7A	6550–6599	50	44539–44588	5/1984–6/1984	12-cylinder. See C30-7
C32-8	6610–6619	10	—	1984	Ballast Express
C36-7	6620–6644	25	—	1985
C39-8	6000–6021	22	—	1986
B40-8	5060–5089	30	—	1988	Thirty GP9s traded in
C40-8	6025–6049	25	45906–45930	3/1989	See C40-8
C40-8W	6050–6099	50	46246–46295	5/1990–6/1990	Photo: #6069/#6068 Binghamton
C40-8W	6100–6149	50	46635–46684	3/1991–4/1991
C40-8W	6150–6179	30	47184–47213	2/1993
C40-8W	6180–6229	50	47395–47444	6/1993
C40-8W	6230–6265	36	47810–47845	6/1994
C40-8W (LMS)	700–739	40	48104–48143	8/1994–10/1994	GE lease fleet
C40-8W (LMS)	740–759	20	48204–48223	10/1994–11/1994
C30-7 (secondhand)	500–562	47+	—	ex-ATSF / GECX	1990s lease/purchase. Not a 1976 inheritance
80-ton	99	1	—	—	Ex-Housatonic; shop switcher

Recently delivered Conrail C40-8Ws 6069 and 6068 on westbound train OIBU at Binghamton New York June 16 1990

Recently delivered Conrail C40-8Ws #6069 and #6068 on westbound OIBU at Binghamton, New York, June 16, 1990. Doug Kroll photo.

A pair of Conrail SD80MACs leading autoracks westbound at Emsworth Pennsylvania July 29 1997

A pair of Conrail SD80MACs lead autoracks westbound at Emsworth, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1997. Wade Massie photo. Thirty units, 4100–4129, were the only SD80MACs a railroad bought new.

Sources

Lloyd, Gordon, Jr., and Louis A. Marre. Conrail Motive Power Review, Volume 1: The First 10 Years 1976–1986. 1992. About 5,000 locomotives, 90 models, 16 railroads
Withers, Paul K. Conrail Motive Power Review, 1986–1991 and Conrail The Final Years: 1992–1997
The Diesel Shop. Conrail locomotive summary, R. Craig, revised October 5, 2006. 1998-era quantities and CSX/NS splits
Conrail Cyclopedia (crcyc.railfan.net). April 1, 1976 roster notes; GP9, GP15-1, GP35, SD80MAC unit lists
Conrail Technical Society. Condensed roster as of February 14, 1998
The Diesel Shop / Extra 2200 South. GE C30-7A, C40-8, C40-8W; EMD SD60 / SD60I production rosters
American-Rails.com: Conrail company; Penn Central diesels; SD80MAC; SD60; C40-8; C30-7; FL9
Trains, August 1976. First Conrail blue locomotive, GP40 3091

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