Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Diesel Roster (All-Time)

Published: October 21, 2026

The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton dieselized a single-track freight railroad with a compact Electro-Motive fleet and then kept buying road switchers into the late 1970s.

Detroit, Toledo and Ironton GP40-2s 421 and 419 with GP38AC 210 at the Penn Central yard in Sharonville, Ohio, on the evening of June 19, 1974

GP40-2s 421 and 419, with GP38AC 210, at the Penn Central yard in Sharonville, Ohio, with a southbound freight on the evening of June 19, 1974. American-Rails.com collection.

On this page: At a glance · Switchers · GP7s and GP9s · Second-generation road switchers · Roster

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Detroit, Toledo & Ironton. Mark DTI. Company history
This table	Diesels that carried Detroit, Toledo & Ironton numbers. A renumber is the same frame
Switchers	14. Two SW1s, seven NW2s, and five SW7s. The SW1s later ran as SW8s, the same two frames
GP7 and GP9	37. Twenty-four GP7s, 950–973, and thirteen GP9s, 980–992
Four-motor, second generation	55. Seven GP38s, fourteen GP38ACs, eight GP38-2s, eight GP35s, six GP40s, and twenty GP40-2s
Six-motor	5. SD38s 250–254
Same frame	900 and 901, re-engined as SW8s. Delivered numbers 215–217 of May 1970, renumbered 207–209. Number 1776, the same locomotive as 228
Total	119
Last steam	Mikado 805, December 24, 1955

Switchers

Dieselization opened with two SW1s. Numbers 900 and 901 are order E386, serials 1324 and 1325, built in May and August 1941. In May 1952 the same two frames were re-engined as SW8s. They stay on the SW1 row.

Seven NW2s, 910–916, followed in September 1948 on order E946, serials 5757–5763. Five SW7s came in 1950 on order 4039. Numbers 920–922 are serials 10242–10244, September 1950. Numbers 923 and 924 are serials 10801 and 10802, October 1950. The switchers are 14.

GP7s and GP9s

The first road switchers were GP7s, and every one of them was built without dynamic brakes. Numbers 950–954, five engines, are order 5103, serials 14714–14718, August 1951. Numbers 955–961, seven engines, are order 5164, serials 16962–16968, December 1952 and January 1953. Numbers 962 and 963 are order 5228, serials 18217 and 18218, November 1953. Numbers 964–973, ten engines, are order 5231, also November 1953, in two serial blocks: 19014–19019 on 964–969, and 19067–19070 on 970–973. The GP7s are 24, numbers 950–973.

GP9s finished the replacement of steam. Numbers 980–989, ten engines, are order 5411, serials 20833–20842, December 1955. Numbers 990–992 are order 5502, serials 22698–22700, February and March 1957. The GP9s are 13.

Second-generation road switchers

Eight GP35s, 350–357, came in 1964 on order 7710. Numbers 350–353 are serials 28792–28795, January 1964. Numbers 354–357 are serials 28953–28956, January and February 1964. Six GP40s, 400–405, followed in June 1968 on order 7099. Numbers 400–404 are serials 33910–33914. Number 405 is serial 33956.

The GP38s divide into three models. Numbers 200–204, five engines, are order 7844, serials 31064–31068, January and February 1966, built on an order placed for the Maine Central and delivered to the DT&I. Numbers 205 and 206 are order 7188, serials 35291 and 35292, September 1969. Those seven are GP38s.

Eight GP38ACs arrived in May 1970 on order 7258, serials 36333–36340, delivered as 210–217. Numbers 215–217 were renumbered on delivery: serial 36338 became 209, serial 36339 became 208, and serial 36340 became 207. Numbers 210–214 kept the numbers they were delivered with. Six more GP38ACs, 215–220, came in July 1971 on order 7287, serials 36866–36871. Those six are new frames. They reused 215, 216, and 217 after the May 1970 engines had given those numbers up.

Eight GP38-2s, 221–228, are order 74652, serials 74652-1 through 74652-8, August 1975. Number 228 also carried 1776. One frame. Three SD38s, 250–252, are order 7161, serials 34863–34865, July and August 1969. Numbers 253 and 254 are order 7330, serials 36872 and 36873, frame numbers 7330-1 and 7330-2, July 1971. The six-motor units are 5.

Twenty GP40-2s close the new-locomotive list. Numbers 406–413 are order 7359, serials 7359-1 through 7359-8, October 1972. Numbers 414–421 are order 73611, serials 73611-1 through 73611-8, October 1973. Numbers 422 and 423 are order 786215, serials 786215-1 and 786215-2, November 1979. Numbers 424 and 425 are serials 786215-3 and 786215-4, built in 1979. Grand Trunk Western kept many of these road switchers and added a 6 in front of the road number. Those numbers are in the notes. They are the same frames.

Roster

The quantity column sums to 119. Serial and order are separate columns. A blank cell is an em dash.

Switchers

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
SW1	900, 901	EMD	1324, 1325	E386	May and August 1941	2	Re-engined as SW8s in May 1952. Same frames
NW2	910–916	EMD	5757–5763	E946	September 1948	7	—
SW7	920–922	EMD	10242–10244	4039	September 1950	3	—
SW7	923, 924	EMD	10801, 10802	4039	October 1950	2	—

GP7 and GP9

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
GP7	950–954	EMD	14714–14718	5103	August 1951	5	No dynamic brakes
GP7	955–961	EMD	16962–16968	5164	December 1952–January 1953	7	No dynamic brakes
GP7	962, 963	EMD	18217, 18218	5228	November 1953	2	No dynamic brakes
GP7	964–969	EMD	19014–19019	5231	November 1953	6	Frame numbers 5231-1 through 5231-6. No dynamic brakes
GP7	970–973	EMD	19067–19070	5231	November 1953	4	Frame numbers 5231-7 through 5231-10. No dynamic brakes
GP9	980–989	EMD	20833–20842	5411	December 1955	10	—
GP9	990–992	EMD	22698–22700	5502	February–March 1957	3	990 is serial 22698, February 1957. 992 is serial 22700, March 1957

Second generation

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
GP35	350–353	EMD	28792–28795	7710	January 1964	4	—
GP35	354–357	EMD	28953–28956	7710	January–February 1964	4	—
GP40	400–404	EMD	33910–33914	7099	June 1968	5	—
GP40	405	EMD	33956	7099	June 1968	1	—
GP38	200–204	EMD	31064–31068	7844	January–February 1966	5	Built on an order placed for the Maine Central and delivered to the DT&I
GP38	205, 206	EMD	35291, 35292	7188	September 1969	2	—
GP38AC	210–214	EMD	36333–36337	7258	May 1970	5	Later Grand Trunk Western 6210–6214
GP38AC	207–209	EMD	36340, 36339, 36338	7258	May 1970	3	Delivered as 217, 216, and 215. Serial 36340 became 207, 36339 became 208, and 36338 became 209. Later Grand Trunk Western 6207–6209
GP38AC	215–220	EMD	36866–36871	7287	July 1971	6	Second use of 215–217. Later Grand Trunk Western 6215–6220
GP38-2	221–228	EMD	74652-1 through 74652-8	74652	August 1975	8	228 also carried 1776. Later Grand Trunk Western 6221–6228
SD38	250–252	EMD	34863–34865	7161	July–August 1969	3	—
SD38	253, 254	EMD	36872, 36873	7330	July 1971	2	Frame numbers 7330-1 and 7330-2. Later Grand Trunk Western 6253 and 6254
GP40-2	406–413	EMD	7359-1 through 7359-8	7359	October 1972	8	Later Grand Trunk Western 6406–6413
GP40-2	414–421	EMD	73611-1 through 73611-8	73611	October 1973	8	Later Grand Trunk Western 6414–6421
GP40-2	422, 423	EMD	786215-1, 786215-2	786215	November 1979	2	Later Grand Trunk Western 6422 and 6423
GP40-2	424, 425	EMD	786215-3, 786215-4	786215	1979	2	Later Grand Trunk Western 6424 and 6425

Sources

Electro-Motive builder order list for the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton, TrainWeb EMD pages, the DT&I order index updated February 22, 2004, and the unit pages for orders 74652, 7359, 73611, 786215, 7258, 7287, 7330, 5231, 5411, and 5502. Read October 21, 2026.
The Diesel Shop, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton motive power, revised April 22, 2013. David L. Miller and R. Craig, with later updates credited on that page. Reference there: X2200 South.
George H. Drury, Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, revised edition, Detroit, Toledo & Ironton chapter, pp. 167–168, for the 1941, 1948, 1951, and 1955 dieselization dates.

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Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Diesel Roster (All-Time)

At a glance

Switchers

GP7s and GP9s

Second-generation road switchers

Roster

Switchers

GP7 and GP9

Second generation

Related reading

Sources