Last revised: August 27, 2024
By: Adam Burns
The SW1 was the second switcher Electro-Motive produced that featured a welded frame and respectable 600 horsepower.
It was the first to feature a General Motors prime mover, the 567 and 567A, and began EMD's modern line of switchers that continued through the MP15 series.
The SW1 proved quite popular, witnessing 660 sales before production ended. While it did not sell as well as the NW2, the SW1 and it successors became EMD's primary switcher line.
Today, examples can still be found in all types of applications, from regular freight service to industrial settings.
In addition, you can find them hosting excursions and tourist trains. Even one of the first SW1's built, Southern Pacific #1000, is preserved at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.
While Electro-Motive produced a wide range of highly successful switchers such as the NW2, SW1200, SW1500, and SW9 the series can be traced back to a group of early six and nine hundred horsepower variants built during the latter 1930s.
This included the SC, SW, NC, and NW manufactured with either cast or welded frames. For example, SC referred to Six hundred horsepower, Cast frame while SW denoted Six hundred horsepower, Welded frame.
These switchers were built during an era that predated the modern road diesels and some railroads still preferred locomotives with cast frames, harkening back to the steam era.
As the years passed, EMD's method of identifying models seemingly changed every few years; in some cases the number simply denoted its number in the series while later the horsepower rating was included.
In addition, the NW2 was the last in the short-lived "NW" line. Following its production run, Electro-Motive dropped the first letter in identifying the horsepower rating. It also eliminated the cast or welded designation as the latter became the preferred production method.
In their place, the builder retained the "SW" lettering, which now meant simply Switcher. The SW1 featured a 600 horsepower prime mover and retained Electro-Motive's signature short carbody of just 44-feet with tapering near the cab for improved visibility.
The SW1's most recognizable feature is the large sandbox just under the grill. Its location is unique to this particular model.
As Jerry Pinkepank notes in his book, "Diesel Spotter's Guide," another of the switcher's noteworthy trademarks is a single, centered, conical stack.
After World War II the SW1 was reequipped with EMD's updated 567A prime mover, which still produced 600 horsepower. During this time the model also featured a slight update to its carbody. The original was designed with a double-taper near the cab while the updated version included a single taper.
Entered Production | 12/1938 (Electro-Motive #755) |
Years Produced | 12/1938 - 11/1953 |
EMD Class | SW1 |
Engine | 567/567A (6 Cylinder) |
Engine Builder | EMD/GM |
Horsepower | 600 |
RPM | 800 |
Length | 44' 5" |
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab) | 14' 5" (Built prior to January, 1945.) |
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab) | 14' 4 5/8" (Built after January, 1945.) |
Width | 10' 2" (Built prior to January, 1945.) |
Width | 10' 0" (Built after January, 1945.) |
Weight | 198,000 Lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 600 Gallons |
Air Compressor | 3C2C (Westinghouse) |
Air Brake Schedule | 6-BL (Westinghouse) |
Trucks | B-B |
Truck Type | GRS Rigid Bolster, Drop-Side Equalizer (AAR Type-A) |
Truck Wheelbase | 8' 0" |
Wheel Size | 40" |
Traction Motors | D7* (4), EMD/GM |
Traction Generator | D4A/D4/D4D*, EMD/GM |
MU (Multiple-Unit) | No |
Dynamic Brakes | No |
Gear Ratio | 62:15 (Before January, 1945) or 65:12 (After January, 1945) |
Tractive Effort/Starting | 49,500 Lbs (at 25% adhesion) |
Top Speed | 65 mph (62:15); 55 mph (65:12) |
* Only the model D4D generator was used in SW1's built between January, 1945 and December, 1949. Electro-Motive's "Operating Manual #2303" states the D27 traction motor and D15A main generator were used in SW1 models built after December, 1949.
(Total Built = 660)
Owner | Road Number | Serial Number | Order Number | Completion Date | Quantity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 755* | 755 | E292 | 12/1938 | 1 |
Seaboard Air Line | 1200 | 802 | E236 | 3/1939 | 1 |
Fort Worth Belt Railway | 1 | 803 | E232 | 1/1939 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 804** | 804 | E257 | 2/1939 | 1 |
Central Railroad Of New Jersey | 1009-1010 | 805-806 | E229 | 1/1939 | 2 |
New York Central | 600-613 | 808-821 | E217 | 2/1939-4/1939 | 14 |
New York Central | 574-579 | 853-858 | E217 | 1/1939 | 6 |
Great Northern | 5101-5102 | 859-860 | E218 | 1/1939 | 2 |
Reading | 16-18 | 871-873 | E230 | 1/1939 | 3 |
Lehigh Valley | 112 | 874 | E237 | 4/1939 | 1 |
New York Central | 614-616 | 875-877 | E239 | 5/1939 | 3 |
Milwaukee Road | 1610-1611 | 878-879 | E240 | 6/1939 | 2 |
Wabash Railroad | 101-103 | 880-882 | E247 | 6/1939 | 3 |
Missouri Pacific | 9004-9005 | 895-896 | E249 | 9/1939 | 2 |
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy | 9136-9140 | 897-901 | E259 | 6/1939 | 5 |
Pere Marquette | 10 | 902 | E262 | 7/1939 | 1 |
Phelps Dodge Corporation | A | 903 | E265 | 7/1939 | 1 |
Milwaukee Road | 1612 | 904 | E268 | 8/1939 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 905*** | 905 | E287 | 8/1939 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 906**** | 906 | E283 | 8/1939 | 1 |
Soo Line | 320 | 907 | E273 | 9/1939 | 1 |
Louisville & Nashville | 11 | 908 | E275 | 9/1939 | 1 |
Richmond Terminal***** | 1 | 909 | E307 | 9/1939 | 1 |
Republic Steel Corporation (Buffalo) | 370 | 910 | E277 | 10/1939 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 911****** | 911 | E349 | 10/1939 | 1 |
Boston & Maine | 1109-1111 | 912-914 | E288 | 11/1939 | 3 |
Southern Pacific | 1004-1009 | 975-980 | E281 | 11/1939 | 6 |
Illinois Central | 9014-9020 | 981-987 | E284 | 12/1939-1/1940 | 7 |
Western Pacific | 502-503 | 988-989 | E283 | 12/1939 | 2 |
International-Great Northern (Missouri Pacific) | 9200-9203 | 990-993 | E289 | 12/1939 | 4 |
Fort Worth & Denver City (Burlington) | 602 | 994 | E290 | 12/1939 | 1 |
New York Central | 617-621 | 1010-1014 | E282 | 12/1939-1/1940 | 5 |
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern | 220-224 | 1015-1019 | E291 | 1/1940-2/1940 | 5 |
Lehigh Valley | 113-115 | 1020-1022 | E295 | 2/1940 | 3 |
Great Lakes Steel | 12 | 1023 | E349 | 9/1940 | 1 |
Wabash Railroad | 104 | 1024 | E297 | 2/1940 | 1 |
Houston Belt & Terminal | 10 | 1025 | E300 | 3/1940 | 1 |
Buffalo Creek Railroad | 42 | 1026 | E303 | 3/1940 | 1 |
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | 427-429 | 1027-1029 | E304 | 3/1940 | 3 |
Milwaukee Road | 1613-1624 | 1039-1050 | E298 | 3/1940-4/1940 | 12 |
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western | 430-437 | 1051-1058 | E304 | 4/1940-5/1940 | 8 |
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy | 9141-9147 | 1068-1074 | E310 | 5/1940-6/1940 | 7 |
Wabash Railroad | 105 | 1075 | E311 | 5/1940 | 1 |
Terminal Railroad Association Of St. Louis | 501-504 | 1076-1079 | E313 | 6/1940 | 4 |
Missouri Pacific | 9006 | 1083 | E316 | 8/1940 | 1 |
St. Johns River Terminal (Southern Railway) | 8565 | 1085 | E319 | 7/1940 | 1 |
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England | 212 | 1088 | E321 | 6/1940 | 1 |
Baltimore & Ohio | 200-215 | 1098-1113 | E324 | 8/1940-9/1940 | 16 |
Reading | 19-22 | 1128-1131 | E329 | 8/1940 | 4 |
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England | 213-214 | 1160-1161 | E337 | 8/1940 | 2 |
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern | 225-230 | 1162-1167 | E338 | 9/1940 | 6 |
Milwaukee Road | 1625-1633 | 1178-1186 | E343 | 10/1940-11/1940 | 9 |
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha (Chicago & North Western) | 55 | 1194 | E346 | 10/1940 | 1 |
Wabash Railroad | 106 | 1197 | E350 | 11/1940 | 1 |
Southern Railway | 2002-2004 | 1206-1208 | E354 | 11/1940 | 3 |
Inland Steel Company | 54 | 1223 | E361 | 11/1940 | 1 |
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England | 215-216 | 1228-1229 | E364 | 11/1940-12/1940 | 2 |
Central of Georgia Railway | 2-3 | 1230-1231 | E365 | 1/1941 | 2 |
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern | 231-237 | 1233-1239 | E367 | 12/1940-1/1941 | 7 |
New York Central | 622-641 | 1254-1273 | E372 | 3/1941-9/1941 | 20 |
New York Central | 642-644 | 1274-1276 | E373 | 4/1941 | 3 |
New York Central | 645-647 | 1277-1279 | E374 | 7/1941 | 3 |
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy | 9148-9153 | 1280-1285 | E375 | 2/1941 | 6 |
Donner-Hanna Coke Corporation | 1 | 1305 | E378 | 1/1941 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 30-31 | 1306-1307 | E379 | 2/1941 | 2 |
Missouri Pacific | 9011 | 1314 | E383 | 8/1941 | 1 |
Southern Pacific | 1010-1016 | 1316-1322 | E385 | 4/1941-7/1941 | 7 |
Texas & New Orleans (Southern Pacific) | 11 | 1323 | E385 | 7/1941 | 1 |
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton | 900-901 | 1324-1325 | E386 | 5/1941-8/1941 | 2 |
Great Lakes Steel | 14-15 | 1326-1327 | E387 | 3/1941 | 2 |
International-Great Northern (Missouri Pacific) | 9204-9205 | 1338-1339 | E392 | 6/1941 | 2 |
Milwaukee Road | 1634 | 1369 | E399 | 9/1941 | 1 |
Chicago & Eastern Illinois | 97-98 | 1378-1379 | E457 | 1/1942 | 2 |
Great Northern | 5103-5105 | 1380-1382 | E436 | 9/1941 | 3 |
Wabash Railroad | 107 | 1388 | E403 | 11/1945 | 1 |
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern | 238-246 | 1396-1404 | E407 | 9/1941-11/1941 | 9 |
Canton Railroad | 21 | 1448 | E425 | 10/1941 | 1 |
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England | 217-218 | 1449-1450 | E426 | 10/1941 | 2 |
Reading | 23-24 | 1451-1452 | E427 | 11/1941 | 2 |
Commonwealth Edison | 10 | 1453 | E429 | 11/1941 | 1 |
Boston & Maine | 1112-1113 | 1457-1458 | E430 | 11/1941 | 2 |
Central of Georgia Railway | 7 | 1459 | E441 | 12/1941 | 1 |
Chicago & Eastern Illinois | 99 | 1474 | E457 | 1/1942 | 1 |
Memphis Union Station | 10 | 1475 | E435 | 1/1942 | 1 |
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis | 15 | 1537 | E443 | 12/1941 | 1 |
Louisville & Nashville | 12-15 | 1563-1566 | E448 | 12/1941 | 4 |
New York Central | 648-650 | 1582-1584 | E456 | 12/1941 | 3 |
Inland Steel Company | 57 | 1588 | E455 | 12/1941 | 1 |
New York Central | 651-654 | 1589-1592 | E456 | 1/1942-2/1942 | 4 |
Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon) | 50 | 1597 | E460 | 2/1942 | 1 |
Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal | 217, 216, 218-221 | 1601-1606 | E462 | 5/1942-8/1942 | 6 |
Central Railroad of New Jersey | 1011-1012 | 1610-1611 | E465 | 2/1942 | 2 |
Commonwealth Edison | 11 | 1632 | E469 | 2/1942 | 1 |
Chicago Short Line | 200 | 1677 | E474 | 2/1942 | 1 |
Rock Island | 529-536 | 1678-1685 | E475 | 2/1942-4/1942 | 8 |
Pere Marquette | 11 | 1714 | E478 | 4/1942 | 1 |
Chicago & North Western | 1207-1212, 1214-1215 | 1738-1745 | E489 | 9/1942-12/1942 | 8 |
Canton Railroad | 22-23 | 1750-1751 | E493 | 6/1942 | 2 |
Republic Steel Corporation | 371 | 1778 | E500 | 1/1942 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 5910 | 1852 | E512 | 8/1942 | 1 |
Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England | 220-221 | 1853-1854 | E513 | 3/1942 | 2 |
Chicago & Eastern Illinois | 95-96 | 1855-1856 | E514 | 6/1942 | 2 |
Fort Worth & Denver City (Burlington) | 604 | 1864 | E517 | 8/1942 | 1 |
New York Central | 580-584 | 1878-1882 | E521 | 12/1942-3/1943 | 5 |
Republic Steel Corporation (Gadsden, Alabama) | 890-891 | 1936-1937 | E528 | 3/1942 | 2 |
U.S. Army | 7001 | 1990 | E533 | 3/1942 | 1 |
U.S. Army | 7003-7004 | 2000-2001 | E543 | 6/1942 | 2 |
U.S. Army | 7002 | 2012 | E548 | 5/1942 | 1 |
Broward County Port Authority (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) | 400 | 2384 | E595 | 2/1943 | 1 |
Commonwealth Edison | 14 | 2864 | E638 | 6/1946 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 16-18 | 3182-3184 | E656 | 9/1945-10/1945 | 3 |
Republic Steel (Canton, Ohio) | 50-54 | 3219-3223 | E661 | 10/1945 | 5 |
Republic Steel (Youngstown, Ohio) | 300-301 | 3224-3225 | E661 | 10/1945 | 2 |
Illinois Central | 9021-9030 | 3289-3298 | E668 | 6/1946 | 10 |
Pennsylvania | 5944-5946 | 3414-3416 | E679 | 6/1946 | 3 |
Pennsylvania | 5947-5951 | 3580-3584 | E694 | 6/1946-7/1946 | 5 |
Wheeling Steel | 1001-1002 | 3769-3770 | E720 | 10/1946 | 2 |
Boston & Maine | 1114-1116 | 3884-3886 | E727 | 10/1946 | 3 |
Boston & Maine | 1117 | 3895 | E727 | 10/1946 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 700******* | 3896 | E730 | 10/1946 | 1 |
Maryland & Pennsylvania | 70 | 4162 | E771 | 12/1946 | 1 |
Mathieson Chemical Corporation | 1 | 4479 | E804 | 1/1947 | 1 |
Chicago District Electric Generating Company | 3 | 4492 | E806 | 1/1947 | 1 |
Manufacturers Junction Railway | 6 | 4498 | E810 | 1/1947 | 1 |
Atlantic & East Carolina Railroad | 9 | 4582 | E812 | 4/1947 | 1 |
Wabash | 108 | 4730 | E823 | 4/1947 | 1 |
Southern Railway | 2007-2011 | 4743-4747 | E827 | 4/1947-8/1947 | 5 |
St. Joseph Belt Railway (Missouri) | 12 | 4793 | E831 | 4/1947 | 1 |
Republic Steel (Buffalo, New York) | 372 | 4804 | E835 | 4/1947 | 1 |
Chattanooga Traction Company | 4 | 4840 | E837 | 4/1947 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 5952-5953 | 4957-4958 | E850 | 9/1947 | 2 |
Commonwealth Edison | 12 | 4995 | E856 | 9/1947 | 1 |
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis | 505-508 | 5022-5025 | E859 | 9/1947-10/1947 | 4 |
Pennsylvania | 9138, 9137, 9139-9151 | 5370-5384 | E898 | 4/1948-7/1948 | 15 |
Angelina & Neches River Railroad | 10 | 5656 | E931 | 9/1947 | 1 |
Georgia Marble Company | 1 | 5663 | E933 | 9/1947 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 5987-5999 | 5664-5676 | E934 | 3/1948-4/1948 | 13 |
Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad | 1000-1003 | 5753-5756 | E945 | 3/1948 | 4 |
Wheeling Steel | 1003-1004 | 5764-5765 | E947 | 8/1948 | 2 |
Commonwealth Edison | 13 | 5767 | E949 | 3/1948 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 9152-9154 | 5814-5816 | E898 | 8/1948 | 3 |
Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company (West Allis, Wisconsin) | 8 | 5920 | E959 | 9/1947 | 1 |
Erie Railroad | 360 | 6148 | E977 | 7/1948 | 1 |
Inland Steel | 70-73 | 6169-6172 | E980 | 3/1948-4/1948 | 4 |
Hanna Furnace Company | 14-15 | 6258-6259 | E990 | 4/1948, 4/1949 | 2 |
New York Central | 585-609 | 6391-6415 | E999 | 4/1949-6/1949 | 25 |
Mathieson Chemical Corporation | 2 | 6466 | E1003 | 4/1949 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 33-34 | 6753-6754 | E1023 | 7/1948, 4/1949 | 2 |
Pennsylvania | 9200-9209 | 6759-6768 | E1049 | 4/1949 | 10 |
Chicago District Electric Generating Company | 4 | 6769 | E1025 | 8/1948 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 22 | 7402 | E1023 | 4/1949 | 1 |
Roscoe, Snyder & Pacific Railway | 100 | 7458 | E1061 | 8/1949 | 1 |
Rock Island | 537-546 | 7473-7482 | E1064 | 7/1949 | 10 |
Union Railroad | 455-468 | 7502-7515 | E1070 | 6/1949-8/1949 | 14 |
Wabash | 109 | 7533 | E1094 | 6/1949 | 1 |
Wabash | 110-111 | 7741-7742 | E1094 | 6/1949 | 2 |
Canton Railroad | 24-25 | 7744-7745 | E1067 | 8/1949 | 2 |
Detroit Edison | 210-211 | 8152-8153 | E1139 | 4/1949 | 2 |
Chicago Short Line | 201 | 8154 | E1140 | 4/1949 | 1 |
Boston & Maine | 1118 | 8321 | E1154 | 4/1949 | 1 |
Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon) | 5-6 | 8423-8424 | E1254 | 8/1949 | 2 |
Union Railroad | 469-470 | 8531-8532 | E1185 | 1/1950-2/1950 | 2 |
Galveston Wharves | 201-202 | 8613-8614 | E1194 | 4/1949 | 2 |
Galveston Wharves | 203-204 | 10083-10084 | 6041 | 12/1949 | 2 |
Central Indiana Railway | 1 | 10111 | 6005 | 7/1949 | 1 |
Great Northern | 80-82 | 10118-10120 | 4027 | 1/1950 | 3 |
Commonwealth Edison | 15 | 10538 | 4034 | 9/1950 | 1 |
Union Railroad | 471-476 | 10900-10905 | 4042 | 7/1950 | 6 |
Conemaugh & Black Lick Railroad | 60-61 | 11009-11010 | 6060 | 12/1949 | 2 |
Great Northern | 83 | 11025 | 4047 | 1/1950 | 1 |
Georgia & Florida Railroad | 70-72 | 11097-11099 | 6070 | 7/1950 | 3 |
Pennsylvania | 9396-9428 | 11190-11222 | 6081 | 7/1950-11/1950 | 33 |
Public Service Company Of Northern Illinois | 9 | 11227 | 6083 | 1/1950 | 1 |
McLouth Steel | 3 | 11316 | 6086 | 1/1950 | 1 |
St. Joseph Terminal | 1-2 | 11378-11379 | 6089 | 2/1950 | 2 |
New York Central | 610-614 | 11767-11771 | 6115 | 10/1950 | 5 |
New York Central (Chicago River & Indiana) | 615-621 | 11782-11788 | 6116 | 6/1950-10/1950 | 7 |
Conemaugh & Black Lick Railroad | 62-65 | 11938-11941 | 4060 | 10/1950 | 4 |
Detroit Edison | 212 | 12087 | 6133 | 10/1950 | 1 |
Lehigh Valley | 118-119 | 12212-12213 | 4067 | 12/1950 | 2 |
Republic Steel (Youngstown, Ohio) | 302-303 | 12734, 13139 | 6167, 6183 | 10/1950-11/1950 | 2 |
Inland Steel (East Chicago, Indiana) | 76-77 | 13547-13548 | 6215 | 11/1950-12/1950 | 2 |
Inland Steel (East Chicago, Indiana) | 78-80 | 13575-13577 | 4094 | 3/1951 | 3 |
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road) | 105-106 | 13705-13706 | 6213 | 12/1950 | 2 |
Allegheny & South Side Railway | 101 | 14058 | 4101 | 3/1951 | 1 |
Republic Steel | 304 | 14098 | 6240 | 3/1951 | 1 |
Illinois Central | 9031-9032 | 14388-14389 | 4119 | 8/1951 | 2 |
Republic Steel (Youngstown, Ohio) | 305 | 14391 | 6262 | 3/1951 | 1 |
Public Service Company Of Northern Illinois | 10 | 14478 | 6261 | 8/1951 | 1 |
McLouth Steel | 4 | 14507 | 6267 | 3/1951 | 1 |
Republic Steel | 306 | 14559 | 6266 | 8/1951 | 1 |
Republic Steel (Cleveland, Ohio) | 340-341 | 14560-14561 | 6317 | 8/1951 | 2 |
Chihuahua Forests Company (Mexico) | 500 | 14654 | 6296 | 8/1951 | 1 |
Granite City Steel | 600-601 | 14721-14722 | 6292 | 8/1951 | 2 |
Inland Steel | 81 | 14741 | 4094 | 3/1951 | 1 |
Republic Steel (Gadsden, Alabama) | 893 | 14742 | 6316 | 8/1951 | 1 |
Galveston Wharves | 205 | 14985 | 6324 | 8/1951 | 1 |
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator) | 152******** | 15557 | 4152 | 6/1951 | 1 |
Republic Steel (Youngstown, Ohio) | 352 | 16116 | 6379 | 2/1952 | 1 |
Republic Steel (Gadsden, Alabama) | 894 | 16117 | 6394 | 2/1952 | 1 |
Great Western Railway of Colorado | 61 | 16446 | 6391 | 2/1952 | 1 |
Public Service Company Of Northern Illinois | 11 | 16704 | 6371 | 6/1952 | 1 |
Portland Traction Company | 100 | 16889 | 6399 | 2/1952 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 36 | 17114 | 6435 | 3/1953 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 35 | 17137 | 6421 | 12/1952 | 1 |
Louisiana Midland Railway | 11 | 17143 | 6437 | 6/1952 | 1 |
Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago | 1-3 | 17235-17237 | 6417 | 7/1952-12/1952 | 3 |
Garden City Western | 201 | 17564 | 6472 | 10/1952 | 1 |
Portland Traction Company | 200 | 17709 | 4210 | 3/1953 | 1 |
McLouth Steel | 5 | 17895 | 6478 | 3/1953 | 1 |
Chicago & North Western | 1268-1270, 1272-1273 | 18101-18105 | 4177 | 5/1953 | 5 |
Chicago & North Western | 1271 | 18111 | 4227 | 5/1953 | 1 |
Chicago & North Western | 1274-1279 | 18106-18110, 18112-18113 | 4228 | 5/1953 | 6 |
Boston & Maine | 1119-1132 | 18186-18199 | 4214 | 7/1953-8/1953 | 14 |
Warner Sand & Gravel Company | 15 | 18279 | 6508 | 5/1953 | 1 |
Hanna Furnace Company | 16 | 18299 | 6510 | 5/1953 | 1 |
Lehigh Portland Cement Company | 5 | 18441 | 6519 | 5/1953 | 1 |
Sahara Coal Company | No Number | 18721 | 4237 | 9/1953 | 1 |
Great Lakes Steel | 38 | 18783 | 4242 | 9/1953 | 1 |
Cleveland Quarries Company | 2 | 19304 | 4254 | 11/1953 | 1 |
* Became Inland Steel Company #51 in January, 1940.
** Became Southern Pacific #1000.
*** Became Central of Georgia #1.
**** Became Western Pacific #501.
***** This unit was built as Atlantic Coast Line #1901 but ultimately rejected and returned to EMD where it was resold to Richmond Terminal.
****** Became Great Lakes Steel #11.
******* Became Manufacturers Junction Railway #7.
******** Became Scullin Steel #6.
Other new additions included a lower exhaust stack (which became standard on all future EMD switcher locomotives) for better crew visibility, rectangular instead of curved windshields above the hood (beginning in the mid-1950s), and twin sealed-beam headlights.
The SW1 enjoyed a long production run, from December, 1938 through November, 1953. Due to their flexibility, reliability and cheap price, numerous Class Is and short lines purchased switcher with some 660 manufactured over thirteen years.
It also found great interest in the private sector where companies like Wheeling Steel, Warner Sand & Gravel, Republic Steel, Cleveland Quarries, and even the U.S. Army bought the model.
Oct 09, 24 10:21 PM
Oct 09, 24 03:10 PM
Oct 09, 24 03:09 PM