The EMD E7 was the first model in the series built fully under the General Motors banner and went on as the most successful. The design began construction in early 1945 and was ultimately purchased by dozens of major railroads for use in passenger service. Internally, the E7 varied little from the E3 through E6 models. However, externally, EMD updated the carbody giving it a sleeker look and a more beveled, blunted nose (the classic "bull dog" appearance that made EMD's cab design legendary) that was first featured on the freight FT of 1939. Some E7s saw service for many years and were still around until the start of Amtrak in 1971. The succeeding E8 was also purchased by many railroad successful. Incredibly, despite more than 500 E7As and Bs constructed be Electro-Motive just one is preserved today, Pennsylvania #5901-A (out-shopped by the builder in September, 1952).
While she is no longer operable you can see this locomotive adorned in its handsome Tuscan Red livery with cat whiskers, housed indoors at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Ronks, Pennsylvania. Ironically, more Alco PA's now survive than this popular EMD model!
The EMD E7 began production in early 1945 as the first passenger model manufactured by GM's official Electo-Motive Division. The model's internal components were more or less similar to earlier models. While the locomotive did feature a slightly upgraded 12-cylinder, model 567A prime mover it still carried a rating of 2,000 horsepower (using dual engines). The truck setup remained the same as an A1A-A1A (meaning the center axle was unpowered) and model D7 traction motors. Finally, as had been the case for most E series designs cataloged by Electro-Motive through that time the E7 offered 56,500 pounds of starting tractive effort and 31,000 pounds continuous. Interestingly enough, there was no deviation from this rating all of the way through the E9.
A History Of The Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
EMD's General Motors Diesel
Early Switchers: SW, SC, NW, NC
SW9
SW900
SW1000
SW1001 Variant
SW1200
SW1500
F2
F3
F7
FP7
F9
New Haven's FL9
F40PH Series
F45 Series
GP7
GP9
GP15 Series
GP18
RS1325
GP20
GP30
GP35
GP38 Series
GP40 Series
GP50
SD35
SD38 Series
SD40/SD40-2 Series
SD45 Series
SD50
SD60 Series
SD70 Series
SD75M/I Variant
Conrail's SD80MAC
SD90MAC
SD70ACe
By 1945 EMD's products were well known for their reliability, efficiency, and ruggedness. The builder paved the way for the fall of steam thanks to its FT, and then went on to silence the motive power forever with future models like the F7, GP7, GP9, and others. As such, most railroads came to trust Electro-Motive's products and were willing to use the E7 to power their most prestigious trains of the time. Numerous lines from the Baltimore & Ohio and Atlantic Coast Line to the Milwaukee Road and Southern Pacific purchased the streamlined diesel. While EMD's passenger line was never as successful as its freight models the builder sold some 428 E7As and 82 E7Bs by the time production had ended in the spring of 1949.
The reliability of Electro-Motive's E7 and later E models could been seen in their longevity. Many of those not traded in and replaced by the later E8 saw service up until Amtrak, although by that time with service in severe decline many units had been extremely abused and were simply worn out. It is not believed that any remaining E7s actually made it into service on Amtrak although the carrier did utilize a number of aging E8s, E9s, FL9s, and FP7s. Sadly, the Rock Island which could not afford to join Amtrak (railroads had to pay a fee to the carrier to hand over their remaining passenger trains) continued to use some of its worn out E7s in passenger service through the late 1970s.
Owner | Road Number(s) | Quantity | Date Built |
---|---|---|---|
Alton Railroad | 100-103, 101A-103A | 7 | 1945-1946 |
Atlantic Coast Line | 524-543 | 20 | 1945-1948 |
Baltimore & Ohio | 64A-80A (Evens), 64B-80B (Evens) | 18 | 1945 |
Bangor & Aroostook | 700-701 | 2 | 1949 | Boston & Maine | 3800-3820 | 21 | 1946-1949 |
Burlington | 9916A-9929A, 9931A-9937A, 9916B-9929B, 9931B-9937B | 42 | 1945-1949 |
Central Of Georgia | 801-810 | 10 | 1946-1948 |
Chesapeake & Ohio | 95-98 | 4 | 1948 | Chicago & Eastern Illinois | 1100-1102 | 3 | 1946 |
Chicago & North Western | 5008A-5020A, 5007B-5019B | 26 | 1945-1949 |
Electro-Motive (Demo) | 765 (To UP, #988) | 1 | 1947 |
Florida East Coast | 1006-1022 | 17 | 1945-1947 |
Great Northern | 500A-504A, 510A-512A, 500B-504B | 12 | 1945-1947 |
Illinois Central | 4000, 4005-4017 | 14 | 1946-1948 |
International-Great Northern Railroad (MP) | 7007, 7012 | 2 | 1947 |
Louisville & Nashville | 458A-461A, 458B-461B, 790-793 | 12 | 1945-1949 |
Maine Central | 705-711 | 7 | 1946-1948 |
Milwaukee Road | 16A-20A, 16B-20B | 10 | 1946 |
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (Katy) | 101A, 101C | 2 | 1947 |
Missouri Pacific | 7005-7006, 7010-7011, 7013-7017 | 9 | 1945-1948 |
New York Central | 4004-4035 | 32 | 1945-1949 |
Pennsylvania | 5900A-5901A, 5840A-5883A | 46 | 1945-1949 |
Pere Marquette | 101-108 | 8 | 1946-1947 |
Rock Island | 632-642 | 11 | 1946-1948 |
Seaboard Air Line | 3017-3048 | 32 | 1945-1949 |
Southern Pacific | 6000A-6004A | 5 | 1947 |
Southern Railway | 2905-2922 | 18 | 1946-1949 |
Spokane, Portland & Seattle | 750 | 1 | 1948 | St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico (MP) | 7008-7009 | 2 | 1947 |
St. Louis San Francisco Railway (Frisco) | 2000-2005 | 6 | 1947 |
Texas & Pacific (MP) | 2000-2009 | 10 | 1947-1949 |
Union Pacific | 907A, 927A, 930A-931A, 959A-960A, 988 | 8 | 1946-1947 |
Wabash Railroad | 1000-1002, 1001A | 4 | 1946-1949 |
Owner | Road Number(s) | Quantity | Date Built |
---|---|---|---|
Atlantic Coast Line | 755-764 | 10 | 1945 |
Florida East Coast | 1052-1054 | 3 | 1945 |
Illinois Central | 4100-4103 | 4 | 1946-1948 |
International-Great Northern Railroad (MP) | 7012B | 1 | 1947 |
Missouri Pacific | 7004B, 7010B-7011B, 7014B-7017B | 7 | 1945-1948 |
New York Central | 4100-4113 | 14 | 1945-1948 |
Pennsylvania | 5840B-5864B, 5900B | 13 | 1947-1948 |
Rock Island | 632B-634B, 637B-642B | 9 | 1945-1948 |
Seaboard Air Line | 3105-3107 | 3 | 1948 |
Southern Pacific | 6000B-6004B, 6000C-6004C | 10 | 1947 |
Union Pacific | 908B-909B, 928B-929B, 961B-963B | 7 | 1946 |
As a comparison, the only other locomotive builder to truly compete in the passenger model market with EMD was Alco and its PA model. While considered the most beautiful diesel locomotive ever built, unfortunately it used a troublesome and unreliable prime mover that caused many railroads to stick with EMD, even after Alco corrected the issue with a new engine in the PA-2. As mentioned above, PRR #5901, is the only E7 still in existence. Today, the Pennsylvania unit remains cosmetically restored at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg and can be regularly visited by the public, housed in-doors and out of the elements.
Header Photo: Drew Jacksich
Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource in the study of steam locomotives.
The amount of information found there is quite staggering; historical backgrounds of wheel arrangements, types used by virtually every railroad, preserved and operational examples, and even those used in other countries (North America and beyond).
It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. It is a must visit!
A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way.
Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that.
If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer.
It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page!