EMD "E7" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History

Last revised: February 20, 2025

Electro-Motive's E7 series passenger diesel is generally considered the builder's first in the post-World War II era even though it was introduced in February, 1945, seven months before the conflict officially ended.

It established many of EMD's standardized practices in both the freight and passenger models, including the first passenger diesel to feature the builder's "bulldog" nose look first introduced on the FT in 1939.

The E7 continued Electro-Motive's passenger line that had been formally launched with the EA of 1937, and continued through the E6 of 1940-1942. As EMD's reputation grew it sold increasingly more E units that reached a crescendo with the E7. Internally, the E7 varied little from the E3 through E6.

Ironically, despite 510 "A" and "B" units 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. Perhaps most amazing is that more Alco PA's survive than this popular EMD model!

This Electro-Motive photo, taken in the spring of 1945, features Great Northern E7A set #504A/B wearing a rare livery ordered for the postwar "Empire Builder." As Bob Le Massena notes: "As was common at the time the motive power arrived long before the cars were delivered. In this instance, the delay was a year-and-a-half. By that time [the] locomotives had been altered somewhat. The simplified mountain goat emblem was removed from each side, replaced by the traditional herald (with its 'Great Northern Railway' name ring around the outside) mounted on a plaque low on the nose door. A second headlight was mounted in the upper half of the door, and the illuminated number-plate was moved upward to a position just below the original headlight. "The Great Northern" in gilt script around the nose was removed to make room for the herald plaque, and the dark green bands which had ended at the new herald were extended on around the nose and curved down to a point on each side of the nose door."

Overview

The E7 was Electro-Motive's first in the series featuring the now-classic "bulldog" nose. As Brian Solomon notes in his book, "Electro-Motive: E Units And F Units," the ease of War Production Board restrictions on domestic diesel locomotive production enabled EMD to unveil a redesigned passenger model.

In doing so, and after listening to customer feedback, EMD offered many new features on the E7, including standardization of components that were interchangeable among multiple locomotive models.

The E7's internal components were more or less similar, or the same, to earlier models. While the locomotive did feature a slightly upgraded 12-cylinder, model 567A prime mover (in place of the earlier, original 567 model) it still carried a 2,000 horsepower rating.

The truck setup remained the same as an A1A-A1A (meaning the center axle was unpowered) and model D7 traction motors. As a passenger model, the E7 was offered with steam generators; used not only for heating purposes but in some cases with early air-conditioning systems as well.

Milwaukee Road E7A #18-A is seen here in a fresh coat of Armour Yellow at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1964. Russ Porter photo. American-Rails.com collection.

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 F3, F7, GP7, GP9, and others.

Kansas City Southern (Louisiana & Arkansas) E7A #12, at the road's engine terminal in Pittsburg, Kansas, circa 1968. This unit was acquired from the Maine Central in 1962. Mac Owen photo. American-Rails.com collection.

The E7 was available with four different gearing ratios including:

52:25 (Maximum Speed = 117 mph)

55:22 (Maximum Speed = 100 mph)

56:21 (Maximum Speed = 92 mph)

57:20 (Maximum Speed = 85 mph)

Numerous railroads would go on purchase the E7, from the Baltimore & Ohio and Atlantic Coast Line to the Milwaukee Road and Southern Pacific, as the industry geared up for the postwar streamliner boom.

Interestingly, not every railroad was satisfied with the E series; Southern Pacific stated they only performed well on relatively flat grades found east of the Mississippi River and were not rugged enough to handle the harsh operating conditions and stiff grades of the West.

Missouri Pacific E7A #4 is showing her age at Poplar Bluff, Missouri, circa 1968. This unit was built for MP subsidiary Texas & Pacific as #2003 in 1947. American-Rails.com collection.

The railroad went on to purchase just one E8 and a handful of E9s. Interestingly, it found Alco's PA much more to its liking in passenger assignments. The Santa Fe carried a similar sentiment. In fact, it purchased no E7s, E8s, or E9s, instead preferring EMD's sure-footed F3 and F7 models to lead its top trains.

While EMD's entire passenger line was never as successful as its freight models, the E7 proved its most popular as the builder sold some 428 "A" units and 82 "B" units by the time production had ended in the spring of 1949. It was replaced with the E8, which debuted later that year, a slightly more powerful variant that also incorporated a number of design improvements.

Rock Island E7A #633 is stopped at the Morton Street Depot in Peoria, Illinois with train #11 from Chicago in July, 1968. American-Rails.com collection.

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.

While no E7s actually made it into service on Amtrak, the carrier did utilize a number of aging E8s, E9s, FL9s, and FP7s. Sadly, the Rock Island, which could not afford to join the new carrier (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 assignment through the latter 1970s.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	2/1945 (Baltimore & Ohio #64-A)
Years Produced	2/1945 - 4/1949
Engine	567A (2)
Engine Builder	GM
Horsepower	2000
RPM	800
Cylinders	12
Length (E7A)	71' 1 ¼" (End of Couplers)
Length (E7B)	70' 0" (End of Couplers)
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	13' 11"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Roof Horn)	14' 10"
Width	10' 6 7/8" (Outside Grab Irons)
Weight	316,500 Lbs (A Units): 308,300 Lbs (B Units)
Fuel Capacity	1,200 Gallons
Air Compressor	Gardner-Denver
Air Compressor Model	WXO
Air Brake Manufacturer	Westinghouse
Air Brake Schedule	24RL
Trucks	A1A
Truck Type	Blomberg
Truck Wheelbase	14' 1"
Wheel Size	36"
Steam Generator Manufacturer	Vapor-Clarkson
Steam Generator Capacity	1200 Lbs/Hr
Traction Motors	D7 (4), GM
Primary Generator	D4 (2), GM
Auxiliary Generator	Delco
MU (Multiple-Unit)	Yes
Dynamic Brakes	No
Gear Ratio Options	52:25, 55:21, 56:21, 57:20
Tractive Effort (Continuous)	19,500 Lbs (52:25); 23,500 Lbs (55:21); 25,000 Lbs (56:21); 27,000 Lbs (57:20)
Top Speed	117 mph (52:25); 98 mph (55:21); 92 mph (56:21); 85 mph (57:20)

Great Northern E7A #505 at rest in Duluth, Minnesota on an overcast day in September, 1962. Rick Burn photo.

Production Rosters

E7A

Total Built = 428

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date
Alton Railroad	101, 101A	1671-1672	E490	3/1945
Baltimore & Ohio	64(A), 64(B), 66(A), 66(B)	1673-1676	E472	2/1945
Seaboard Air Line	3017-3020	1929-1932	E534	3/1945
Chicago & North Western	5007B	1966	E536	4/1945
Alton Railroad	102, 102A, 103, 103A	2003-2006	E544	3/1945
Florida East Coast	1006-1007	2293-2294	E578	4/1945
Louisville & Nashville	458A-461A, 458B-461B	2366-2373	E591	4/1945
Great Northern	500A-504A, 500B-504B	2428-2437	E605	4/1945, 6/1945
Florida East Coast	1008-1017	2521-2530	E607	6/1945
Atlantic Coast Line	529-531	2827-2829	E635	6/1945, 8/1945
New York Central	4000-4003	2865-2868	E639	3/1945
New York Central	4004-4007	2869-2872	E639	10/1945
Seaboard Air Line	3021-3030	2875-2884	E640	8/1945 - 9/1945
Missouri Pacific	7004	2895	E641	9/1945
Baltimore & Ohio	68(A), 68(B), 70(A), 70(B), 72(A), 72(B), 74(A), 74(B), 76(A), 76(B), 78(A), 78(B), 80(A), 80(B)	2897-2910	E642	9/1945 - 10/1945
Pere Marquette	101-102	2911-2912	E643	6/1946
Chicago Burlington & Quincy	9916A,B-9925A,B	2938-2957	E646	11/1945
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	632-636	3094-3098	E650	4/1946 - 5/1946
Chicago & North Western	5008A-5008B, 5009A	3112-3114	E652	5/1946
Atlantic Coast Line	524-528	3185-3189	E657	3/1945 - 4/1945
Southern	2905-2916	3194-3205	E658	5/1946
Alton Railroad	100	3218	E660	5/1946
Wabash	1000	3226	E662	8/1946
Milwaukee Road	16A-20A, 16B-20B	3235-3244	E664	5/1946 - 6/1946
Illinois Central	4005-4015	3265-3275	E666	9/1946
Boston & Maine	3800-3801	3339-3340	E670	9/1945
Boston & Maine	3802-3815	3341-3354	E670	6/1946
Chicago & North Western	5009B	3355	E652	5/1946
Pennsylvania	5900A-5901A	3356-3357	E671	9/1945
Maine Central	705-708	3366-3369	E670	6/1946
Chicago & Eastern Illinois	1100-1101	3374-3375	E674	5/1946
Central of Georgia	801-807	3384-3390	E676	9/1946
Atlantic Coast Line	532-537	3408-3413	E635	6/1946
Union Pacific	959A-960A	3504-3505	E690	8/1946
Union Pacific/Chicago & North Western	927A	3506	E690	8/1946
Union Pacific	930A-931A	3507-3508	E690	8/1946
Union Pacific/Southern Pacific/Chicago & North Western	907A	3509	E690	8/1946
Chicago & Eastern Illinois	1102	3585	E674	9/1946
Seaboard Air Line	3031-3034	3611-3614	E697	9/1946
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	637-638	3733-3734	E712	9/1946
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	639-642	3735-3738	E712	2/1948
Central of Georgia	808	3754	E714	9/1946
Missouri Pacific	7010-7011	3758-3759	E715	3/1947
Missouri Pacific	7005-7006	3762-3763	E716	3/1947
Missouri Pacific (International-Great Northern)	7012	3764	E717	3/1947
Missouri Pacific (International-Great Northern)	7007	3766	E718	3/1947
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2000-2001	3767-3768	E719	3/1947
Missouri Pacific (St Louis, Brownsville & Mexico)	7008-7009	3887-3888	E724	3/1947
St Louis-San Francisco (Frisco)	2001, 2004, 2002, 2005, 2000, 2003	3917-3922	E732	3/1947
Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy)	101A, 101B	3934-3935	E738	3/1947
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2002-2007	3936-3941	E739	3/1947
Chicago & North Western	5010A-5011A, 5010B-5011B	3972-3975	E744	3/1947
Pennsylvania	5840A-5855A	3976-3991	E745	8/1947 - 9/1947
Wabash	1001, 1001A	4084-4085	E758	4/1947
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator)	765 (became Union Pacific 988)	4147	5/1947	E765
Southern Pacific	6003A-6004A	4150-4151	E807	8/1947
Southern Pacific	6000A-6002A	4152-4154	E767	4/1947
New York Central	4008-4023	4163-4178	E751	4/1947
Pere Marquette	103-106	4252-4255	E776	04/47
Chicago & North Western	5012A-5017A, 5012B-5016B	4273-4283	E781	9/1947
Great Northern	510A-512A	4338-4340	E801	8/1947
Florida East Coast	1018-1022	4390-4394	E788	8/1947
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9926A-9929A, 9926B-9929B	4433-4440	E792	9/1947
Seaboard Air Line	3035	4444	E697	9/1946
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9930A, 9930B, 9949	4499-4501	E792	9/1947
Pere Marquette	107-108	4722-4723	E821	8/1947
Missouri Pacific	7013	4795	E833	9/1947
New York Central	4024-4029	4847-4852	E840	2/1948
Pennsylvania	5856A-5865A	5073-5082	E864	2/1948
Illinois Central	4016-4017	5149-5150	E873	6/1948
Central of Georgia	809	5197	E880	6/1948
Central of Georgia	810	5242	E880	6/1948
Illinois Central	4000	5385	E899	8/1947
Missouri Pacific	7014-7017	5443-5446	E905	6/1948 - 7/1948
Boston & Maine	3816-3819	5623-5626	E927	7/1948
Atlantic Coast Line	538-543	5677-5682	E935	7/1948
Seaboard Air Line	3036-3040	6028-6032	E969	2/1948
Seaboard Air Line	3041-3044	6149-6152	E978	7/1948
New York Central	4030-4035	6241-6246	E987	3/1949
Chesapeake & Ohio	95-98	6262-6265	E992	7/1948
Wabash	1002	6499	E1002	3/1949
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9931A-9933A, 9931B-9933B	6500-6505	E1006	3/1949
Chicago & North Western	5017B, 5018A-5019A, 5018B-5019B, 5020A	6592-6597	E1012	3/1949
Maine Central	709-711	6647-6649	E1017	7/1948
Southern	2917-2922	6859-6864	E1031	4/1949
Louisville &a Nashville	790-793	7600-7603	E1082	3/1949
Spokane, Portland & Seattle	750	7632	E1088	7/1948
Pennsylvania	5866A-5879A	7836-7849	E1113	3/1949 - 4/1949
Seaboard Air Line	3045-3048	8259-8262	E1146	4/1949
Bangor & Aroostook	700	8417	E1163	4/1949
Texas & Pacific (Missouri Pacific)	2008-2009	8464-8465	E1170	4/1949
Boston & Maine	3820	8475	E1172	4/1949
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9934A-9935A, 9934B-9935B	8488-8491	E1006	3/1949
Bangor & Aroostook	701	8615	E1163	4/1949
Pennsylvania	5880A-5883A	8619-8622	E1113	4/1949
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy	9936A, 9936B, 9937A	8917-8919	E1006	3/1949

E7B

Total Built = 82

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date
Florida East Coast	1052	2295	E578	4/1945
Florida East Coast	1053-1054	2531-2532	E608	6/1945
Atlantic Coast Line	759-764	2830-2835	E635	6/1945 - 8/1945
New York Central	4100-4101	2873-2874	E639	10/1945
Missouri Pacific	7004B	2896	E641	9/1945
New York Central	4102-4103	2913-2914	E639	10/1945
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	632B	3099	E650	4/1946
Atlantic Coast Line	755-758	3190-3193	E657	3/1945 - 4/1945
Illinois Central	4100-4102	3276-3278	E666	9/1946
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	633B-634B	3461-3462	E650	4/1946 - 5/1946
Union Pacific	961B-963B	3510-3512	E690	8/1946
Union Pacific/Chicago & North Western	928B-929B	3513-3514	E690	8/1946
Union Pacific/Southern Pacific/Chicago & North Western	908B-909B	3515-3516	E690	8/1946
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	637B-638B	3739-3740	E712	9/1946
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	639B-642B	3741-3744	E712	2/1948
Missouri Pacific	7010B-7011B	3760-3761	E715	3/1947
Missouri Pacific (International-Great Northern)	7012B	3765	E717	3/1947
Pennsylvania	5840B-5854B (Evens)	3992-3999	E745	8/1947 - 9/1947
Southern Pacific	6003B, 6003C, 6004B	4155-4157	E807	8/1947
New York Central	4104-4107	4179-4182	E751	4/1947
Southern Pacific	6004C	4217	E807	8/1947
Southern Pacific	6000B-6002B, 6000C-6002C	4218-4223	E767	4/1947
New York Central	4108-4113	4853-4858	E840	2/1948
Pennsylvania	5856B-5864B (Evens)	5083-5087	E864	2/1948
Pennsylvania	5900B	5088	E884	4/1947
Illinois Central	4103	5151	E873	6/1948
Missouri Pacific	7014B-7017B	5447-5450	E905	6/1948 - 7/1948
Seaboard Air Line	3105-3107	6153-6155	E978	7/1948

An aging Pennsylvania E7A, #5872, lays over in Bay Head, New Jersey along the New York & Long Branch on April 3, 1966. Author's collection.

Pennsylvania #5901-A

As a comparison, the only other locomotive builder to truly compete in the passenger model market with EMD was Alco and its PA series.

While often considered the most beautiful diesel locomotive ever built, unfortunately its early 244 prime mover, a troublesome engine in main line service, caused many railroads to shy away from Alco.

Today, Pennsylvania #5901-A has been beautifully restored (cosmetically) at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and is housed indoors and out of the elements, where it can be regularly visited by the general public.

Photos

A pair of handsome Gulf, Mobile & Ohio E7As, #101 and #101A, backing out of Chicago Union Station to the wye on May 13, 1964. Behind the train is the Burlington coach yard. Marty Bernard photo.

Illinois Central E7A #4006 between assignments at Memphis, Tennessee on May 12, 1969. Dennis Conniff photo/Warren Calloway collection.

Southern Pacific E7A #6017, and what appears to be a pair of PA's, lead an excursion through California's Niles Canyon during April of 1965. Drew Jacksich photo.

Louisville & Nashville E7A #798 has the "Danville Flyer" in Chicago on May 30, 1970. American-Rails.com collection.

Sources

Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.

Hayden, Bob. Diesel Locomotives: Cyclopedia, Volume 2 (Model Railroader). Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1980.

Marre, Louis A. Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years, A Guide To Diesels Built Before 1972. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1995.

Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.

Rail Heritage Publications. Early Diesel-Electric and Electric Locomotives. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 1983.

Solomon, Brian. EMD Locomotives. Minneapolis: MBI Publishing Company, 2006.

Solomon, Brian. Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2011.

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