Grand Trunk Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)

Published: October 23, 2026

The Grand Trunk Western diesel list is that railroad’s share of the Canadian National system fleet. The quantity column sums to 377. A renumber is the same locomotive. A row shared with the Central Vermont, a second number for a locomotive already counted, and a series that is not identified as new frames are printed with an em dash and left out of the total. Where the quantity cell was blank and the road numbers are one Grand Trunk Western series, the quantity is the count of those numbers. Builder serials are filled where the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton diesel roster or the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line roster already gives them.

Grand Trunk Western F3A 9014 in Canadian National's early livery, Chicago, July 1964

F3A 9014 in Canadian National’s early livery, laying over in Chicago in July 1964. Roger Puta photo.

On this page: At a glance · Early diesels · Switchers · Geeps and F units · Second-generation road switchers · Roster

At a glance

Item	Detail
Railroad	Grand Trunk Western. Mark GTW. Company history
This table	Grand Trunk Western diesels. A renumber is the same frame
Quantity column	377
Outside that total	Shared Central Vermont rows, second numbers, rebuilt series that are not identified as new frames, and GP9 blocks whose quantity cell is blank
Blank serial	No builder list was opened for that row. Shore Line and DT&I serials are the ones this site already prints
F3A	9006–9027, twenty-two, built in 1948. No F3B. The class was retired in 1971
Main line	Dieselized in April 1957

Early diesels

The first Grand Trunk Western diesel on the low-number list is Brill boxcab 73. It was built in 1926 for the Milwaukee carferry dock and stayed on that dock for years. It is listed in service from 1934 to 1960. Later number 7730 is the same locomotive and is not counted again.

Two EMC model SC switchers, 78 and 79, follow. Their service span is 1938–1973. Later numbers 7800 and 7801 are the same two locomotives.

Two 1,000-horsepower Alco RS-1s were assigned to the Grand Trunk Western. They are 1950 and 1951, class MR-10e, order SO.21072, builder numbers 82355 and 82356, both built in October 1957. The road numbers are not the build year. Number 1950 was retired in February 1982. Number 1951 was retired in 1981 and went to the Illinois Railway Museum.

Switchers

The yard fleet is mostly Electro-Motive and Alco. SW1200s 1500–1503 and 1505–1508 are eight locomotives, with a service span of 1955–1992. Four more SW1200s, 1200–1203, carry the same span and are not added. A further eleven SW1200s, 1509–1519, are marked Grand Trunk Western and Central Vermont together. Those eleven are not added as Grand Trunk Western locomotives.

Later switchers in the 7000s are SW9s 7010–7016, SW1200s 7017–7019, and SW900s 7225–7232 and 7262–7268. Those quantity cells were blank. The quantities here are the counts of the numbers. NW2s 7900–7914 are fifteen, and NW2s 7966–7974 are nine.

Alco S-2s 7915–7935 are twenty-one. A later series, 8091–8111, is the same length and is not added. Three more S-2s, 8119–8121, came from Canadian National. That railroad’s 1947 Alcos, 7946–7955, were renumbered 8112–8121 in 1956, and 8119–8121 were transferred to the Grand Trunk Western in 1968.

The S-4s on the high-number list are Alco 8026, 8027, 8034, 8035, 8080, and 8082–8090, fourteen locomotives, plus 8162, and Montreal-built 8196–8205, ten locomotives, dated 1957. Rebuilt S-4s 1000–1003, in service 1980–1992, are not added.

Sixteen switchers and road switchers came from the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line when that railroad was merged on June 26, 1981. The Shore Line roster gives the serials. GP7s 41–50 became 6041–6050. Number 46 had also carried Bicentennial number 76, and it became 6046. SW7s 116–118 became 6116–6118. The Shore Line roster dates their scrap to 1987. SW9s 119–121 became 6119–6121.

Geeps and F units

Twenty-two F3As were built in 1948, and there were no F3Bs. They are 9006–9027. The class was retired in 1971, and each locomotive is credited with more than a million and a half miles. Canadian National 9171 was Grand Trunk Western F3A 9013. That is one locomotive. The serials are blank.

Two passenger GP9s were obtained in 1954, and fifteen freight GP9s were built that year. The freight engines were geared for 65 miles an hour. The passenger-geared engines in the 4500s and the 4100s were geared for 83. This page does not assign those 1954 engines to one number block. The Grand Trunk Western GP9s counted here are 4134–4139, six locomotives, in service 1958–1998, and 4427–4440, fourteen locomotives. GP9 6052 is a single later number. Several other GP9 blocks stay outside the total: 4509, 4517–4520, and 4530; 4539–4546, 4554, and 4559; 4600–4635, carried as GMD GP9s of 1957 and as GP9R; and 4900–4933, a joint Grand Trunk Western and Central Vermont pool.

Eight GP18s, 4700–4707, carry a service span of 1960–1998. Three more, 4950–4952, are a separate row.

Second-generation road switchers

GP38-2s 5700–5734 are thirty-five locomotives. GP38ACs 5800–5812 are thirteen, and GP38-2s 5812–5836 are twenty-four. Number 5812 sits in both number spans. The two quantities together are thirty-seven, which is 5800 through 5836 counted once. Twelve new GP38ACs of 1971 brought the blue paint. The table counts the thirteen and the twenty-four. Further GP38-2s are 5844–5849, six, and 5850–5861, twelve. SD40s 5900–5929 are thirty. SD40-2s 5930–5937 are eight. Nineteen GMD SD40-3s, 5938–5956, are listed and not added. They are not identified as built new. A later GP38-2 block, 4900–4935, overlaps the GP9 numbers and is not added, nor are GP38s 4994–4995 and GP38ACs 4997–4999.

The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton roster spells the Grand Trunk Western numbers it is sure of, formed by placing a 6 in front of the DT&I number. Those rows carry the builder serials. GP38ACs 6207–6209 were DT&I 207–209. GP38ACs 6210–6214 were 210–214. GP38ACs 6215–6220 were 215–220. GP38-2s 6221–6228 were 221–228, and 6228 had also carried 1776. SD38s 6253 and 6254 were 253 and 254. GP40-2s 6406–6425 were 406–425, in four builder batches. The rows without a former number on this table are seven GP38s 6200–6206, three SD38s 6250–6252, eight GP35m locomotives 6350–6357, and six GP40s 6400–6405. Number 6405 is in that GP40 row.

Roster

The quantity column sums to 377. A blank serial or order was not opened. An em dash in the quantity column is outside the total.

Model	Numbers	Builder	Serial	Order	Built	Qty	Notes
Boxcab	73	Brill	—	—	1926	1	Built in 1926 for the Milwaukee carferry dock. In service 1934–1960. Later number 7730 is the same locomotive
SC	78–79	EMC	—	—	—	2	In service 1938–1973. Later 7800 and 7801 are the same two locomotives
S-4m	1000–1003	Alco	—	—	—	—	Rebuilt S-4s. In service 1980–1992. Not in the total
SW1200	1200–1203	EMD	—	—	—	—	Four locomotives, in service 1955–1992. Not added beside 1500–1503
SW1200	1500–1503	EMD	—	—	—	4	In service 1955–1992
SW1200	1505–1508	EMD	—	—	—	4	In service 1955–1992
SW1200	1509–1519	EMD	—	—	—	—	Eleven locomotives, marked Grand Trunk Western and Central Vermont, in service 1957–1998. Not in the total
RS-1	1950, 1951	Alco	82355, 82356	SO.21072	October 1957	2	Class MR-10e. 1950 retired February 1982. 1951 retired in 1981 and went to the Illinois Railway Museum. The road numbers are not the build year
GP9	4134–4139	EMD	—	—	—	6	In service 1958–1998
GP9	4427–4440	EMD	—	—	—	14	The series ends at 4440
GP9	4509, 4517–4520, 4530	EMD	—	—	—	—	Quantity cell blank. Not in the total
GP9	4539–4546, 4554, 4559	EMD	—	—	—	—	Quantity cell blank. Not in the total
GP9	4600–4635	GMD	—	—	—	—	Carried as GMD GP9s of 1957 and as GP9R. Not in the total
GP18	4700–4707	EMD	—	—	—	8	In service 1960–1998. Quantity cell was blank. Eight numbers
GP9	4900–4933	EMD	—	—	—	—	Joint Grand Trunk Western and Central Vermont row. Not in the total
GP38-2	4900–4935	EMD	—	—	—	—	Quantity cell blank. The numbers overlap the GP9 pool. Not in the total
GP18	4950–4952	EMD	—	—	—	3	Quantity cell was blank. Three numbers
GP38	4994–4995	EMD	—	—	—	—	Later numbers. Not in the total
GP38AC	4997–4999	EMD	—	—	—	—	Later numbers. Not in the total
GP38-2	5700–5734	EMD	—	—	—	35	—
GP38AC	5800–5812	EMD	—	—	—	13	Number 5812 is also the first number of the next row. The two quantities count it once
GP38-2	5812–5836	EMD	—	—	—	24	With the previous row, 5800 through 5836 is 37 locomotives
GP38-2	5844–5849	EMD	—	—	—	6	—
GP38-2	5850–5861	EMD	—	—	—	12	—
SD40	5900–5929	EMD	—	—	—	30	—
SD40-2	5930–5937	EMD	—	—	—	8	—
SD40-3	5938–5956	GMD	—	—	—	—	Nineteen locomotives. Not identified as built new. Not in the total
GP7	6041–6042	EMD	12459, 12460	—	January 1951	2	Former Detroit & Toledo Shore Line 41 and 42
GP7	6043–6044	EMD	15525, 15526	—	November 1951	2	Former Shore Line 43 and 44
GP7	6045–6049	EMD	16203–16207	—	April 1952	5	Former Shore Line 45–49. Number 46 also carried 76
GP7	6050	EMD	17843	—	February 1953	1	Former Shore Line 50. Last new Shore Line locomotive
GP9	6052	EMD	—	—	—	1	—
SW7	6116–6117	EMD	11399, 11400	—	April 1950	2	Former Shore Line 116 and 117. Scrapped in 1987
SW7	6118	EMD	11732	—	April 1950	1	Former Shore Line 118. Scrapped in 1987
SW9	6119	EMD	12458	—	March 1951	1	Former Shore Line 119
SW9	6120–6121	EMD	16208, 16209	—	November 1952	2	Former Shore Line 120 and 121
GP38	6200–6206	EMD	—	—	—	7	—
GP38AC	6207–6209	EMD	36340, 36339, 36338	7258	May 1970	3	Former DT&I 207–209, delivered as 217, 216, and 215. Serial 36340 became 207
GP38AC	6210–6214	EMD	36333–36337	7258	May 1970	5	Former DT&I 210–214
GP38AC	6215–6220	EMD	36866–36871	7287	July 1971	6	Former DT&I 215–220, the second use of 215–217
GP38-2	6221–6228	EMD	74652-1 through 74652-8	74652	August 1975	8	Former DT&I 221–228. Number 6228 also carried 1776
SD38	6250–6252	EMD	—	—	—	3	Three of five SD38s, 6250–6254. Former numbers are not printed on the DT&I roster
SD38	6253–6254	EMD	36872, 36873	7330	July 1971	2	Former DT&I 253 and 254. Frame numbers 7330-1 and 7330-2
GP35m	6350–6357	EMD	—	—	—	8	—
GP40	6400–6405	EMD	—	—	—	6	Number 6405 is in this GP40 row
GP40-2	6406–6413	EMD	7359-1 through 7359-8	7359	October 1972	8	Former DT&I 406–413
GP40-2	6414–6421	EMD	73611-1 through 73611-8	73611	October 1973	8	Former DT&I 414–421
GP40-2	6422–6423	EMD	786215-1, 786215-2	786215	November 1979	2	Former DT&I 422 and 423
GP40-2	6424–6425	EMD	786215-3, 786215-4	786215	1979	2	Former DT&I 424 and 425. No month on the build date
SW9	7010–7016	EMD	—	—	—	7	Quantity cell was blank. Seven numbers
SW1200	7017–7019	EMD	—	—	—	3	Quantity cell was blank. Three numbers
SW900	7225–7232	EMD	—	—	—	8	Quantity cell was blank. Eight numbers
SW900	7262–7268	EMD	—	—	—	7	Quantity cell was blank. Seven numbers
NW2	7900–7914	EMD	—	—	—	15	—
S-2	7915–7935	Alco	—	—	—	21	—
NW2	7966–7974	EMD	—	—	—	9	—
S-4	8026, 8027, 8034, 8035, 8080, 8082–8090	Alco	—	—	—	14	Fourteen locomotives. Central Vermont 8081 is not included
S-2	8091–8111	Alco	—	—	—	—	Same length as 7915–7935. Not in the total
S-2	8119–8121	Alco	—	—	1947	3	Canadian National 7946–7955 were renumbered 8112–8121 in 1956. Numbers 8119–8121 were transferred to the Grand Trunk Western in 1968
S-4	8162	Alco	—	—	—	1	—
S-4	8196–8205	MLW	—	—	—	10	Dated 1957
F3A	9006–9027	EMD	—	—	1948	22	No F3B. Retired in 1971. Canadian National 9171 was former 9013

Sources

Canadian National Railway Historical Association, all-time Canadian National system diesel roster, the summary pages for road numbers B-1 to 1917, 4000–5956, 6000–7994, and 7995–9903, read October 23, 2026. Grand Trunk Western rows only. The RS-1 detail page supplies serials 82355 and 82356, order SO.21072, and the October 1957 build. The S-2 essay supplies the 1968 transfer of 8119–8121.
Jerry A. Pinkepank, “Grand Trunk Western history remembered,” Classic Trains. The Brill assignment, the twenty-two F3As, the 1954 GP9s, and the twelve new GP38ACs of 1971.
The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton diesel roster on this site, for builder orders and serials on the Grand Trunk Western numbers that roster spells.
The Detroit & Toledo Shore Line roster on this site, for the serials and Grand Trunk Western numbers of the sixteen Electro-Motive units.

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