EMC "E3" Locomotives: Data, Specs, Roster

Last revised: August 27, 2024

The E3 was the third generation cab design Electro-Motive produced, intended for use in passenger service. It was also one of the last models EMC manufactured before becoming an official division of General Motors.

The E3 was different from the earlier three models and three distinct ways:

Firstly, it used a new prime mover developed by General Motors and not the troublesome 201-A model from the Winton Engine Company.

Secondly, it could produce greater horsepower.

Thirdly, it was the first model cataloged to the general industry (the EA, E1, and E2 were basically "experimental" designs tested and purchased by the Baltimore & Ohio, Santa Fe, and Union Pacific).

Today, one example of the model survives, Atlantic Coast Line E3A #501. The locomotive is restored back into its original ACL passenger livery (purple and silver) and on display at the North Carolina Transportation Museum, in Spencer (usually tucked away in the roundhouse).

Photos

Santa Fe's only E3A, #11-L, awaits departure from Dallas Union Station, circa 1960. Mac Owen photo. The unit, acquired in 1939, remained in service for nearly 30 years. She was finally retired on June 28, 1968. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

The E3 began production in March, 1939 as the builder's third passenger diesel model. As mentioned above it was Electro-Motive's first to feature a GM prime mover, in this case the model 567, featuring two engines. With each 567 able to produce 1,000 horsepower, the E3 was rated at 2,000 horsepower.

As with the EA, E1, and E2, the E3 featured an A1A-A1A truck setup (three axles per truck whereby the center axle was unpowered) and using GM's original model D7 traction motor it could produce around 31,000 pounds of continuous tractive effort (and 56,500 pounds of starting effort).

Not exactly an impressive number for a main line locomotive but then again it was powering only passenger service and not heavy freight trains up steep grades.

Once again, the E3 was very long (much longer its freight counterpart, the FT) at 71-feet, weighing 157.5 tons (the accompanying B unit weighed in at 145 tons).

However, Electro-Motived updated the carbody from earlier models. The E3 featured more straightforward streamlining with a long, sloped, "slant nose" that became closer to the classic trademark of later models it built under the EMD banner, beginning with the FT and used on every subsequent freight and passenger model.

This slant nose replaced the original "shovel nose" EA model, termed such as its front nose featured a slightly more raked design without the addition of a protruding, center headlight.

An aging Rock Island E3A (built in 1939) has the "Cornhusker" at Blue Island, Illinois in 1967. The train appears to consist largely of mail/express and intermodal business. Note the New York Central "Flexi-Van" car directly behind the locomotives.

Unfortunately, the E3 was a rather unsuccessful model, partly because railroads were not yet sold on diesels as a main line locomotive (that would come with the aforementioned FT, which began demonstrations in 1939).

While just seventeen E3s were built, eight Class I railroads did purchase at least one with the Chicago & North Western owning the most (four).

The Santa Fe and Union Pacific also purchasing one cabless, booster (B) unit each. Other lines to purchase the locomotive included UP (an A-B set), ACL (2), Santa Fe (an A-B set), Rock Island (2), Florida East Coast (2), Kansas City Southern (2), and Missouri Pacific (2). Additionally, EMC's one demonstrator, #822 was eventually sold to the KCS and listed as #1 by the railroad.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	9/1938 (Demonstrator #822)
Years Produced	9/1938 - 6/1940
Engine	567 (2)
Engine Builder	GM
Horsepower	2000
RPM	800
Cylinders	12
Length	71' 1 ¼"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	13' 11"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Roof Horn)	14' 0"
Width	10' 7"
Weight	315,000 Lbs (A Units): 290,000 Lbs (B Units)
Fuel Capacity	1,200 Gallons
Air Compressor	Gardner-Denver
Air Compressor Model	WBO
Air Brake Manufacturer	Westinghouse
Air Brake Schedule	HSC
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	52:15
Tractive Effort (Starting)	56,500 Lbs at 25%
Tractive Effort (Continuous)	31,000 Lbs at 11 mph
Top Speed	116 mph

Production Roster

E3A

Total Built = 17

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Electro-Motive (Demonstrator)	822*	822	E254	9/1938	1
Union Pacific	LA5	893	E225	3/1939	1
Chicago & North Western	5001A-5002A, 5001B-5002B	930-933	E246	5/1939-6/1939	4
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific	625-626	934-935	E245	7/1939	2
Missouri Pacific	7000	936	E252	10/1939	1
Missouri Pacific	7001	937	E253	10/1939	1
Kansas City Southern	2	938	E255	8/1939	1
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe	11	954	E263	8/1939	1
Florida East Coast	1001-1002	956-957	E266	11/1939	2
Atlantic Coast Line	501-502	958-959	E267	11/1939	2
Kansas City Southern	3	1034	E293	6/1940	1

* Became Kansas City Southern #1.

E3B

Total Built = 2

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Union Pacific	LA6	894	E226	3/1939	1
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe	11A	955	E264	9/1939	1

For the companies that did purchase the E3 they remained in use for a number of years before finally be bumped from service, most of the time due to EMD's newer models like the E7, E8, and E9 (the last ever offered). After the E3 was cataloged EMD continued to struggle with its passenger models, both the E4 and E5 also sold poorly.

However, beginning with the E6, which was offered just before the start of World War II, the builder finally found success thanks in no small part to successful marketing campaign of FT. As a result designs like the aforementioned E7, E8, and E9 proved very successful selling more than 1,000 examples combined.

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.

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