Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (N de M)
Published: January 4, 2026
By: Adam Burns
For much of the twentieth century, Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México—better known by its classic initials N de M, and later as FNM/Ferronales—was more than a transportation company. It was a physical expression of Mexican statecraft: a sprawling network meant to bind distant regions to the capital, channel exports to ports and border crossings, and project federal authority across mountains, deserts, and tropical lowlands. Its story runs through nearly every major political and economic shift Mexico experienced from the late Porfirian era to the neoliberal reforms of the 1990s.
A pair of handsome NdeM FP9s, led by #7022, have train #7 at Felipe Pescador, Mexico in June, 1964. Rick Burn photo.Origins: Railroads before “Nacionales”
Railroading arrived in Mexico during the nineteenth century through a long series of concessions and financing schemes—many driven by foreign capital, foreign engineering expertise, and the commercial priorities of export-oriented development. Mexican governments saw railroads as strategic infrastructure: lines were expected to connect the interior to ports, improve internal trade, and accelerate modernization. Early efforts were intermittent and vulnerable to political instability, but by the last decades of the century, rail construction became a centerpiece of national development policy.
That transformation is strongly associated with the long administration of Porfirio Díaz (the Porfiriato), which promoted industrial growth, mining expansion, and deeper integration with U.S. and global markets. Railroads—often built and operated by large companies with substantial foreign ownership—expanded rapidly, linking Mexico City with regional centers and opening direct corridors to the United States and the Gulf Coast.
Consolidation and the Birth of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
By the early 1900s, the rail map of Mexico included major systems that sometimes competed, sometimes overlapped, and often depended on complex financial arrangements. Mexican policymakers increasingly favored consolidation: a unified or coordinated network was seen as more efficient, easier to regulate, and better aligned with national priorities.
A key milestone came with the creation of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México in the early twentieth century, tied to a broader strategy to group and consolidate major lines. Mexican government sources commonly date the company’s creation to March 28, 1908, emphasizing the fusion of major rail enterprises and the effort to stabilize and rationalize the system.
In practice, the firm and its predecessor arrangements absorbed or coordinated important components of Mexico’s rail network, including lines reaching major border gateways and commercial hubs. One especially significant development was the strengthening of the trunk link between Mexico City and the U.S. frontier—vital both for trade and for passenger movement—helping establish the “national” character that the company’s name implied.
NdeM G16 #7311 at Escubedo, Mexico in September, 1965. Rick Burn photo.A Railroad in Revolution
If the Porfirian age celebrated the railroad as a symbol of modernity, the Mexican Revolution demonstrated how quickly the same infrastructure could become contested terrain. Railways became strategic assets: armies needed rolling stock and rails for mobility, supply, and control of territory. Lines were sabotaged, bridges destroyed, and equipment commandeered. Beyond the immediate damage, the revolutionary decade strained finances and complicated ownership and management.
Even so, the central reality remained: Mexico’s long distances and challenging geography made rail indispensable. The postrevolutionary state, eager to consolidate authority and stimulate growth, treated the rail network as a tool for national integration—not just commerce.
Nationalization: From Mixed Control to a State Railroad
The decisive shift toward a fully state-centered railroad came in the late 1930s under President Lázaro Cárdenas. Here the historical record often distinguishes between expropriation actions and the subsequent reorganization of operations and ownership.
Contemporary accounts note the expropriation of Mexican rail properties in June 1937, describing the transfer of rail assets into state hands.
Other sources frame the “National Railways of Mexico” as Mexico’s state-owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, reflecting how the reorganized, consolidated state railroad functioned institutionally from the following year.
Regardless of which date one emphasizes, the meaning is clear: by the late 1930s, Mexico had chosen a model in which the national rail system would be guided as public infrastructure—expected to serve broad economic and social goals, even when that conflicted with narrow profitability.
System Map (1952)
Mid-Century Operations: Freight, Passengers, and Nation-Building
In the decades after nationalization, N de M became the backbone of long-distance inland transport. Mexico’s rail corridors served multiple purposes:
- Freight movement of minerals, agricultural goods, and industrial output.
- Passenger services, including long-distance trains that connected Mexico City with regional capitals and border cities.
- Strategic connectivity, ensuring that remote regions were not isolated from national markets and administrative reach.
Passenger rail, in particular, played a major social role during the mid-twentieth century, when highways and aviation were less dominant than they would later become. At its peak, the N de M system was not only a utility but a cultural reference point—stations, named trains, and rail corridors woven into daily life.
The system also had to respond to global technological change. Across North America, railroads shifted from steam to diesel-electric power; Mexico followed that general trend, modernizing motive power and infrastructure where budgets allowed. But modernization competed with other demands: maintaining vast track mileage, serving routes with uneven traffic, and operating within public-sector constraints.
From a railfan perspective, the railroad operated numerous classic diesel models that could be found throughout the U.S. including Alco C420s, C628s, and even former Santa Fe PAs; Baldwin's unique "Centipede"; and numerous EMD models ranging from F2s to FP9s and SD45s. There were also unique builds for the railroad like th EMD G12 and G16.
NdeM F7A #6312 is ahead of a short train #64 near the coach yards in Mexico City in September, 1965. Rick Burn photo.The Late 20th Century Challenge: Competition, Costs, and the Search for Reform
By the 1970s and 1980s, many national rail systems around the world faced similar problems: rising costs, intense competition from highways and trucking, and capital backlogs. Mexico’s railways were no exception. Financial pressures and operational inefficiencies—made harder by the sheer scale of the network—pushed policymakers toward restructuring.
A major turning point came in 1987, when the Mexican government merged N de M with other regional rail operators into a broader parastatal framework widely associated with the name Ferronales (often abbreviated FNM). The goal was to streamline management and coordinate operations across the country’s rail regions.
This consolidation, however, did not eliminate fundamental challenges. Freight rail still mattered enormously, but the business required investment and commercial flexibility. Passenger services, often politically popular, were increasingly difficult to sustain at scale.
Privatization: The Concession Era of the 1990s
Mexico’s broader economic reforms in the 1990s—market liberalization, privatization of state enterprises, and new investment strategies—reached the railways in a dramatic way. In 1995, Mexico pursued a legal and structural path enabling the privatization of the national railroad system via long-term concessions. Under this approach, the infrastructure and operating rights were reorganized and auctioned or granted as concessions, typically around 50 years, to private operators responsible for running and maintaining the network segments they controlled.
In simplified form, the state moved from being the direct operator to being the grantor and regulator of concessions. Major freight corridors were grouped into principal systems, and investors could compete for them. The shift aligned Mexico with broader global trends in rail reform—especially where governments sought investment, productivity gains, and relief from operational subsidies.
One of the most consequential social outcomes of this era was the end of most traditional intercity passenger rail. As restructuring accelerated, FNM suspended passenger rail service in 1997, marking the close of an era for long-distance passenger travel under the national railroad brand.
Over the following years, the principal freight corridors were operated by new or restructured companies, including major systems such as Ferromex, Ferrosur, and others, along with important terminal arrangements in the Mexico City region.
Dissolution and Liquidation: The End of FNM as an Operator
Even after concessions shifted operations away from the old parastatal, the legal and administrative end of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México took time. Mexican government documentation and oversight reports describe the formal liquidation framework and the publication of “Bases” to carry it out in 2001.
Summaries of the company’s timeline note that FNM was officially extinguished in 2001, while continuing to exist legally as a state entity under liquidation (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México en Liquidación) for purposes that included asset disposition, legal matters, and related obligations.
This distinction matters: railroads leave behind more than locomotives and track. They leave rights-of-way, environmental responsibilities, pension obligations, real estate holdings, and complex legal histories. Liquidation can be a long administrative afterlife—especially for a system that once spanned a nation.
A pair of striking NdeM FP9s, led by #7022, have train #8 at Chihuahua, Mexico in June, 1964. Rick Burn photo.Legacy: What NdeM Still Means
Today, the railroad lives on in several ways.
First, in geography. Many of the principal freight corridors shaped by N de M remain the same strategic pathways used by modern concessionaires—routes linking industrial regions to ports, and connecting Mexico to the U.S. border for intermodal and bulk freight traffic.
Second, in preservation and memory. Surviving locomotives, passenger cars, and station architecture serve as touchstones for a period when rail travel helped define national mobility. Preserved equipment and museums—such as collections that include former N de M locomotives—keep the material culture of the system visible to the public.
Third, in the continuing debate over public infrastructure. N de M’s life cycle—rapid expansion under modernization policy, consolidation and nationalization under a state-building agenda, then privatization under market reform—mirrors a broader argument about what essential infrastructure should be and who should run it. Freight rail in Mexico remains economically vital. But the disappearance of most traditional passenger rail after 1997 still stands as a major watershed in how Mexicans move across their country.
Rick Burn photographed NdeM FPA-2 #6528 north of Escobedo, Mexico in September 1965 while aboard train #7.Conclusion: A Railroad as a Mirror of Modern Mexico
The history of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México is, in many respects, the history of modern Mexico told through steel rails. It begins with nineteenth-century ambitions to connect a vast and varied country. It accelerates under Porfirian industrial modernization and foreign investment. It is tested and battered during revolution.
It becomes an arm of the postrevolutionary state through expropriation and nationalization in the late 1930s. It struggles with the late twentieth century’s economic and technological pressures. And it ends—at least as an operator—through the concession-based privatizations of the 1990s, followed by formal dissolution and liquidation in 2001.
Yet N de M is not simply a defunct company name. It remains a framework for understanding how Mexico tried—again and again—to solve a central problem of nationhood: how to bind together distant regions, expand opportunity, and move people and goods efficiently across a difficult landscape. For most of the twentieth century, the answer ran on rails stamped N de M.
Diesel Roster (Pre-1987)
Alco
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA4 | 16 & 17 | 16 & 17 | 76535, 76537 | 10/1948–11/1948 |
Ex-D&H 16 & 17 < nee ATSF PA1 59L & 60L.
Disposition: #16 to Smithsonian Institute (Portland, Oregon) to Museum of American Railroad for restoration; #17 to Nat'l Railroad Museum of Mexico as FNM DH17. |
| PA4 | 18 | 18 | 76541 | 12/1948 |
Ex-D&H 18 < nee ATSF PA1 62L.
Disposition: #18 to Smithsonian Institute / Doyle McCormack; restored as “Nickel Plate 190”; to Delaware-Lackawanna. |
| PA4 | 19 | 19 | 75318 | 5/1947 |
Ex-D&H 19 < ATSF 66L < nee ATSF PA1 54B.
Disposition: #19 to Nat'l Railroad Museum of Mexico as FNM DH19. |
| C420 | 201 & 204 | 201 & 204 | 84723, 84726 | 12/1963–1/1964 | Scrapped; hi-nose; ex-Vermont Northern 201 & 204 < D&H 201 & 204 < nee LIRR 201 & 204. |
| C420 | 217 | 217 | 84788 | 5/1964 | Scrapped; hi-nose; ex-D&H 217 < nee LIRR 217. |
| C420 | 220 | 220 | 84791 | 5/1964 | Hi-nose; ex-D&H 220 < nee LIRR 220; to museum in Mérida, Mexico. |
| C628 | 601–609 | 601–609 | 3373-01–3373-09 | 3/1964–5/1964 | Ex-D&H 601–609. |
| C628 | 610–618 | 610–618 | 3407-01–3407-09 | 5/1965 | Ex-D&H 609–618. |
| S1 | 5000–5004 | -- | 71664–71668 | 9/1944 | -- |
| S6 | 5300 | -- | 81716 | 1/1956 | -- |
| S2 | 5500–5509 | -- | 72739–72748 | 8/1944 | -- |
| S2 | 5510–5519 | -- | 77450–77459 | 4/1950 | -- |
| S2 | 5520–5522 | 5522 | 78017–78019 | 6/1950 | -- |
| S4 | 5523–5530 | -- | 78616–78623 | 7/1951–8/1951 | -- |
| RS1 | 5600 (2nd) | -- | 78042 | 5/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5601 (2nd) & 5602 (2nd) | 5602 (2nd) | 78088, 78089 | 5/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5603 (2nd)–5605 (2nd) | -- | 78092–78094 | 5/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5606 & 5607 | -- | 77847, 77073 | 2/1950–3/1950 | Bought by ASARCo, but lettered NdeM. |
| RS1 | 5608 & 5609 | -- | 77989, 77990 | 4/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5610–5618 | -- | 78033–78041 | 4/1950–5/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5619 (2nd)–5621 (2nd) | -- | 76430–76432 | 4/1954 (uncertain) | -- |
| RS1 | (5620 & 5621) | -- | 78088, 78089 | 5/1950 | Re-#’d 5601 (2nd) & 5602 (2nd). |
| RS1 | 5622–5624 | -- | 78092–78094 | 5/1950 | -- |
| RS1 | 5622 (2nd)–5624 (2nd) | 5623 (2nd) | 81347–81349 | 10/1956 | -- |
| RS1 | 5625–5631 | 5628–5630 | 82011–82017 | 10/1956–11/1956 | -- |
| RS1 | 5632–5638 | 5634 & 5638 | 82019–82025 | 12/1956–1/1957 | -- |
| RS1 | 5639–5643 | 5639, 5640, 5642 | 82343–82347 | 1/1957–2/1957 | -- |
| RS1 | 5644–5650 | 5647 | 82348–82354 | 7/1957–8/1957 | -- |
| RS1 | 5651 | -- | 82357 | 3/1958 | -- |
| RS1 | 5652–5656 | 5654 & 5656 | 82923–82927 | 12/1958 | -- |
| RS1 | 5657–5662 | 5661 | 83619–83624 | 12/1959–1/1960 | -- |
| RS1 | 5663 | 5663 | 83680 | 3/1960 | -- |
| RSD1 | 5700–5705 | -- | 74671–74676 | 1/1946; 4/1946–5/1946 | Ex-NdeM 5600 (1st)–5605 (1st). |
| RSD35 | 5900–5904 | 5902 | 84489–84493 | 5/1963–6/1963 | A DL535. |
| RSD5 | 6900 | -- | 80884 | 11/1955 | -- |
| RSD5 | 6901 | -- | 80885 | 11/1955 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7400 & 7401 | 7401 | 82919, 82920 | 8/1958 | Hi-nose; w/ steam generator. |
| RSD12 | 7402–7408 | 7402–7407 | 83548–83554 | 12/1959–3/1960 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7409–7418 | 7410–7412, 7414, 7416–7418 | 83626–83635 | 3/1960–6/1960 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7419–7423 | 7420–7423 | 83851–83855 | 3/1961 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7424–7428 | 7424, 7425, 7427 | 83806–83810 | 4/1961 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7429–7440 | 7429, 7430, 7432, 7433, 7435–7440 | 83956–83967 | 4/1961 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7441–7457 | 7441–7455, 7457 | 84083–84099 | 8/1962 | -- |
| RSD12 | 7458–7472 | 7459, 7460, 7462–7472 | 84278–84292 | 8/1962–9/1962 | -- |
| RS3 | 6700–6703 | -- | 80124–80127 | 7/1952 | -- |
| RS3 | 6704–6706 | -- | 81894–81896 | 4/1956 | -- |
| C424 | 8100–8106 | -- | 3372-01–3372-07 | 3/1964 | Diverted to Wabash (as B901–B907) instead of delivery to NdeM. |
| C424 | 8100 (2nd)–8106 (2nd) | 8100, 8104, 8106 | 3380-01–3380-07 | 6/1964 | -- |
| C424 | 8107–8129 | 8107–8111, 8113, 8114, 8116–8122, 8126–8128 | 3372-08–3372-30 | 6/1964 | -- |
| C424 | 8130–8133 | 8130–8132 | 3382-09–3382-12 | 10/1965 | -- |
| C424 | 8134–8144 | 8135–8140, 8143, 8144 | 3428-01–3428-11 | 10/1965–11/1965 | -- |
| FPA2 | 6500 & 6501 | -- | 78724, 78275 | 11/1950 | -- |
| FPA2 | 6502A–6506A | -- | 78996–79000 | 8/1951 | #6503A rebuilt with a French engine (not successful). |
| FA2 | 6507A–6516A | -- | 78986–78995 | 7/1951–8/1951 | -- |
| FA2 | 6517A–6520A | -- | 79283–79286 | 9/1951 | -- |
| FA2 | 6519A (2nd) | -- | 80824 | 12/1953 | -- |
| FA2 | 6521A & 6522A | -- | 79742, 79743 | 3/1952 | -- |
| FPA2 | 6523A–6527A | -- | 80009, 80020–80023 | 9/1953–10/1953 | -- |
| FPA2 | 6528A–6532A | -- | 79175–79179 | 12/1953–2/1954 | -- |
| FPA2 | 6533A | -- | 79196 | 2/1954 | -- |
| FA2 | 6534A | -- | 80897 | 4/1954 | -- |
| FB2 | 6507B–6516B | -- | 79023–79032 | 7/1951–8/1951 | -- |
| FB2 | 6517B–6520B | -- | 79327–79330 | 9/1951 | -- |
| FB2 | 6519B (2nd) | -- | 80910 | 12/1953 | -- |
| FB2 | 6521B & 6522B | -- | 79766, 80009 | 3/1952 | -- |
| FB2 | 6523B–6527B | -- | 80905–80909 | 9/1953–12/1953 | -- |
| FB2 | 6528B–6533B | -- | 79206–79211 | 12/1953–2/1954 | -- |
| FB2 | 6534B | -- | 81166 | 4/1953 | -- |
MLW/Alco
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C424 | -- | 3200 | 84837 | 12/1964 | Built by Alco; ex-CN 3200. |
| C424 | -- | 3203–3205 | M3443-02–M3443-04 | 3/1966 | Ex-CN 3203–3205. |
| C424 | -- | 3207, 3215 & 3219 | M3444-02, M3444-10, M3444-14 | 5/1966–8/1966 | Ex-CN 3207, 3215 & 3219. |
| C424 | -- | 3222 & 3226 | M3477-01, M3477-05 | 1/1967–2/1967 | Ex-CN 3222 & 3226. |
| C424 | -- | 3234 | M3478-06 | 5/1967 | Ex-CN 3234. |
General Electric
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U30C | 701–706 | -- | 36232–36237 | 2/1967–3/1967 | Ex-D&H 701–706. |
| U30C | 707–712 | -- | 36493–36498 | 12/1967 | Ex-D&H 707–712. |
| U30C | 930–933 & 935 | -- | 36650–36653, 36655 | 1/1968–2/1968 | Ex-C&NW 930–933 & 935. |
| GE-7on | 5100–5102 | -- | 30010–30012 | 5/1948 | #5102 ex-Compania Terminal de Vera Cruz 52; repowered w/ Alco 251. |
| UD18B | 8000 & 8001 | -- | 32474, 32475 | 6/1956 | Hi-nose; ex-GE Demonstrators 1800 & 1801. |
| UD18B | 8002–8009 | -- | 32477, 32485 | 11/1956 | Hi-nose. |
| U36C | 9300–9318 | 9300–9318 | 40240–40256 | 1/1975–2/1975 | -- |
| C36-7 | 9317–9326 | 9317–9326 | 42269–42278 | 3/1979 | -- |
| C36-7 | 9327–9341 | 9327–9341 | 42636–42650 | 3/1980–5/1980 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6700 (2nd) | 6700 (2nd) | 42208 | 12/1978 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6701–6706 (2nd) | 6701 (2nd)–6706 (2nd) | 42651–42656 | 11/1979 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6707–6729 | 6707–6729 | 42657–42679 | 11/1979 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6730–6759 | 6730–6736, 6738–6759 | 42740–42769 | 12/1979 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6760–6784 | 6760–6762, 6764–6778, 6780–6784 | 42814–42838 | 1/1980 | -- |
| C30-7 | 6785–6799 | 6785–6799 | 43038–43052 | 7/1980 | -- |
| U36C / U36CG | 8900–8937 | 8900–8905, 8907–8917, 8919, 8920, 8922–8929, 8931–8934, 8937 | 39350–39387 | 7/1973–11/1973 | U36Cs. |
| U36C / U36CG | 8938–8957 | 8938–8943, 8945, 8946, 8948, 8951, 8952, 8954–8957 | 39797–39416 | 4/1974–5/1974 | U36CGs. |
| U36C / U36CG | 8958–8996 | 8958–8970, 8972–8978, 8980–8992, 8995, 8997 | 39768–39796 | 1/1974–3/1974 | U36Cs. |
| U18B | 9000–9019 | 9000–9005, 9007–9012, 9014–9017, 9019 | 39641–39660 | 7/1974–10/1974 | -- |
| U18B | 9020–9044 | 9020–9025, 59044 | 39661–39685 | 7/1974–10/1974 | -- |
| U23B | 9100–9121 | 9100–9102, 9114–9117, 9119–9121 | 40326–40347 | 3/1975–5/1975 | -- |
| U23B | 9122–9129 | 9122–9129 | 40348–40355 | 5/1975–6/1975 | -- |
| B23-7 | 9130–9139 | 9130–9133, 9135–9139 | 42626–42635 | 12/1979–1/1980 | -- |
| B23-7 | 9140–9145 | 9140–9145 | 43328–43359 | 8/1980–9/1980 | -- |
| B23-7 | 9146–9177 | 9146–9160, 9161, 9162, 9164, 9167–9169 | 43328–43359 | 11/1980–1/1981 | -- |
| B23-7 | 9178–9180 | 9178–9180 | 43291–43293 | 6/1981 | -- |
| B23-7 | 10001–10013 | 10001–10013 | 43382–43394 | 10/1980–2/1981 | -- |
| B23-7 | 10014–10046 | 10014–10032, 10034–10044, 10046 | 43500–43532 | 2/1981–12/1981 | -- |
| B23-7 | 10047–10052 | 10047–10052 | 43580–43585 | 12/1981–1/1982 | -- |
| B23-7 | 12000–12006 | 12000–12003, 12005, 12006 | 43294–43299 | 2/1982–3/1982 | -- |
| B23-7 | 12007–12011 | 12007–12011 | 43395–43399 | 4/1982–5/1982 | -- |
EMD
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SD45 | 801 | 801 | 32642 | 6/1966 | D&H 801 < nee EMD Demos 4354. |
| SD45 | 802 & 803 | 802 & 803 | 31694, 31695 | 1/1966 | D&H 802 & 803 < nee EMD Demos 4352 & 4353. |
| GA8 | 5400–5409 | 5401, 5403, 5405, 5409 | 29080–29089 | 9/1964–11/1964 | Narrow gauge (3-ft). |
| GA8 | 5410–5416 | 5410, 5412, 5416 | 32278–32284 | 6/1967 | Narrow gauge (3-ft). |
| GA8 | 5417 & 5418 | 5417 & 5418 | 32298, 32570 | 6/1955; 5/1956 | Narrow gauge (3-ft); ex-Coahuila & Zacatecas 801 & 802. |
| G12 | 5801–5805 | 5800, 5802–5805 | 21159–21164 | 12/1955–1/1956 | -- |
| G12 | 5806–5825 | 5806, 5808–5814, 5816–5818, 5821, 5823 | 22605–22624 | 10/1956–11/1956 | -- |
| G12 | 5826–5832 | 5826–5828, 5830, 5832 | 22884–22890 | 10/1956–12/1956 | -- |
| G12 | 5833–5840 | 5833, 5834, 5837 | 24722–24729 | 8/1958 | -- |
| G12 | 5841–5854 | 5842–5844, 5846–5848, 5851–5854 | 25918–25931 | 6/1960 | -- |
| G12 | 5855–5864 | 5855–5858, 5861, 5863, 5864 | 26716–26725 | 9/1961 | -- |
| G12 | 5865–5878 | 5866–5878 | 27842–27855 | 9/1961 | -- |
| G12 | 5879 | 5879 | 28343 | 3/1963 | -- |
| G12 | 5880–5889 | 5880–5889 | 29070–29079 | 6/1964–9/1964 | The 5800s were originally A-1-A trucked; center axle later removed. |
| GP7 | 6600 | 6600 | 16114 | 3/1952 | -- |
| GP7 | 6601 | 6601 | 16115 | 3/1952 | -- |
| F2A | 6200A–6206A | -- | 3528–3534 | 6/1960 | -- |
| F2A | 6207A–6213A | 6208A | 3690–3696 | 8/1946–10/1946 | All F2As & Bs rebuilt by EMD as 1350-hp F7A & F7B. |
| F2B | 6200B–6206B | -- | 3535–3541 | 8/1946–10/1946 | All F2As & Bs rebuilt by EMD as 1350-hp F7A & F7B. |
| F2B | 6207B–6213B | -- | 3697–3703 | 10/1946 | All F2As & Bs rebuilt by EMD as 1350-hp F7A & F7B. |
| FP7 | 6300–6308 | -- | 10888–10896 | 12/1949 | -- |
| FP7 | 6309 | -- | 11011 | 1/1950 | Built as NdeM 6319; re-#’d to 6309. |
| FP9 | 7010–7019 | 7010–7019 | 22530–22539 | 8/1956–10/1956 | -- |
| FP9 | 7020–7034 | 7020–7034 | 22651–22665 | 10/1956–11/1956 | Source had “2651-22665”; normalized as 22651–22665. |
| GP9 | 7100 | 7100 | 22906 | 10/1956 | Delivered as 6602; then re-#’d to 7100. |
| GP9 | 7101 (2nd) & 7102 (2nd) | 7101 (2nd) & 7102 (2nd) | 25444, 25445 | 6/1959 | -- |
| GP9 | 7103–7107 | 7103–7107 | 24702–24708 | 8/1958 | #7101 & #7102 wrecked; rebuilt as 7101 (2nd) & 7102 (2nd). |
| G16 | 7300–7312 | 7300, 7303, 7304, 7306, 7308–7312 | 24709–24721 | 8/1958–9/1958 | -- |
| G16 | 7313–7322 | 7313–7318, 7320–7322 | 25932–25941 | 7/1960 | -- |
| G16 | 7323 | -- | 26017 | 8/1960 | -- |
| GP18 | 7501–7517 | 7504, 7507, 7511, 7517 | 26726–26743 | 6/1961–8/1961 | -- |
| GP18 | 7518 & 7519 | 7518 | 26670, 26671 | 8/1961 | -- |
| GP35 | 8200–8214 | 8200–8204, 8206–8213 | 29040–29054 | 8/1964–12/1964 | -- |
| GP35 | 8215–8229 | 8215–8229 | 29055–29069 | 8/1964–12/1964 | Hi-nose; w/ steam generator. |
| GP35 | 8230–8254 | 8230–8244, 8246, 8248, 8250–8254 | 30713–30737 | 10/1965 | Some GP35s converted by FNM to GP38Ms. |
| GP40 | 8400–8409 | 8400–8405, 8407–8409 | 32253–32262 | 6/1967 | -- |
| SD40 | 8500–8502 | 8500–8502 | 33895–33897 | 6/1968 | -- |
| SD40 | 8503, 8505, 8508–8511, 8513–8521 | 8503–8521 | 33385–33403 | 5/1968–6/1968 | -- |
| SDP40 | 8522–8531 | 8522–8531 | 33371–33380 | 5/1968 | -- |
| SDP40 | 8532–8535 | 8532–8535 | 36156–36159 | 5/1970 | -- |
| SD40 | 8536–8575 | 8536–8544, 8546–8575 | 38893–38932 | 11/1971–12/1971 | -- |
| SD40 | 8576–8585 | 8576–8585 | A2603–A2612 | 2/1972 | Built in Canada by GMDD. |
| SD40-2 | 8700–8703 | 8700–8703 | 712426–712429 | 9/1972 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8704–8709 | 8704–8709 | 712430–712435 | 9/1972 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8710–8715 | 8710–8715 | 712607–712612 | 12/1972 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8716–8755 | 8716–8722, 8724–8742, 8744–8755 | 712852–712891 | 11/1973–12/1973 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8756–8767 | 8756–8761, 8763–8767 | 756108-1–756108-12 | 12/1975 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8768–8777 | 8768–8777 | 798047-1–798047-10 | 2/1980 | -- |
| SD40-2 | 8778–8796, 8798 | 8778–8798 | 798077-1–798077-21 | 8/1980–9/1980 | Built in Canada. |
| SW1504 | 8800–8829 | 8800–8829 | 712667-71296 | 5/1973 | Serial appears truncated in source (“712667-71296”). Preserved as-is. |
| SW1504 | 8830–8859 | 8830–8859 | 712697–712726 | 5/1973 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9200–9219 | 9200, 9202–9219 | 75633-1–75633-20 | 6/1975 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9220–9299 | 9220–9225, 9227–9241, 9243–9282, 9284–9299 | 756076-1–756076-80 | 10/1975–12/1975 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9400 | 9400 | 756076-81 | 12/1975 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9401–9404 | 9401–9405 | 756056-1–756056-4 | 10/1975 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9405–9414 | 9405–9410, 9412–9414 | 788030-1–788030-10 | 3/1979 | -- |
| MP15AC | 9801–9825 | 9801–9825 | 818040-1818040-25 | 6/1983 - 7/1983 | -- |
| GP38-2 | 9901–9909 | 9901–9909 | 818041-1–818041-10 | 6/1983–7/1983 | -- |
Baldwin Locomotive Works
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR64-2000 | 6000 & 6001 | -- | 70320, 70321 | 12/1944; 3/1945 | Scrapped; ex-Baldwin Demonstrators 2000 & 2001; both had two VO-1000 engines. |
| DR64-2000 | 6100 | -- | 72671 | 8/1946 | B-unit. |
| DR 12-8-1500/2 | 6400 | -- | 72672 | 4/1947 | Originally delivered w/ steam generator; later converted to freight; all scrapped. |
| DR 12-8-1500/2 | 6401–6407 | -- | 72673–72679 | 1/1948–5/1948 | Originally delivered w/ steam generator; later converted to freight; all scrapped. |
| DR 12-8-1500/2 | 6408–6413 | -- | 72680–72685 | 6/1948–7/1948 | Originally delivered w/ steam generator; later converted to freight; all scrapped. |
| AS616 | 6800–6809 | 6809 | 75981–75990 | 3/1954–4/1954 | 6809 re-powered w/ EMD engine. |
| AS616 | 6810–6819 | 6814 | 75991–76000 | 4/1954–5/1954 | 6814 re-powered w/ EMD engine. |
NdeM Shop Builds
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLP-6 | 7108 | 7108 | -- | (unknown)/1965 | Built by NdeM with parts from F-units and a GP7. |
Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW)
| Model Type | NdeM Number | FNM Number | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M630 | 8600–8809 | 8600, 8601, 8605–8609 | M6064-01–M6064-10 | 6/1972–8/1972 | -- |
| M630 | 8610–8619 | 8610–8612, 8613, 8617–8619 | M6064-11–M6064-20 | 6/1972–8/1972 | -- |
| M424W | 9501–9555 | 9501–9555 | 6114-10–6114-65 | 7/1980–5/1981 | Built with North American cab. |
Timetables (August, 1952)
Recent Articles
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The whistle of Northern Pacific steam returned to the Yakima Valley in a big way this month as Northern Pacific 4-6-0 No. 1364 moved under its own power for the first time in 73 years. -
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North Carolina Wine Tasting Train Rides
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Nevada Wine Tasting Train Rides
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Minnesota's Northstar Commuter Rail Ends Service
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Brightline, the privately operated passenger railroad based in Florida, this week unveiled its new Freedom Express train to honor the nation's 250th anniversary. -
Age of Steam Roundhouse Adds C&O No. 1308
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In late September 2025, the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio, announced it had acquired Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1308. -
Reading & Northern Announces 2026 Excursions
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C&O Kanawha No. 2716: A Third Chance at Steam
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In the world of large, mainline-capable steam locomotives, it’s rare for any one engine to earn a third operational career. Yet that is exactly the goal for Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716. -
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The fusion of scenic vistas, historical charm, and exquisite wines is beautifully encapsulated in Missouri's wine tasting train experiences. -
Minnesota Wine Tasting Train Rides
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This article takes you on a journey through Minnesota's wine tasting trains, offering a unique perspective on this novel adventure. -
Kansas Murder Mystery Dinner Train Rides
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NC&StL “Dixie” No. 576 Nears Steam Again
Feb 20, 26 09:15 AM
One of the South’s most famous surviving mainline steam locomotives is edging closer to doing what it hasn’t done since the early 1950s, operate under its own power. -
Frisco 2-10-0 No. 1630 Continues Overhaul
Feb 19, 26 03:58 PM
In late April 2025, the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) made a difficult but safety-minded call: sideline its famed St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco) 2-10-0 No. 1630. -
PennDOT Pushes Forward Scranton–New York Passenger Rail Plan
Feb 19, 26 12:14 PM
Pennsylvania’s long-discussed idea of restoring passenger trains between Scranton and New York City is moving into a more formal planning phase.
