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Penn Central Diesel Roster: All-Time

Last revised: September 23, 2026

By: Adam Burns

Penn Central’s diesel fleet was three railroads’ locomotives under one numbering plan, plus what the company still managed to buy. The Pennsylvania was the surviving corporation on February 1, 1968, so the classes are Pennsylvania classes. The New York Central’s road numbers were kept where they did not collide, and moved where they did. The New Haven’s units came in with the railroad on January 1, 1969. First-generation cabs, RS3s, and Train Masters were still on the road when the company was already in court. The new power was GP38s, GP38-2s, GP40s, SD40s, SD45s, U23Bs, U33Bs, U33Cs, and a last Alco order of C636s that arrived already painted Penn Central.

A former-number cell that is wider than the Penn Central block is the predecessor series those units came from. It is not a claim that every predecessor number survived. Construction numbers for inherited Pennsylvania units are on the Pennsylvania diesel roster. Serials below are filled for locomotives Penn Central bought new, and for the C636s delivered after the merger. The company is Penn Central. What Conrail did with the same engines is the Conrail diesel roster.

Penn Central U25Cs led by 6502 and 6501 at Richmond, Indiana, about 1969

Former Pennsylvania U25Cs, led by #6502 and #6501, at Richmond, Indiana, about 1969. The line is the old Panhandle main to St. Louis. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

On this page: At a glance · How a class reads · Switchers · Freight cabs · First-generation four-axle · First-generation six-axle · Second-generation four-axle · New four-axle orders · Second-generation six-axle · Passenger cabs · Electrics · Sources

At a glance

ItemDetail
RailroadPenn Central. Mark PC. Classes follow the Pennsylvania system
InheritedPennsylvania and New York Central, February 1, 1968. New Haven, January 1, 1969. Leased and subsidiary units (Indiana Harbor Belt, Peoria & Eastern, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, Cleveland Union Terminal, Chicago River & Indiana) where they were sublettered into the same number blocks
Still in daily freightF3s, F7s, FA/FB cabs, RS2s and RS3s, RS11s, GP7s and GP9s, H16-44s, and the six remaining H24-66 Train Masters
Bought newGP38s 7675–7939. GP38-2s 7940–8162. GP40s 3105–3259. U23Bs 2700–2776. U33Bs 2890–2970. SD40s 6240–6284. SD45s 6235–6239. SD38s 6925–6959. U33Cs 6540–6563. U23Cs 6700–6718. SW1500s 9500–9583. C636s 6330–6344, a Pennsylvania order delivered in Penn Central paint
ElectricsGG1s still in service, E44s, ex-Virginian E33s, ex-New Haven E40s, and the New York Central motors that remained. The GG1 class is GG1
End of the rosterConveyed to Conrail, April 1, 1976

Inherited blocks follow the live Penn Central roster where the columns were already straight. New-order serials are the sources at the bottom. Information compiled September 23, 2026.

How a class reads

A Pennsylvania diesel class is a short code, not a builder’s model name. The first letter is the builder: E Electro-Motive, A Alco, B Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton, F Fairbanks-Morse, G General Electric, L Lima. The next letters are the kind of service: S switcher, F freight cab, RS road switcher, P passenger. The number is horsepower in hundreds, so an ES10 is a 1,000-horsepower EMD switcher and an EF30 is a 3,000-horsepower EMD freight unit. A trailing a, m, or s marks a variation: modified, or a six-motor unit when the same model also existed on four axles. Penn Central kept that system. An SD40 and a GP40 can share a horsepower figure and still carry different suffixes. An EF20 on this page is a GP38. An EF20 on the same horsepower that was built from 1972 on is a GP38-2. The class did not change when EMD added the dash.

Switchers

The yard fleet is where the two railroads showed. Baldwin switchers are almost all Pennsylvania. Alco S-1s, S-2s, S-3s, and S-4s are mostly Central, with New Haven blocks in the 9400s and 9800s. EMD switchers run from SW1s in the 8400s through the SW1500s Penn Central bought new. A "(2nd)" is a number used again after the first unit left it. Parentheses on 9216–9221 mean the units were built against Penn Central numbers and went to the Indiana Harbor Belt instead of staying on the roster.

PC numberLater numberClassModelHeritage
7800-7885 (1st)8350-8380BS-6BLW DS-4-4-660Ex-PRR 9000/9100/9200 series
7886-7893 (1st)8381-8386BS-7BLW DS-4-4-750Ex-PRR 5500/5600 series
7894-7899 (1st)—BS-8BLH S-8Ex-PRR 5994-5999
7900-7913 (1st)8387, 8388BS-7BLW DS-4-4-750Ex-PRR 5500/5600 series
7914-8046 (1st)8263-8297BS-10mBLW DS-4-4-1000Ex-PRR 5500/5900/9000/9100/9200 series
8047, 8048 (1st)—BS-10BLW VO1000Ex-NYC 9300, 9301
8092-8112 (1st)8308-8316BS-12mBLH S-12Ex-NYC 9308-9328
8113-8199 (1st)8317-8344BS-12mBLH S-12Ex-PRR 8100/8700/8900 series
8206-8210—FS-10FM H10-44Ex-NYC 9106-9110
8211-8262—FS-10FM H10-44Ex-PRR 5900/9000/9100/9200 series
8300-8326 (1st)—FS-12FM H12-44Ex-NYC 9100 series
8327-8342 (1st)—FS-12FM H12-44Ex-PRR 8700 series
8400-8500—ES-6mEMD SW1Ex-NYC 500/600/700 series. Some sublettered for the Chicago River & Indiana
8501-8599—ES-6mEMD SW1Ex-PRR 5900/9100/9200/9400 series
8600-8627——EMD SW8Ex-NYC 9600-9627
8605 (2nd)—ES-8EMD SW8Ex-Merchants Despatch Transportation 15
8628-8646—ES-9EMD SW900Ex-NYC 9628-9646. Some sublettered for Cleveland Union Terminal
8647-8678—ES-10mEMD NW2Ex-PRR 5900/9100/9200 series
8683-8699—ES-10mEMD NW2Ex-NYC 9500-9516. Built as New York, Ontario & Western 114 and 116-131
8700-8704, 8750-8773—ES-10mEMD NW2Ex-NYC 8700-8704, 8750-8773
8795-8802—ES-10mEMD NW2Ex-Indiana Harbor Belt 8795-8802
8803-8810—ES-10mEMD NW2Ex-NYC 8803-8810
8836-8841—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-NYC 8836-8841. Some sublettered for the Chicago River & Indiana
8842-8850—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-Indiana Harbor Belt 8842-8850
8851-8855—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-NYC 8851-8855
8872-8874—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-Indiana Harbor Belt 8872-8874
8880-8903—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-NYC 8880-8903
8904-8906, 8908-8910—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-NYC (Peoria & Eastern) 8904-8906, 8908-8910
8907—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-Indiana Harbor Belt 8715
8911-9001—ES-12mEMD SW9Ex-NYC 8911-9001
9009-9034—ES-12mEMD SW1200Ex-PRR 7909-7934
9035-9041—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-PRR 9300 series
9042-9044—ES-12mEMD SW9Ex-PRR 8542-8544
9045-9049—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-PRR 9300 series
9050-9058—ES-12mEMD SW1200Ex-PRR 7900-7908
9059, 9060—ES-12mEMD SW9Ex-PRR 8859, 8860
9061-9094—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-PRR 9300 series
9075 (2nd)—ES-12mEMD NW2uEx-PC 8754
9095, 9096—ES-12mEMD SW9Ex-PRR 8869, 8870
9097, 9098—ES-12mEMD SW7Ex-PRR 8871, 8872
9099-9111—ES-12mEMD NW2uEx-PC 8600 series
9113-9133—ES-12mEMD SW9Ex-PRR 8513-8533
9133 (2nd)9153ES-12mEMD NW2uEx-PC 8704
9150-9152, 9154-9179—ES-12mEMD NW2uEx-PC 8600/9000 series
9180-9199—ES-12mEMD SW1200Ex-NH 640-659
(9216-9221)——EMD SW1500Built against Penn Central 9216-9221 and transferred to the Indiana Harbor Belt
9223-9227—ES15mEMD SW1500Ex-IHB 9223-9227
9300-9347—AS6mAlco S1Ex-NYC 800 series
9348-9380—AS6mAlco S3Ex-NYC 800/900 series
9382-9394—AS6mAlco S1Ex-NYC 800 series
9395-9402—AS6mAlco S3Ex-NYC 800/900 series
9405, 9406, 9408—AS6mAlco S1Ex-NYC 951, 952, 954
9411——Alco HH660Ex-New Haven 0924
9412-9436, 9447-9449, 9457-9459—AS6mAlco S1Ex-NH 0935-0977
9437-9446—AS6mAlco S1Ex-PRR 9200 series
9451, 9452, 9454-9456—AS6mAlco S1Ex-PRR 9101, 9102, 5954-5956
9461-9470—AS6mAlco S1Ex-PRR 5600 series
9473-9485—AS6mAlco S3Ex-PRR 8700/8800 series
9486-9499—AS6mAlco S1Ex-NH 0778-0995
9600-9661—AS10mAlco S2Ex-NYC 8500 series. 8505 (2nd) was ex-Delaware & Hudson 3024
9663-9703—AS10mAlco S4Ex-NYC 8500/8600 series
9704, 9705—AS10mAlco S2Ex-NYC 851 and 869 (2nd). Earlier Delaware & Hudson 3031 and 3032
9706-9727—AS10mAlco S2Ex-NYC 8500 series
9729, 9730—AS10mAlco S4Ex-NYC 8598, 8623
9731, 9732—AS10mAlco S2Ex-NYC 8541, 8548
9733-9765—AS10mAlco S4Ex-NYC 8600 series
9768-9777—AS10mAlco S4Ex-PRR 8400 series
9778-9787—AS10mAlco S2Ex-PRR 5600/9200 series
9788-9801, 9803—AS10mAlco S4Ex-PRR 8800/8900 series
9802, 9804-9814—AS10mAlco S2Ex-PRR 5600/9100/9200 series
9815, 9817—AS10mAlco S4Ex-PRR 8487, 8887
9816, 9818-9821—AS10mAlco S2Ex-PRR 5600/5900 series
9822, 9823, 9830-9834—AS10mAlco S4Ex-PRR 8400 series
9824-9828, 9836-9842—AS10mAlco S2Ex-PRR 5600/5900 series
9844-9849—AS10aAlco T6Ex-PRR 8424-8429
9850-9860—AS10mAlco S2Ex-NH 0600-0621
9999—GS4GE 44-tonEx-PRR 9353

The new SW1500s, 9500–9583, are with the other new orders below. They are class ES15m.

Freight cabs

Freight cabs were already old on merger day. Pennsylvania F3s and F7s, Central F3s and F7s, a handful of Alco FA and FB units from the Central and the New Haven, and two Rio Grande F7 sets that had come onto the Central. Penn Central renumbered the Pennsylvania cabs into the 1400s, 1900s, and 3500s, and the Central’s own 1600s and 1800s mostly stayed put. No. 1905 is the one Pennsylvania F7A in this block that is recorded in Penn Central paint. The rest of 1900–1906 often worked out their time in the old Brunswick green.

PC numberFormer numberClassModelHeritage
1300, 13191009, 1119AF-16Alco FA-1Ex-NYC 1009 and 1119 (2nd)
1302-13131102-1113AF-16Alco FA-2Ex-NYC 1102-1113
1330-1333—AF-16Alco FA-1Ex-New Haven 0401, 0418, 0426, 0428
1345-13991045-1099AF-16Alco FA-2Ex-NYC 1045-1099
1400-1425—EF-15EMD F3AFrom PRR 9524A-9689A
1440-1538—EF-15EMD F7AFrom PRR 9640A-9879A
1617-1635—EF-15EMD F3AEx-NYC 1617-1635
1636-1873—EF-15aEMD F7AEx-NYC 1636-1873
1878, 1879721, 754EF-15aEMD F7AEx-Rio Grande 5721, 5754
1900-1906—EF-15aEMD F7AEx-PRR 9656A-9661A and 9666A. No. 1905 is the one of this group painted Penn Central
3323-3372—AF-16Alco FB-2Ex-NYC
3368 (2nd)—AF-16Alco FB-1Ex-NYC 3368 (2nd)
3390-3392—AF-16Alco FB-1Ex-New Haven 0456, 0458, 0462
3393-3397—AF-16Alco FB-2Ex-New Haven 0465-0469
3423-3442—EF-15aEMD F7BEx-NYC 2423-2442
3443-3474—EF-15EMD F3BEx-NYC 2443-2474
3478, 3479712, 733EF-15aEMD F7BEx-Rio Grande 5712, 5733
3500-3507—EF-15EMD F3BEx-PRR 9524B-9554B
3508-3563—EF-15aEMD F7BEx-PRR 9547B-9878B
Penn Central GP30 2238 leading a freight in the snow

Penn Central GP30 #2238, from the ex-Pennsylvania 2200s, in the snow. The file arrived without a location or a photographer.

First-generation four-axle road units

This is the everyday freight locomotive of the first Penn Central years: GP7s and GP9s from both parents, Alco RS2s and RS3s, RS1s, Baldwin road switchers, and Fairbanks-Morse H16-44s. GP9B boosters 3800–3839 are the Pennsylvania’s cabless Geeps, the only units in this block with no cab. Six-axle first-generation units that used to sit in this list are in the next section. Second-generation four-axle units, GP20s and everything newer, follow them.

PC numberLater numberClassModelHeritage
3800-3829—EF17EMD GP9BEx-PRR 7175B-7204B
3830-3839—EF17EMD GP9BEx-PRR 7230B-7239B
5100-5112—FRS-7aFM H16-44Ex-NYC 7000-7012
5150-5159—FRS-7aFM H16-44Ex-PRR 8807-8816
5160-5174—FRS-7aFM H16-44Ex-NH 1600-1614
5207, 5210, 5212, 5215, 5221, 5229—ARS-16Alco RS2Ex-NYC 8207, 8210, 8212, 8215, 8221, 8229
5203, 5205, 5223-5352—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-NYC 8203, 8205, 8223-8352
5400, 5401 (1st)—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8600, 8601
5401 (2nd)—ARS-16Alco RS2Ex-Lehigh Valley 212 (1st)
5402-5405, 5409, 5411—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8602-8605, 8909, 8592
5413-5416—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8903, 8904, 8435, 8436
5418-5436—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8818-8836
5437-5442—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8437-8442
5443-5451—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8593-8599, 8590, 8591
5452-5470—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8452-8470
5461 (2nd)—ARS-16Alco RS2Ex-Lehigh Valley 210 (1st)
5471-5484—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-New Haven 500 series
5500-5530—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-NYC 8247-8291
5531-5536, 5544 (2nd)—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-New Haven 500 series
5537-5555—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8800 series
5554, 5559, 5561, 5564, 5566, 5570—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-New Haven 500 series
5557-5565—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8900 series
5567-5584—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-PRR 8400 series
5585-5598—ARS-16Alco RS3Ex-New Haven 500 series
5600-5625—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-NYC 5600-5625. Nos. 5612-5625 sublettered for the Peoria & Eastern
5626-5712—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-NYC 5626-5712
5719—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-Pittsburgh & Lake Erie 5719
5738-5812—ES15EMD GP7Ex-NYC 5738-5812
5818-5827—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-NYC 5818-5827, built as Chesapeake & Ohio 5720-5729
5840-5844—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-PRR 8840-8844
5845-5892—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-PRR 8500 series
5895-5899—ERS15EMD GP7Ex-PRR 8805, 8806, 8797-8799
5900-5927—ERS15sEMD GP7Ex-NYC 5700 and 5800 series
5950-5959—ERS15sEMD GP7Ex-PRR 8500 series
7000-7269—ERS17EMD GP9Ex-PRR 7000-7269
7300-7303—ERS17EMD GP9Ex-NYC (Cleveland Union Terminal) 5900-5903
7304-7327, 7346-7475—ERS17EMD GP9Ex-NYC 5904-6075
7348, 7369, 7380, 7420, 7452, 7519—ERS17EMD GP9Ex-NYC 5900/6000 series
7500-75187329-7344, 7347ERS17EMD GP9Ex-NYC 5900 series
7530-75597270-7298ERS17EMD GP9Ex-NH 1200-1229
7600-7608—ARS18Alco RS11Ex-NYC 8000-8008
7617-7654—ARS18Alco RS11Ex-PRR 8617-8654
7660-7674—ARS18Alco RS11Ex-NH 1400-1414
8050-80538300-8302BRS10sxBLW DRS-4-4-1000Ex-PRR 9276, 5591-5593
8062, 80638398, 8399LERS12asLima-Hamilton 1,200 hp road switcherEx-NYC 6210, 6211, repowered with EMD engines
8067-8083—BRS12mBLW RS12Ex-NYC 6220-6236
8084-80918303-8306BRS12mBLW RS12Ex-PRR 8975, 8110, 8776, 8107-8109, 8105, 8106
9900-9913—ARS10/a/sxAlco RS1Ex-NYC 8100-8113
9914-9940—ARS10/a/sxAlco RS1Ex-PRR 5600 / 5900 / 8400 / 8800 series
9941-9946—ARS10/a/sxAlco RS1Ex-NH 0662-0665, 0667, 0671
9948, 99499949A, 9949B—AEH-12 slugEx-PC 6803 (2nd) and 6811
9950-9984—AERS12Alco RS3mEMD-repowered. Ex-PC 5200 / 5300 / 5400 / 5500 series

First-generation six-axle road units

These were filed with the four-axle Geeps on the old page because they share the same generation. They are six-motor locomotives: Train Masters, Alco RSD road switchers, EMD SD7s and SD9s, and Baldwin AS616s. The nine H24-66 Train Masters became 6700–6708. Those numbers were used again, after the Train Masters were gone, for U23Cs.

PC numberLater numberClassModelHeritage
6700-6708 (1st)6799 (ex-6708)FS24mFM H24-66Ex-PRR 8700-8707 and 8699
6800-6805—ARS16aAlco RSD5Ex-PRR 8446-8451
6806-6810—APS24msAlco RSD7Ex-PRR 8606-8610
6811-6816—ARS24Alco RSD15Ex-PRR 8611-8616
6855-6879—ARS18aAlco RSD12Ex-PRR 8655-8679
6900-6924—ERS17aEMD SD9Ex-PRR 7600-7624
6950, 6951 (1st)6998, 6999ERS15axEMD SD7Ex-PRR 8588, 8589
6966-6974—BRS16mBLH AS616Ex-PRR 8966-8974
6975, 6976—BRS16mBLH AS616Ex-PRR 8111, 8112
Penn Central U25B 2615, formerly Pennsylvania 2515, at 59th Street Yard in Chicago on April 9, 1970

Penn Central U25B #2615, formerly Pennsylvania #2515, at 59th Street Yard in Chicago on April 9, 1970. The Pennsylvania 2500s were renumbered into the 2600s so they would not sit on top of the Central’s own U25Bs. Roger Puta photo.

Second-generation four-axle road units

From the GP20 forward, the fleet is what the three railroads had bought in the 1960s, before anyone added the units in the next table. Pennsylvania GP30s 2200–2249 kept those numbers. Pennsylvania 2250 and 2251, which would have collided with the GP35s, moved down to 2198 and 2199. The same kind of shuffle put Pennsylvania GP35s 2309 and 2310 onto 2250 and 2251. Central U25Bs stayed 2500–2569. Pennsylvania U25Bs, 2500–2548 and 2649–2658, became 2600–2658. New Haven U25Bs became 2660–2685. One C424, 2415, is the Pennsylvania’s rebuilt Alco RS27 demonstrator. The C425s are the AF25s, 2416–2446 and the New Haven’s 2450–2459.

PC numberClassModelHeritage
2021-2044AF20Alco RS32Ex-NYC 8021-8044
2050-2059AF30Alco C430Ex-NYC 2050-2059
2100-2112EF20EMD GP20Ex-NYC 6100-6105, 6107, 6108, 6110-6114
2188-2197EF22EMD GP30Ex-NYC 6115-6124
2198-2249EF22EMD GP30Ex-PRR 2250, 2251, and 2200-2249
2250-2308EF25EMD GP35Ex-PRR 2309, 2310, and 2252-2308
2309-2351EF25EMD GP35Ex-PRR 2369, 2370, and 2311-2351
2353-2368EF25EMD GP35Ex-PRR 2353-2368
2369-2398EF25EMD GP35Ex-NYC 6125-6154
2399EF25EMD GP35Ex-NYC 6155, ex-EMD demonstrator 1964, nee demonstrator 5661
2400-2414AF24Alco RS27Ex-PRR 2400-2414
2415AF24Alco C424Ex-PRR 2415. Rebuilt from Alco RS27 demonstrator 640-1
2416-2446AF25Alco C425Ex-PRR 2416-2446
2450-2459AF25Alco C425Ex-New Haven 2550-2559
2500-2569GF25GE U25BEx-NYC 2500-2569
2600-2658GF25GE U25BEx-PRR 2500-2548 and 2649-2658
2660-2685GF25GE U25BEx-New Haven 2500-2525
2822, 2823GF28GE U28BEx-NYC 2822, 2823
2830-2857GF30GE U30BEx-NYC 2830-2857
2858, 2859GF33GE U33BEx-NYC 2858, 2859
2860-2889GF30GE U30BEx-NYC 2860-2889
3000-3104EF30EMD GP40Ex-NYC 3000-3104. No. 3036 was the first production GP40
3260-3274EF30EMD GP40Ex-EMD demonstrators 11-20 and 22-26
Former Pennsylvania FP7 4334 leading an A-B-A set of F units at Toledo, Ohio, in September 1968

An A-B-A set of former Pennsylvania F units, FP7 #4334 closest, between assignments at Toledo, Ohio, in September 1968. Photographer unknown. Warren Calloway collection.

New four-axle orders

These are the locomotives Penn Central purchased, or that were delivered onto Penn Central numbers. The GP38s are the largest single model on the roster, 265 units in 7675–7939, and they are not one factory order. The GP38-2s begin at 7940. The old table called 7940–8162 GP38s. They are dash-2s, built in 1972 and 1973, and their serials are the order number plus the unit. Class EF20 was printed for both groups and is kept.

PC numberClassModelSerialOrderBuiltNotes
2010-2014ERS20EMD GP3836801-368057281November 1970PRSL order, delivered as Penn Central 2010-2014. Later 7670-7674
2700-2776GF22GE U23B———Purchased new. 77 units
2890-2970GF33GE U33B———Purchased new. 81 units. Nos. 2956-2970 had been ordered as Rock Island 4510-4524. That order was cancelled
3105-3259EF30EMD GP40———Purchased new. 155 units
7675-7814EF20EMD GP3835304-354437191June–November 1969140 units
7815-7824EF20EMD GP3835444-354537202November 196910 units. Dual control
7825-7867EF20EMD GP3836441-364837265May–June 197043 units
7868-7903, 7908-7937EF20EMD GP3836927-369927291January–March 197166 units
7904-7907EF20EMD GP3836993-369967299March–April 19714 units. No dynamic brake
7938-7939EF20EMD GP3837011-370127291March–April 19712 units
7940-8039EF20EMD GP38-27354-1 through 7354-1007354May–August 1972100 units
8040-8153EF20EMD GP38-272627-1 through 72627-11472627January–March 1973114 units
8154-8162EF20EMD GP38-273608-1 through 73608-973608October 19739 units
9500-9509ES15mEMD SW150037058-370677292February 197110 units
9510-9559ES15mEMD SW1500—7355February–March 197250 units. Serial cell was blank on the order list used here
9560-9583ES15mEMD SW1500—73622September–October 197324 units. Serial cell was blank on the order list used here

Second-generation six-axle road units

Pennsylvania six-motor road units came across with their numbers: SD35s 6000–6039, SD40s 6040–6104, SD45s 6105–6234, C628s 6300–6314, C630s 6315–6329, U25Cs 6500–6519, U28Cs 6520–6534, and U30Cs 6535–6539. The U28C class on the old table was printed GP28a. The builder letter for General Electric in this system is G. The class is GF28a.

PC numberClassModelHeritage
6000-6039EF25aEMD SD35Ex-PRR 6000-6039
6040-6104EF30aEMD SD40Ex-PRR 6040-6104
6105-6234EF36EMD SD45Ex-PRR 6105-6234
6300-6314AF27Alco C628Ex-PRR 6300-6309 and 6310-6314. Fifteen units
6315-6329AF30aAlco C630Ex-PRR 6315-6329
6500-6519GF25aGE U25CEx-PRR 6500-6519
6520-6534GF28aGE U28CEx-PRR 6520-6534
6535-6539GF30aGE U30CEx-PRR 6535-6539

What Penn Central added, and the C636s that the Pennsylvania had ordered and Penn Central received, are these. No. 6540 was the first U33C General Electric built.

PC numberClassModelSerialOrderBuiltNotes
6235-6239EF36EMD SD4534277-34281—August 1968Purchased new. Five units
6240-6270EF30aEMD SD4036896-369267290December 1970–January 197131 units
6271-6284EF30aEMD SD4036997-370107290January–February 197114 units. Same order, later serials
6330-6344AF36Alco C6363499-01 through 3499-153499March–April 1968Pennsylvania order. Delivered in Penn Central colors
6540-6559GF33aGE U33C36670-36689—February–April 196820 units. No. 6540 was the first U33C built
6560-6563GF33aGE U33C36864-36867—August 19684 units
6700-6718 (2nd)GRS22GE U23C37540-37558—October–November 197019 units. The numbers had been the Train Masters
6925-6959ERS20aEMD SD3836406-364407264April–May 197035 units. Nearly half of all SD38s built for U.S. railroads

Passenger cabs

Passenger power is E7s and E8s from both the Central and the Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania FP7s, a small group of F7B boosters rebuilt or reassigned to passenger heating, and the New Haven’s FL9s. The FL9 is a diesel that can also take third-rail power into Grand Central. Their own page is the FL9. Amtrak took the intercity trains on May 1, 1971. Commuter E-units and the FL9s stayed longer.

New York Central E8A 4046 and Penn Central E8A 4044 with Empire Service train 82 at Albany in August 1969

New York Central E8A #4046 and Penn Central E8A #4044 have Empire Service train #82 at Albany, New York, in August 1969. A year and a half after the merger, one unit is still in Central paint. Roger Puta collection.

PC numberClassModelHeritage
4000-4035EP20EMD E7AEx-NYC 4000-4035. Nos. 4003 and 4020 were rebuilt as E8Am
4036-4095EP22EMD E8AEx-NYC 4036-4095
4100-4113EP20EMD E7BEx-NYC 4100-4113
4114-4127EP20EMD E7BEx-PRR 5900B and 5840B-5864B, even numbers
4150-4163EP20EMD F7BEx-PRR 9832B-9858B, even numbers
4200-4245EP20EMD E7AEx-PRR 5900, 5901, and 5840A-5883A
4246-4319EP22EMD E8AEx-PRR 5700/5800 series
4320-4328EP22EMD E8AEx-PC / NYC 4000 series
4332-4371EFP15EMD FP7Ex-PRR 9832A-9871A
5000-5059EP17e/EP18eEMD FL9Ex-New Haven 2000-2059

Electrics

Penn Central inherited two electric railroads and a piece of a third. The Pennsylvania’s GG1s and E44s worked the Northeast Corridor and the freight side of the electrification. The New Haven’s eleven E33s, built as Virginian EL-Cs, and the EP-5 "Jets" that became E40s, came with that railroad. The Central’s own motors, the P-2s, T motors, and S motors, were a smaller and older group on the Hudson and Harlem third rail and on the electric freight west of New York. Shop goats and experimentals that still had a Pennsylvania number in the card file are at the bottom. They are not road freight.

The GG1 block is not every number from 4800 to 4938. No. 4817 was retired in March 1967, before the merger, and never carried a Penn Central number. Other units inside 4801–4814 and 4818–4938 were already off the roster. The class page has all 139 locomotives, the builders, and the later Amtrak numbers. No. 4800 is Old Rivets, the riveted prototype.

PC numberClassModelHeritage
4400-4457E44GE E44Ex-PRR 4400-4457
4458-4465E44aGE E44aEx-PRR 4458-4465
4600-4610E33GE E33Ex-NH 300-310, nee Virginian
4622P-2aAlco/GE P-2aEx-NYC 222
4623-4642P-2bAlco/GE P-2bEx-NYC 223-242
4655T-1aAlco/GE T-1aEx-NYC 255
4662T-2aAlco/GE T-2aEx-NYC 262
4663, 4666, 4667, 4669, 4671T-2bGE T-2bEx-NYC 263, 266, 267, 269, 271
4673-4676, 4678-4680T-3aAlco/GE T-3aEx-NYC 273-276, 278-280
4702-4733S-2Alco/GE S-2Ex-NYC 102-133
4751-4757B-1PRR / Allis-Chalmers B-1From PRR 3912, 3913, and 5685-5693. Seven PC numbers. The predecessor list is longer
4780, 4781DD-1PRR / Westinghouse DD-1Ex-PRR 3936, 3937
4790L-6PRR / GE L-6Ex-PRR 5939
4791L-6aLima L-6aEx-PRR 5940
4800-4938GG1GG1Ex-PRR. Gaps inside the range. No. 4817 retired March 1967 and is not included. No. 4800 is Old Rivets. Builders and Amtrak numbers are the GG1 page
4970-4977E40GE E40Ex-NH 371-377 and 379

Sources

  • The live Penn Central all-time roster on this page, for the inherited number blocks, classes, and second numbers. Column swaps at 8600–8627, 9704–9705, and 4622 are repaired. The U28C class is corrected from GP28a to GF28a.
  • The Diesel Shop, Penn Central roster, for the Rock Island cancellation behind U33B 2956–2970, the U33C and U23C serials, SD45 6235–6239 serials 34277–34281, and the count of B-1s.
  • EMD order list compiled at trainweb.us/emdloco, for SD40 order 7290, SD38 order 7264 serials 36406–36440, and SW1500 order 7292 serials 37058–37067. Orders 7355 and 73622 are from the same list. Their serial cells were blank.
  • GP38 production table on this site, for orders 7191, 7202, 7265, 7291, and 7299, and for PRSL order 7281, serials 36801–36805, numbered Penn Central 2010–2014.
  • Pennsylvania diesel roster, for C636 order 3499, serials 3499-01 through 3499-15, delivered March–April 1968 in Penn Central colors, and for C424 2415.
  • GP38-2 order-unit serials: 7940 is 7354-1, and 8040 is 72627-1, as carried on the photo-archive locomotive lines. The 1972–73 split of 7940–8039, 8040–8153, and 8154–8162 matches the Conrail GP38-2 chronology.
  • Classic Trains, Summer 2009, GG1 roster. No. 4817, built May 1935, retired March 1967, with no Penn Central owner line.

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