EMD F7

"F7B" redirects here. For the XF7B fighter, see Boeing P-29.
EMD F7

Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada)
Model F7
Build date February 1949 – December 1953
Total produced 2,366 A units, 1,483 B units
Specifications
AAR wheel arr B-B
Gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)
Trucks Blomberg B
Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve 23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 m radius)
Wheelbase 39 ft (11.89 m)
Length A unit: 50 ft 8 in (15.44 m)
B unit: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
Width 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Height 15 ft (4.57 m)
Loco weight 247,300 lb (112,200 kg)
Prime mover EMD 16-567B
RPM range 800
Engine type Two-stroke V16 diesel
Aspiration Roots-type supercharger
Displacement 9,072 cu in (148.66 L)
Generator EMD D-12
Traction motors (4) EMD D-27-B
Cylinders 16
Cylinder size 8 12 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures
Power output 1,500 hp (1,100 kW)
Career
Locale North America

The EMD F7 was a 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW) Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) and General Motors Diesel (GMD).

Although originally promoted by EMD as a freight-hauling unit, the F7 was also used in passenger service hauling such trains as the Santa Fe Railway's Super Chief and El Capitan.

History

The F7 was the fourth model in GM-EMD's successful line of F unit locomotives, and by far the best-selling cab unit of all time. In fact, more F7's were built than all other F units combined. It succeeded the F3 model in GM-EMD's F unit sequence, and was replaced in turn by the F9. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant or GMD's London, Ontario facility.

The F7 differed from the F3 primarily in internal equipment (mostly electrical) and some external features. Its continuous tractive effort rating was 20% higher (e.g. 40,000 lb (18,000 kg) for an F7 with 65 mph (105 km/h) gearing, compared to 32,500 lb (14,700 kg) for an F3 with the same gearing.

A total of 2,366 cab-equipped lead A units and 1,483 cabless-booster or B units were built. (Note: the B unit is often referred to as an "F7B", whereas the A unit is simply an "F7".)

Many F7s remained in service for decades, as railroads found them economical to operate and maintain. However, the locomotive was not very popular with yard crews who operated them in switching service because they were difficult to mount and dismount, and it was also nearly impossible for the engineer to see hand signals from a ground crew without leaning way outside the window. As most of these engines were bought and operated before two-way radio became standard on most American railroads, this was a major point of contention. In later years, with the advent of the “road switchers” such as the EMD GP7, F units were primarily used in “through freight” and “unit train” service where there was very little or no switching to be done on line of road.

Engine and powertrain

The F7's prime mover is a 16-cylinder 567B series Diesel engine developing 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) at 800 rpm.  The 567B is a mechanically aspirated two-stroke design in a 45 degree Vee configuration, with 567 cu in (9.29 L) displacement per cylinder, for a total of 9,072 cu in (148.66 L).  A direct current generator that is mechanically coupled to the flywheel end of the engine powers four traction motors, with two motors mounted on each Blomberg B truck.  EMD has built all of its major components since 1939.[1] [2] [3] [4] Starting in August 1953 EMD installed 567BC and 567C engines in a few F7s, see roster below.

Identification

There are no easily identifiable differences between late F3 production and early F7 production; the major differences were all internal electrical system changes. However, no F7 had “chicken wire” grilles of most F3s, and no F3s had later F7 changes described below under Phases.

The F9 is distinguishable from the late F7 by having five, rather than four, carbody center louver groups covering the carbody filters. The additional one is placed ahead of the first porthole, where F7s have no openings. The F9's greater power output, of course, cannot be seen from the outside.

There were also two main classes of F7's: passenger and freight. The freight locomotives only had one headlight, whereas the passengers has two.

Phases

The identification of locomotive “phases” is a creation of railfans, although now used in Diesel Spotters Guide. EMD used no such identification, and instead kept track of the marketing name (F7) and individual locomotives’ build numbers. During the production cycle of a model, EMD would often make detail changes that were not readily apparent to the casual observer. To keep better track of the variations of locomotives identified the same by the manufacturer, railfans began referring to phases (critical changes to a locomotive line).

Despite not being official designations, the phase description is useful. However, many of the changes described are cosmetic, easily changed features of a locomotive: e.g., roof fans, body panels, grilles and the like could be and sometimes were updated or swapped. Most of the phase differences on the F7 were concerned only with A units; B units varied far less. The following are normally identified as F7 phases:

Phase I (early)

Built from February 1949. Upper grille with horizontal openings. Four horizontal louvred openings on center body panel. 36-inch (914 mm) dynamic brake fan, if dynamic brakes fitted. Flush windshield gasket changed to raised in July 1949. Square cab door corners with kick plates on the steps beneath. Wing window short with square corners. Single drip strip over cab windows and door. Square end door window. Round sand filler cover. Rear overhang.

Phase I (late)

Built from March 1950. Upper grille started out horizontal, as in early Phase I; from March 1951, some locomotives were built with vertical-slotted "Farr-Air" grilles, and by October 1951, all had them. Cab doors became round-cornered, and the kick plates were deleted. The wing windows became taller, with round corners. Two drip strips; one over cab windows, second over door. The end door window became round after November 1950.

Phase II

Built from February 1952. All upper grilles vertical "Farr-Air" type. Center car body louvres became vertical-slotted. Sand filler now with a horizontal, rectangular pull handle. From June 1952, 48-inch (1,219 mm) dynamic brake fans began to be introduced; from October 1952, all dynamic-brake equipped locomotives had them. At that latter date, locomotives no longer had a rear overhang.

Original buyers

Locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, USA

Railroad Quantity
A units
Quantity
B units
Road numbers
A units
Road numbers
B units
Notes
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
2
801–802
to Great Northern 272A,B
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrator)
1
930A
to Boston & Maine 4268A
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
2
1950A,B
to Louisville & Nashville 857–858
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
2
2
459A,D
459B,C
to Union Pacific 1481–1482 (A units), 1496B,C (B units)
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
1
5040
to Union Pacific 1483
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
2
7002–7003
FP7-F7B-F7B demonstrators; to Soo Line (Wisconsin Central) 2500B–2501B
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)
2
9052–9053
FP7-F7B-F7B demonstrators; to Soo Line 500B–501B
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
77
12
317, 348–423
392B–403B
FT 317 wrecked, November 1950; rebuilt as F7 317:2, May 1951.
Alaska Railroad
5
4
1500–1508 (even)
1501–1507 (odd)
1506-1508 were built with 567BC engines
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
215
247
37,C–47,C, 202,C–280,C, 300–316, 306–314 (second), 336–344
37A,B–47A,B, 48A, 202A,B–280A,B, 300A,B–316A,B, 306A,B–314A,B (second), 336A,B–340A,B, 341A–344A
37–47 passenger, 202-280 freight (as dual service locomotives), 300-344 dual service (as passenger locomotives), 48A rebuilt by EMD from Santa Fe F3B 32A (1st), used by EMD as a demo for several years. 269LABC-280LABC were built with 567BC engines.
Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad
28
26
701A–728A
701B–726B
Boston and Maine Railroad
3
4
4265–4267
4265B–4268B
EMD Demonstrator 930 to B&M 4268A
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
157
100
180,A–192,A (even), 231–237 (odd), 239,A–297,A (odd), 361,A–365,A (odd), 367–374, 929,A–973,A (odd), 975, 977,A–993,A (odd)
180X,AX–192A,AX (even), 153X–171Z (odd), 231X–237X (odd), 249X–297X (odd), 361X, 363X,AX, 365X,AX, 367X,AX–374X,AX (odd & even), 929X–961X (odd), 977X–993X (odd)
Charleston and Western Carolina Railway
6
-
900-905
to ACL 424-429, January 1960.
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
10
3
163A–166A, 167A,C–169A,C
167B–169B
Chicago Great Western Railway
4
20
153–156
104B, 105D–112D, 113B,D–116B,D, 116E,F,G
Chicago and North Western Railway
72
22
4067A,C–4102A,C
4067B–4084B, 4091B–4094B
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (“Omaha Road”)
12
6500A,C–6505A,C
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
31
17
100–127, 675–677
100B–109B, 120B–123B, 675B–677B
675–677 passenger
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
94
54
7000–7093
7515–7546, 8500–8506
8500s passenger (with FP7)
Clinchfield Railroad
15
11
806–820
853–863
Colorado and Southern Railway
6
6
700A,D–702A,D
700B,C–702B,C
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
9
6
611A,C, 631A,C, 632A–636A
611B, 632B–636B
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
43
40
5481, 5551/4, 5571/4–5761/4
5552/3, 5572/3–5742/3, 5752, 5762
Erie Railroad
6
6
711A,D–713A,D
711B,C–713B,C
713 ABBA set was originally numbered 807A-D
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
22
16
6310–6318, 6319A–6327A, 6335–6338
6319B–6334B
Fort Worth and Denver City Railway
6
6
750A,D–752A,D
750B,C–752B,C
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
4
10
811B, 812A,B, 813A
B65–B74
Great Northern Railway
63
49
268A–270A, 271A,B, 273A,B–275A,B, 280A–281A, 307A,C–309A,C, 311A,C–317A,C, 350A, 360A, 364A,C–365A,C, 444A,D–456A,D (even), 460A,D, 462A,D–468A,D (even)
268B–270B, 280B–281B, 307B–309B, 311B–317B, 350B, 360B, 364B–365B, 444B,C–456B,C (even), 458C, 460B,C, 462B,C–468B,C (even), 500B–504B
350–365, 500s passenger
Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway
4
2
751–754
755B–756B
Kansas City Southern Railway
11
14
59D (twice), 70A,C–71A,C, 72A,D–73A,D, 74A
33B, 59B,C, 70B–71B, 72B,C–75B,C, 78C (second)
Kansas City Southern (Louisiana and Arkansas Railway)
7
8
32A–33A, 74D, 75A,D–76A,D
32B, 76B,C–78B,C, 79B
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
67
17
800–856, 844–849, 900–903
703–716, 900–902
Lehigh Valley Railroad
8
6
560–574 (even)
561–571 (odd)
Mexican Ministry of Communications and Public Works (“SCOP”)
2
23037–23038
Milwaukee Road
68
50
48A,C–50A,C, 68A,C–79A,C, 84A,D–85A,D, 86A, 87A,C–89A,C, 106A–108A, 109A,C–111A,C, 113A,C–121A,C
48B–50B, 68B–79B, 84B,C–85B,C, 87B–105B, 109B–111B, 113B–121B
90B–105B passenger (with FP7)
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
16
8
208A,C–211A,C, 226A,C–229A,C
208B–211B, 121B–124B
Missouri Pacific Railroad
26
10
577–594, 619–626
587B–594B, 629B–630B
Missouri Pacific Railroad (International-Great Northern Railroad)
14
2
595–606, 617–618
595B–596B
Missouri Pacific Railroad (St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway)
10
607–616
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
8
150A,C, 250A,C, 350A,C, 151A,C
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
23
8
809–831
912–919
Northern Pacific Railway
45
34
6007A,D–6020A,D, 6500C -6502C, 6507A,C–6513A,C
6007B,C–6020B,C, 6050B, 6510B–6513B, 6550
6000s freight (as dual service locomotives), 6500s passenger
New York Central Railroad
238
56
1636–1873
2420–2474, 2446 (second)
Pennsylvania Railroad
123
76
9640A–9676A, 9690A–9699A, 9764A–9831A, 9872A–9879A
9547B–9555B (odd), 9640B–9647B, 9648B–9660B (even), 9667B–9676B, 9764B–9818B (even), 9832B–9858B (even), 9872B–9878B (even)
Reading Company
18
6
266–283
266B–271B
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
10
10
1101–1110
1151–1160
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
22
22
5018–5039
5118–5139
Soo Line
6
2
212A,B–214A,B
502B, 503B
500s passenger (with FP7)
Soo Line (Wisconsin Central Railway
20
4
2201A,B–2203A,B, 2224A,B–2230A,B
2201C–2204C
2228AB-2230AB were built with 567C engines.
Southern Railway
63
44
4207–4269
4385–4428
Southern Railway (Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway)
7
24
6114–6120
6160–6183
Southern Railway (Alabama Great Southern Railroad)
6
3
6714–6719
6756–6758
Southern Pacific Company
250
220
6140A,D–6169A,D, 6240–6423, 6440–6445
6140B,C–6169B,C, 8140–8285, 8290–8303
Southern Pacific (Texas and New Orleans Railroad)
44
16
338–381
538–553
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
4
803–806
to BN 9754,9756,9758,9760
St. Louis Southwestern Railway (“Cotton Belt”)
28
17
SSW 920D (923), 921 2nd, 925–975 (odd)
926–958 (even)
SSW 920D (923) was an FT rebuilt on an F7 frame, SSW 921 2nd was an FT rebuilt on an F7 frame
Texas Mexican Railway
2
800A,B
Texas and Pacific Railway
83
35
1500–1582
1500B–1534B
Union Pacific Railroad
18
36
1464–1465, 1466 (twice), 1467–1480
1464B,C, 1466B,C (twice), 1468B,C–1494B,C (even), 910B,C
910B,C with FP7
Wabash Railroad
96
9
1100,A–1108,A, 1140,A–1154,A, 1165,A–1188,A
1100B–1108B
Western Maryland Railway
26
14
53–66
53B–65B (odd), 231B–243B (odd)
WM 61B, 65B, 239B, 241B, and 243B were built with 567C engines.
Western Pacific Railroad
24
26
913A,D–924A,D
804B–805B, 913B,C–924B,C
800s passenger (with FP7)
Totals 2285 1432

Locomotives built by General Motors Diesel, Canada

Railroad Quantity
A units
Quantity
B units
Road numbers
A units
Road numbers
B units
Notes
Canadian National Railways
58
18
9028–9142 (even)
9029–9063 (odd)
Canadian Pacific Railway
29
4424–4448, 4459–4462
Ordered with FP7
Wabash Railroad
22
1155,A–1164,A, 1189,A
Ordered for service in Canada
Totals 80 47

Rebuilds

MARC Train #83, a former B&O F7, at Brunswick, Maryland in 1994.

Several F7s were rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen as F9PHs and used in passenger operations. Others were rebuilt as the "FP10" and used by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. In addition, the Santa Fe had 190 of their F7As rebuilt into CF7 hood units in the 1970s. Only one original unit from the railway exists to this day.

Preservation

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad's F7A seen on 29 April 2009 while stopped in Channing, Michigan.
EMD 4266 at the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway NH, seen on 9 October 2004.
Western Pacific Railroad F7A: 923A, later operated by Mt. Newman Mining as 5451, seen on 28 April 2012.
Lehigh Valley #576 in Tuckahoe, New Jersey in 2010

See also

References

Notes

  1. Pinkpank, Jerry A (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide. Kalmbach Books. pp. 13, 26, 90–101. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
  2. Ross, David, ed. (2003). The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives. pp. 261, 273. ISBN 978-0-7607-9679-5.
  3. "EMD 567C Engine Manual, EMD F7 Operators Manual". rr-fallenflags.org. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  4. "EMD’s 567, History and Development". utahrails.net. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  5. Glischinski, Steve (2007). Regional Railroads of the Midwest. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-2351-9.
  6. "Internal Combustion Locomotives."California State Railroad Museum Foundation. Retrieved: 28 February 2015.
  7. Radecki, Alan. "The Western Pacific Surviving Locomotive List". Railfan.net. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  8. (untitled) Archived October 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. Duncan, Stephan. "History Of The Warbonnets". Galveston Railroad Museum. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  10. Paten, Marty (2012). "The Present". Columbia Branch Railroad. Hagr Publishing.

Bibliography

  • Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Superior Publishing. pp. 119–121. ISBN 0-87564-715-4. 
  • Lamb, J. Parker (2007). Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive. Railroads Past and Present. Bloomington, IN, USA: Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253348630. 
  • Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series (Book 10). Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890242585. 
  • Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide. Milwaukee, WI: Kalmbach Publishing Company. pp. 12, 91–94. ISBN 0-89024-026-4. 
  • Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, WI, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 0760305072. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, WI, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 0760306664. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2005). EMD F-Unit Locomotives. North Branch, MN, USA: Specialty Press. ISBN 1580071929. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2006). EMD Locomotives. St. Paul, MN: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2396-0. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, MN, USA: MBI Publishing. ISBN 9780760337950. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2011). Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760340073. 
  • Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760343708. 
  • Wilson, Jeff (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading series. Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890243743. 

External links

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