EMD SW8

EMD SW8

EMD SW8 retired from the USAF Titan missile program.
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division
General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada)
Model SW8
Build date September 1950 February 1954
Total produced 374
Specifications
Gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Prime mover EMD 567B
Engine type Two-stroke diesel
Aspiration Roots-type supercharger
Cylinders 8
Performance figures
Power output 800 hp (600 kW)
Career
Locale North America
South Korea

An EMD SW8 is a diesel shunting/switching locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between September 1950 and February 1954. Power is supplied by an EMD 567B 8-cylinder engine, for a total of 800 hp (600 kW). A total of 309 of this model were built for United States railroads and 65 for Canadian railroads. Starting in October 1953 a number of SW8s were built with either the 567BC or 567C engine, they are noted in the roster below.

US Army SW8s

The US Army ordered 41 SW8s, numbered 2000–2040, for service in Korea during the Korean War. These were shipped in the spring of 1951.

After the Korean War, many US Army-owned SW8s were turned over to the South Korean government while others were retained by the Army and assigned to various Army posts, depots and ammunition plants. Most were retired around 1990 and replaced in service by rebuilt geeps, such as GP10s from VMV in Paducah, KY, and other rebuilders.

Of all of the locomotives turned over to the Korean National Railroad, only one, KNR #2001, believed to be ex-USAX #2011, still exists. As of May 2011 it was stored in the back of a locomotive shed in the Korea Railroad Busan Rolling Stock Workshop, 125 Sincheon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, Korea 614-765. Diesel Locomotive Team Leader Kim Hyun-Sik stated KORAIL is in talks with the city of Pusan to put the locomotive on display in the city as a part of Korea's heritage, as it is the oldest diesel locomotive in the country.

Two examples of these locomotives, ex-USAX #2019 and #2022, are preserved at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Alabama. After serving in Korea, #2019 was sent back to the manufacturer for reconditioning in 1953. #2022 was rebuilt in 1955. Both served in military bases in the United States until the early 1990s, finishing their careers at Fort Campbell, Ky. The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum acquired them in 1995. [1]

Other models

In addition, 12 TR6 cow-calf paired sets were produced.

In May 1953, a single example of the SW8 was built with a hydraulic transmission as model DH2. This locomotive was displayed at a trade show in 1955, but no sales of the DH2 followed. The locomotive was rebuilt with a standard electrical transmission, and served EMD as plant switcher #105 until 1968.

The first TR6A, Southern Pacific 4600, later numbered 1100, is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California.

Original buyers

EMD SW8 used at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for Titan missile

SW8

Locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, USA

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Electro-Motive Division (plant)
1
105
Built as model DH-2
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrator)
1
800
to Illinois Terminal Railroad 725
1
801
to Georgia Northern Railway 801
1
500
to Cuyahoga Valley Railway 855
Aliquippa and Southern Railroad
3
800–802
Built with 567BC engines
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
10
50–59
Bamberger Railroad
2
601–602
Boston and Maine Railroad
8
800–807
Canton Railroad
4
40–43
42-43 were built with 567C engines
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (“Crandic”)
3
91–93
Built with 567BC engines
Chicago and North Western Railway
1
801
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (“Omaha Road”)
4
126–129
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
28
811–838
836-838 were built with 567BC engines
Chicago, West Pullman and Southern Railroad
5
42–46
Cincinnati Union Terminal
8
30–37
Colorado and Wyoming Railway
12
201–212
Columbia Iron and Steel
1
1
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
11
501–511
De Queen and Eastern Railroad
1
D-3
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad
2
900-901
Donora Southern Raileoad
10
802–811
Great Northern Railway
3
98–99, 101
101 was rebuilt from an NW1
Lake Terminal Railroad
4
821–824
Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad
2
13–14
Lehigh Valley Railroad
29
128-129, 250–276
Eighteen units built with dynamic brakes.
Louisiana and North West Railroad
2
40–41
Ludington and Northern Railroad
1
16
Merchants Despatch Transportation
1
15
Monessen Southwestern Railway
2
22, 26
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
3
1–3
Built with 567BC engines
New York Central Railroad
26
9602–9627
New York Central (Chicago River and Indiana Railroad)
2
9600–9601
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (“Nickel Plate Road”)
8
107–114
North Louisiana and Gulf Railroad
2
37–38
Built with 567BC engines
Pittsburgh Coke and Chemical Company
1
4
Poplar Ridge Coal
1
801
Reserve Mining Company
2
1200–1201
Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific Railway
1
200
South Shore Railway
1
12
Southern Pacific Company
20
4604–4623
All built with dynamic brakes; 4622-4623 built with 567BC engines
Southern Pacific (Texas and New Orleans Railroad)
5
12–16
Steelton and Highspire Railroad
1
26
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
6
750–754, 770
Texas and Pacific Railway
8
811–818
Tremont and Gulf Railway
2
75, 77
to Illinois Central Railroad
Unity Railways
1
53
United States Army
41
2000–2040
All 41 served in the Korean War, including the 2019 and 2022 now at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum [2]
United States Steel
1
109
Wabash Railroad
9
120–121, 125–126, 128-132
Wheeling Steel
2
1152–1153
Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad
2
801–802
to Rock Island 839–840
Woodward Iron Company
2
60–61
Total 309

Locomotives built by General Motors Diesel, Canada

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Algoma Central Railway
2
140–141
Algoma Steel
1
50
Canada and Gulf Terminal Railway
1
356
Canadian National Railways
34
8500–8533
Canadian Pacific Railway
10
6700–6709
Dominion Foundries and Steel Company (“Dofasco”)
2
11–12
Dominion Iron and Steel
2
11–12
Essex Terminal Railway
2
102, 104
Essex Terminal 104 last SW8 built 2/54
Steel Company of Canada
7
71–77
Wabash Railroad
4
122–124, 127
Bought for use in Canada
Total 65

TR6

Railroad Quantity A units Quantity B units Road numbers A units Road numbers B units Notes
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrator)
1
1
1600
1600B
to Southern Pacific 4600 (A), 4700 (B)
Oliver Iron Mining Company
8
8
1207A–1213A, 1216A
1207B–1213B, 1216B
Southern Pacific Company
3
3
4601–4603
4701–4703
Total 12 12

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "http://www.dvidshub.net/news/84824/korea-alabama-train-engines-still-pulling-duty#.T-5RplKuU7c".

  1. "From Korea to Alabama: Train engines still pulling duty". US Army 314th Public Affairs Operations Center. June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
  2. "From Korea to Alabama: Train engines still pulling duty". US Army 314th Public Affairs Operations Center. June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-29.

External links

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