EMD F7

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 F7s were built than all other F-units combined. The F7 succeeded the F3 model in GM-EMD's F-unit series, 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 percent 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 2,393 cab-equipped lead A units and 1,463 cabless-booster or B units were built.[1]

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 little or no switching to be done.

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 V engine 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.[2][3][4][5] Starting in August 1953 EMD installed 567BC and 567C engines in a few F7s, see roster below.

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 F7s: passenger and freight. Most passenger units had upper and lower headlights, but this wasn't always the rule. Many freight units had the upper Mars or Pyle brand warning light as well. And some passenger units only had a single upper headlight, i.e. the Pennsylvania. Many units had the upper lights plated over later in life, or the door light removed/plated over and the Mars/Pyle light removed. These early warning lights had many moving linkages and a motor that were high maintenance for the shops.

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:

MARC Train #83, a former B&O F7 rebuilt into an F9PH, 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 for their commuter rail service. In addition, the Santa Fe had 190 of their F7As rebuilt into CF7 hood units in the 1970s. Only one original F7 unit from the railway exists to this day.

In the early 2000s, a single unpowered EMD F cab unit #7100 (ex-Baltimore & Ohio Railroad F7 #4553) operated on MARC, occasionally substituted for a cab car. In addition to serving as an all-purpose control unit, it also had a head-end power generator that supplied electricity to the train.[6]

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad's F7A seen on April 29, 2009, while stopped in Channing, Michigan.

Boston & Maine 4266 at the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, N.H., seen on October 9, 2004.

Western Pacific Railroad F7A: 923A, later operated by Mt. Newman Mining as 5451, seen on April 28, 2012.

Several F7s survive today, mostly in museums and tourist railroads.

• The Norfolk Southern Railway previously rostered four F7 units (two A units and two B units), all which were rebuilt in 2007. The two A units were rebuilt into F9PH units, and rebuilt again into F9A units. In 2019, NS sold the four units.[7][8] Two of them were sent to the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway, while the other two were sent to the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad.[9][10]
• The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad (as of October 2011) operates an FP7A (#600) in main line freight service. The unit is the former Milwaukee Road #96A, and was purchased in 2005 from the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.[11]
• The Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California, rosters two former Western Pacific Railroad F7As: WP 917-D and 921-D. These engines are part of the museum's popular "Run a locomotive" program. Their roster also includes an FP7 passenger version, WP 805-A.
• The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California, has three F7s. Western Pacific F7A 913: This engine is currently listed as serviceable. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe No. 347C GM-EMD 1949 F7A was given as a gift to the museum by Santa Fe in March 1986 and is repainted to original warbonnet colors. Southern Pacific No. 6402 GM-EMD 1952 F7A was also given as a gift by the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railroad and Historical Society in June 1978. Both engines are listed as operable.[12]
• The Grafton and Upton Railroad in Grafton, Massachusetts, operates one F7A as a daily switcher, #1501.
• The Fillmore and Western Railway in Fillmore, California, has two F7As that are operational.
• The Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, Illinois, allows guests to operate their Wabash Railroad F7A #1189 for a donation through the "Throttle Time" program.
• The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, Baltimore, has former Western Maryland Railway F7A 236 and MARC F7 cab unit 7100, both which are in operational condition.
• The Boston & Maine Railroad had 4 F7A's with accompanying B units, numbered 4265-4268 (A & B). #4267A was demolished in a derailment. #4266 survives at the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire, where it is rostered as a spare unit and operated frequently. It is owned by the 470 Railroad Club of Portland ME and operated under a lease agreement with CSRR. #4268 is also owned by the 470 Club, and is currently being restored to operation. The original prime mover was removed, so the railroad acquired a retired GP9 for use as a parts donor for #4268. #4265 is on static display at the Gorham Historical Society at the former Grand Trunk RR depot in Gorham, N.H. It is inoperable but is being converted into a movie theater/picture gallery with access to the cab. F7B #4268 is owned by the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, has been altered to resemble an F3B and, as of May 2014, has been cosmetically restored as Delaware, Lackawanna & Western #664B, to match the two F3s that operate at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.
• The Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota, owns a Milwaukee Road F7B unit, 71B. It was used to power a snow plow.
• The Don Rhodes Mining and Transport Museum at Port Hedland, Western Australia, has a former Western Pacific Railroad F7A: 923A. It was sold to Mt. Newman Mining and operated as locomotive #5451 before being transferred to the Shire of Port Hedland.[13][14] It is now a static display, with the prime mover removed.
• The Minnesota Transportation Museum owns Great Northern Railway F7A 454-A, which is painted in Northern Pacific Railway colors, unrestored, and lacking its internal machinery. They also have steam heat car 16, which Great Northern constructed from F7B 458-B, originally 306-B.
• The Galveston Railroad Museum owned F7As Texas Limited #100 (ex-Southern Pacific #6379) and #200 (ex-Southern Pacific #6309). This duo headed the "Texas Limited" passenger train which made runs to and from Houston until track speed restrictions and liability insurance costs ended operations. Both units were scrapped in 2011 after extensive damage resulting from being submerged in saltwater after Hurricane Ike. The museum now owns 2 more F7's, #315 and #316, which are both painted in ATSF warbonnet colors. Both units are ex-Southern Pacific, #'s 6443 (315) and 365 (316); they have parts salvaged from the Texas Limited units.[15]
• The Indiana Transportation Museum owned two former Milwaukee Road F7A's: #83A & #72C and one F7B: #68B. #83A operated in the Monon Railroad passenger livery, and later into a Nickle Plate "bluebird" livery at the ITM. #72C was being restored to Monon freight colors. F7B #68B was to be restored to match #72C. As of May 8, 2019, #68B & #72C were put up for auction.

Lehigh Valley #576 in Tuckahoe, New Jersey, in 2010

• The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey owns four former C&NW F7As that were acquired from New Jersey Transit upon their retirement in 1991. The units were leased to the Metro North Commuter Railroad on the condition that they would be returned at the end of their lease in operating condition. Two of the units (Ex C&NW #4073C to NJT No. #417 to LV #576 and Ex C&NW 4087C to NJT #420 to LV #578 are currently painted for Lehigh Valley. One unit Ex C&NW #4074A to NJT #424 been restored to represent a Reading Company locomotive #284. The last of the four Ex Chicago & Northwestern RR # 4073A, to New Jersey Transit # 418, Is to be restored to represent an Erie Railroad locomotive # 715.
• The Columbia Star Dinner Train[16] owns two F7s (#1950 & #1951). Both units are operated by the Columbia Terminal Railroad (Columbia, Missouri) and painted to match the Wabash Railroad scheme. The Columbia Star Dinner train runs a three-hour dinner excursion on Friday and Saturday evenings.
• The Illinois Railway Museum owns a few F7s, including Metra 308 and Chicago and Northwestern 411, both of which are operational.
• Two Bessemer and Lake Erie F7's, 718 and 716B, are in Schellville, CA. Neither are operational.
• The Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Canon City, Colorado operates two of these Locomotives. They are numbers 402 and 403.

• NOHAB
• List of GM-EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives

• Cook, Preston (Spring 2015). "F Units, T to 9". Classic Trains. pp. 20–35. ISSN 1527-0718.
• Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: 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, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34863-0.
• Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years: A Guide to Diesels Built Before 1972. Railroad Reference Series. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-258-2.
• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 12, 91–94. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
• Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Enthusiast Color Series. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-0507-2.
• Solomon, Brian (2000). The American Diesel Locomotive. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-7603-0666-6.
• Solomon, Brian (2005). EMD F-Unit Locomotives. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press. ISBN 978-1-58007-192-5.
• Solomon, Brian (2006). EMD Locomotives. St. Paul, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2396-0.
• Solomon, Brian (2010). Vintage Diesel Power. Minneapolis, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7603-3795-0.
• Solomon, Brian (2011). Electro-Motive E-Units and F-Units: The Illustrated History of North America's Favorite Locomotives. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4007-3.
• Solomon, Brian (2012). North American Locomotives: A Railroad-by-Railroad Photohistory. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-4370-8.
• Wilson, Jeff (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-374-9.
• EMD Product Reference Data Card dated January 1, 1959 has the 567BC and 567C engine data used in the as-built roster.