EMD SD9
An SD9 is a 6-axle road switcher diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. An EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine generated 1,750 horsepower (1.30 MW). This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7, but this model, internally, features the improved and much more maintainable 567C engine. The principal spotting feature are the classification lights on the ends of the locomotive, above the number board. The SD9's classification lights are on a small pod, canted outward. The last phase of construction had a carbody similar to the SD18 and SD24, and used two 48-inch (1,219 mm) cooling fans instead of four 36-inch (914 mm) cooling fans. Because of their refinements over the SD7 model, SD9's, especially on the Southern Pacific and Northwestern Pacific, were frequently referred to as "Cadillac's."
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Four hundred and seventy-one SD9s were built for American railroads and 44 for export.
Many SD9s both high and short-hood can still be found in service today on shortline railroads and industrial operators. And while most Class 1 roads stopped using these locomotives by the 1970s and 1980s, some remain in rebuilt form on some major Class I railroads, as switcher locomotives.
Original buyers
Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrator) | to Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range 110 | ||
Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad | |||
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | |||
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 300s had steam generators. To Burlington Northern 6127-6206 | ||
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (C&S) | To Burlington Northern 6215-6237
6234 preserved | ||
Central of Georgia Railway | |||
Chicago and Illinois Midland Railroad | |||
Chicago and North Western Railway | Fitted for Chicago commuter service | ||
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | Renumbered 530-543 | ||
Chile Exploration | Track gauge? | ||
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad | 129–130 had steam generators | ||
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad | |||
Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway | |||
Great Northern Railway | To Burlington Northern 6100-6126 | ||
Korail (Korea) | Later renumbered 5001-5029 | ||
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (“Nickel Plate Road”) | |||
Orinoco Mining (Venezuela) | |||
Pennsylvania Railroad | |||
Reserve Mining | To Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad | ||
Soo Line (Wisconsin Central Railroad) | |||
Southern Pacific Company | 5340–5391 had steam generators | ||
Total | 515 |
Preservation
Some SD9 locomotives can be found in museums and on tourist lines, and at least two are in service on a working railroad:
- Dakota Southern Railway uses SD9 506 and SD9E 4427 in revenue freight service.[1]
- BNSF 6125 was donated to the Inland Northwest Rail Museum in 2020. This unit was originally built for the Great Northern Railway as GN 598 and was incorporated in the formation of the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1970. It became part of BNSF after the merger of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroads in 1995.
- The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad uses #1223, formerly of Reserve Mining, in regular service around Escanaba, Michigan; other SD9s owned by the railroad are as of 2016 in a "deadline" in Wells, Michigan.
- Colorado & Southern 839, later Burlington Northern 6234, was donated by successor Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. to the Minnesota Transportation Museum. It now operates on the museum's Osceola and St Croix Valley Railway. 6234 is an example of the last variation of SD9 locomotives produced, which used the SD18 carbody.
- The Nevada Northern Railway uses #204, ex-SP SD9E #4426 to occasionally to pull their passenger trains.
- Southern Pacific 4404 is preserved at WRIX/Western Rail INC.
- Milwaukee Road 532, rebuilt by the Milwaukee into an 'SD10', lives at the Whitewater Valley Railroad. It was originally their 2235.
- Nickel Plate Road 349 is preserved at the Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum. It was retired as Norfolk Southern #52, and was donated to the museum in December 2010. It has been restored to its Norfolk & Western appearance.
- The Portland and Western Railroad uses two SD9s for switching and industry service. PNWR 1852 operates out of their Albany, OR Burlington Northern yard and PNWR 1854 is assigned to the rock train, both Ex-SP Heritage.
- The Western Rail Inc. owns 3 SD9m (SD9 rebuild) units. 13, 50, & 1886. 13 & 50 are Ex-Norfolk Southern, Exx-Norfolk & Western, née Nickel Plate Road. 1886 is Ex-Norfolk Southern, Exx-Southern, née Central of Georgia.
- BNSF still rosters several SD9's. 4 are known to have been rebuilt into SD9-3's, numbers 1550-1553, and have modern EMD cabs.
- An ex-Central of Georgia SD9, Black River & Western Railroad 9581, is currently on lease to Kinder-Morgan Newport News for yard duty.
- The Albany & Eastern Railroad Company (AERC) has 1 SD9E in Black Widow paint, AERC/LLW 5399, It is used for both Passenger and Freight service in Lebanon, OR.
- SP 4451, along with a few other SD9's are stored on a old spur outside of Shellville, CA
Footnotes
- Presented by Spencer Christian (2009). "Dakota Southern Railway". Tracks Ahead. Episode 707. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. PBS. WMVS/Milwaukee PBS. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21.
References
- Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
- Sarberenyi, Robert. EMD SD9 Original Owners. Retrieved on August 27, 2006
- Komanesky, John. Preserved EMD Locomotives. Retrieved on May 18, 2009
External links
- Media related to EMD SD9 locomotives at Wikimedia Commons