EMD SW8

An EMD SW8 is a diesel switcher 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.

EMD SW8
EMD SW8 retired from the USAF Titan missile program.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
Builder
ModelSW8, TR6
Build dateSeptember 1950 – February 1954
Total produced
  • EMD SW8: 309
  • GMD SW8: 65
  • EMD TR6A: 12
  • EMD TR6B: 12
Specifications
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length44 ft 5 in (13.54 m)
Width9 ft 11.6 in (3.038 m)
Height14 ft 6.2 in (4.425 m)
Loco weight230,000 lb (104,326 kg)
Prime moverEMD 567B
Engine typeTwo-stroke diesel
AspirationRoots-type supercharger
Cylinders8
Performance figures
Maximum speed65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output800 hp (600 kW)
Tractive effort:
​
 • Starting57,000 lbf (254 kN) at 25%
 • Continuous36,000 lbf (160 kN) at 11 mph (18 km/h)
Career
Locale

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

Locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, USA
RailroadQuantityRoad numbersNotes
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. 838 was acquired by Pfizer Incorporated in 1989 and then donated to the Danbury Railway Museum in 2002.[2]
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
98-99 to Burlington Northern. 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
256-273 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
To Penn Central then Conrail 8602-8627, 8618 is preserved on the Strasburg Railroad
New York Central Railroad (Chicago River and Indiana Railroad)
2
9600–9601
To Penn Central then Conrail 8600-8601
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
to Illinois Central Railroad 802
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 800 and 801
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.[1] 2002 is on display at the Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri.[3]
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
Total309

Locomotives built by General Motors Diesel, Canada
RailroadQuantityRoad numbersNotes
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
Total65

TR6
RailroadQuantity A unitsQuantity B unitsRoad numbers A unitsRoad numbers B unitsNotes
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
Total1212

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. EMD SW-8 (1953) Pfizer 1 (Danbury Railway Museum)
  3. "Railway Equipment". The National Museum of Transportation. National Transport Museum Association. 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  • Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
  • EMD Product Reference Data Card dated January 1, 1959 has the 567BC and 567C engine data used in the as-built roster.
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