EMD F7

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

EMD F7
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad F7 A and B-units in Galesburg, Illinois in 1968.
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 Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 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+1⁄2 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.

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.

• 
  Restored F7A #1189, a Phase II built in 1953 for the Wabash Railroad. It is located at the Monticello Railway Museum in Illinois.
• 
  A 1970s Chicago & North Western commuter train powered by F7 411 at the Illinois Railway Museum in 2006
• 
  Western Pacific Railroad #913, on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California.

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)
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
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
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)
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.

• 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.
• 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 the former 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 given as gift by the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railroad and Historical Society in June 1978. Both engines are listed as operable.
• 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, MD, has former Western Maryland Railway F7A 236 in operating 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 on static display (exterior only) at CSRR. The prime mover has been removed. #4265 is on static display at the Gorham Historical Society at the former Grand Trunk RR depot in Gorham, NH. It is also 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 lococmotive #5451 before being transferred to the Shire of Port Hedland. 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). The two headed the "Texas Limited" passenger train which made runs to and from Houston until track speed restrictions and liability insurance costs ended operations. #100's frame number is supposed to have been Chicago & Northwestern F7B #4092, built in July 1952, not a Southern Pacific F7A. It is speculated that the frames were unintentionally swapped up before assembly. Both units were scrapped in 2011 due to extensive damage from 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).
• The Indiana Transportation Museum owns two former Milwaukee Road F7A's #83 & #72, one F7B #68 & one FP7 #96. #83 & #96 operated in the Monon Railroad passenger livery at the ITM. #83C (#72A) is being restored to Monon freight colors. F7B #68 will be restored to match #72.

Lehigh Valley #576 in Tuckahoe, New Jersey in 2010

• The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey owns two 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. Both units are operable and currently painted for Lehigh Valley (#578 and #576, respectively). Both units are operated by the Cape May Seashore Lines and stored in Tuckahoe.
• The Columbia Star Dinner Train 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.

See also

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

References

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, 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.

External links

• Fuhrman, Jim. EMD F7 & F9 phases. Retrieved on January 2, 2005.
• The Western Pacific Surviving Locomotive List.
• Cleverdon, John. Preserved Diesel and Electric Locomotives
• Preserved EMD F-Units
• EMD F7As at rrpicturearchives.net
• EMD F7Bs at rrpicturearchives.net
• FallenFlags.org online manuals
• UtahRails.net online documents