EMD F7

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

EMD F7
Santa Fe Railway F7 #309 with the Grand Canyon Limited on August 19, 1967
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 2,393 A units 1,463 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 blower 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 Maximum speed 65–102 mph (105–164 km/h) Power output 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) Tractive effort Starting: 56,500 lbf (251 kN) @25% Continuous: 40,000 lbf (180 kN) @9.3 mph (15 km/h)
Career Locale North America

The EMD F7 is a model of 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, & El Capitan and Ontario Northland's Northlander.

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 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. There was no F4, -5 or -6 model; "7" was chosen to match the contemporary twin-engine E7, and was also applied to the new GP7 road-switcher.

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 lbf (180 kN) for an F7 with 65 mph (105 km/h) gearing, compared to 32,500 lbf (145 kN) 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.

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.

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 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. Starting in August 1953 EMD installed 567BC and 567C engines in a few F7s, see roster below.

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 the "chicken wire" grilles seen on 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 there were exceptions. 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 eventually had the upper lights or the door light removed/plated over and the Mars/Pyle light removed. These early warning lights had a motor and linkages that often required maintenance in the shops.

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)	7	—	801–802,1950A,B,5040,459A,D	—	801–802 to Great Northern 272A,B, 1950A,B to Louisville & Nashville 857–858 5040 to Union Pacific 1483 459A,D to Union Pacific 1481–1482
Electro-Motive Division (test unit)	1	-	930A	—	930 to B&M 4268A
Electro-Motive Division (demonstrators)	—	6	—	459B,C,7002–7003,9052–9053	to Union Pacific 1496B,C (B units) 7002–7003 FP7-F7B-F7B demonstrators; to Soo Line (Wisconsin Central) 2500B–2501B 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. Wrecked again in a head-on collision with F7 417, October 1956; both rebuilt as F9 317:3 and 417:2, May 1957. {{center|
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (C&WC)	6	—	900-905	—
Alaska Railroad	5	4	1500–1508 (even)	1501–1507 (odd)	1506–1508 were built with 567BC engines
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, 300-344 dual service (passenger and freight), 48A rebuilt by EMD from Santa Fe F3B 32A (1st), used by EMD as a demo for several years. 269LABC-280LABC were built with 567BC engines.
Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad	28	26	701A–728A	701B–726B
Boston and Maine Railroad	3	4	4265A–4267A	4265B–4268B	EMD Test Unit 930 to B&M 4268A, B&M 4266A and 4268A are now owned by 470 Railroad Club and leased to the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, NH, both are in operation but 4268 was rebuilt from a donor unit NHN GP9r 1757. The 4265A is in Gorham, NH owned by the Gorham Historical society and is in poor condition with no current plans for restoration.
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)
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	—	6501A was rebuilt to EMD F9A test unit 462
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	In addition, F3As 800-805 and F3Bs 850-852 were rebuilt by EMD as F7s.
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
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)
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	F7A to 18 – 39 after renumbering F7B to 118 – 139 after renumbering
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	2228AB-2230AB were built with 567C engines.
Southern Railway	63	44	4207–4269	4385–4428
Southern Railway (CNO&TP)	7	24	6114–6120	6160–6183
Southern Railway (AGS)	6	3	6714–6719	6756–6758
Southern Pacific Railroad	250	220	6140A,D–6169A,D, 6240–6423, 6440–6445	6140B,C–6169B,C, 8140–8285, 8290–8303
Southern Pacific Railroad (T&NO)	44	16	338–381	538–553
Southern Pacific Railroad (SSW)	28	17	SSW 920D (923), 921 2nd, 925–975 (odd)	926–958 (even)	SSW 920D (923) was an FT rebuilt on an F7 underframe, SSW 921 2nd was an FT rebuilt on an F7 underframe
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway	4	—	803–806	—	to BN 9754,9756,9758,9760
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	F7A's to Norfolk and Western #3631-3726, F7B's to #7616-7624
Western Maryland Railway	26	14	53–66, 231-242	53B–65B (odd), 231B–243B (odd)	WM 61B, 65B, 239B, 241B, and 243B were built with 567C engines.
Western Pacific Railroad	24	26	913A,D–924A,D	804B–805B, 913B,C–924B,C	800s passenger (with FP7)
Totals	2269	1422

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

Export locomotives built by Electro-Motive Division, USA for Mexico

Railroad	Quantity A units	Quantity B units	Road numbers A units	Road numbers B units	Notes
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	22	16	6310–6318, 6319A–6327A, 6335–6338	6319B–6334B
Mexican Ministry of Communications and Public Works ("SCOP")	2	—	23037–23038	—
Totals	24	16

Rebuilds

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 substituting 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.

Surviving units

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. They were used on inspection trains and Office Car Specials until 2019, when NS sold the four units. 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.
• 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 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. Currently inoperable.
  • 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. Part of the locomotive has since been cutaway to display the inner workings of a diesel locomotive.
• 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. It is now a static display, with the prime mover removed.
• 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.
• Ex-Chicago and North Western Railway No. 401, formerly one of the C&NW’s executive train units in the 1980s, was donated by the Union Pacific Railroad to the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, which plans to restore the locomotive to operation. It arrived on the railroad on March 10, 2023.

See also

• EMD FP7
• NOHAB
• List of GM-EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives

References

• Burns, A. (n.d.). EMD F7 locomotives. American-Rails. Retrieved November 22, 2021, from https://www.american-rails.com/e1074.html.
• 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.
• Hawkins, R. W. (2020, November 27). Southern Railway CabUnits. HawkinsRails. Retrieved November 22, 2021, from http://hawkinsrails.net/mainlines/sou/sou_mp_cabs.htm.
• 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.
• Rio Grande Modelling and Historical Society. DRGW EMD F7 Roster. D&RGW F7 diesel roster. Retrieved November 22, 2021, from https://www.rgmhs.org/data/diesels/f7.html.
• The Diesel Shop. EMD F7A and F7B. EMD F7 Data Sheet. Retrieved November 22, 2021, from https://www.thedieselshop.us/Data%20EMD%20F7.HTML.
• Wilson, Jeff (1999). F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 978-0-89024-374-9.
• General Motors Electro-Motive Division Service Department "Locomotive Reference Data" published January 1, 1959, 286 pages.
• General Motors of Canada Limited Diesel Division "Serial Number Record" 1942–1990, includes import of EMD units to Canada, 230 pages.