EMD F7

The EMD F7 was a , B-B Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel. 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. Although originally promoted as a freight-hauling unit by EMD, the F7 was also used in passenger service hauling such trains as the Santa Fe's El Capitan.

A total of 2,366 cab-equipped lead A-units and 1,483 cabless booster or B-units were built. The F7 was the fourth model in GM-EMD's highly successful F-unit series of cab unit locomotives, and was, prior to the introduction of the EMD SD40-2 freight unit, the best selling Diesel-electric locomotive of all time.

Many F7s remained in service for decades, as railroads found them economical to operate and maintain. However the locomotive was not very popular with the 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 his 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 “GP” type “road switchers”, Fs 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.

The F7 can be considered the zenith of the cab unit freight Diesel, as it was ubiquitous on North American railroads until the 1970s (longer in Canada). The F7 design has become entrenched in the popular imagination due to it having been the motive power of some of the most famous trains in North American railroad history.

The F7 replaced the F3, differing primarily in internal equipment (mostly electrical) and some external features. The F7 was eventually succeeded by the more powerful but mechanically similar F9.

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 of most F3s, and no F3s had the later F7 changes described below under Phases.

The EMD 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 F9s greater power output, of course, cannot be seen from the outside.

Phases

The identification of locomotive “phases” is a creation of railfans. 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 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 larger, 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 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.

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 275A,B
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	—	975	459B,C	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
Alaska Railroad	5	4	1500–1508 (even)	1501–1507 (odd)
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway	215	235	37,C–47,C, 202,C–280,C, 300–316, 310–314 (second), 336–344	32A, 37A,B–47A,B, 48A, 202A,B–280A,B, 300A,B–316A,B, 310A,B–314A,B (second), 336A,B–340A,B, 341A–344A	37–47 passenger, 202-280 freight, 300-344 dual service
Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad	28	26	701A–728A	701B–726B
Boston and Maine Railroad	4	4	4265–4268	4265B–4268B
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	—
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, 632–636B
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–712A,D, 807A,D	711B,C–712B,C, 713C, 807B
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	22	16	6310–6318, 6319A–6327A, 6335–6338	6319B–6334B
Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad	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	39	34	6007A,D–6020A,D, 6500C, 6509A,C–6513A,C	6007B,C–6020B,C, 6050B, 6510B–6513B, 6550	6000s freight, 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	—
St. Louis Southwestern Railway (“Cotton Belt”)	26	17	925–975 (odd)	926–958 (even)
Texas-Mexican Railway	2	—	800A,B	—
Texas and Pacific Railway	83	35	1500–1582	1500B–1534B
Union Pacific Railroad	18	33	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 (even)
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

Preservation

• The Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, CA 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, CA has the former Western Pacific F7A 913. This engine is operational.
• The Fillmore and Western Railway in Fillmore, CA has two F7As that are operational.
• The Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, IL allows guests to operate their Wabash Railroad F7A #1189 for a donation through the "Throttle Time" program.
• The North Carolina Transportation Museum, Spencer, NC, has former Southern Railway FP-7 6133 in operating condition, with Southern colors.
• 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 this writing, at the Conway Scenic RR in North Conway NH, where it is rostered as a spare unit and operated frequently. It is owned by the 470 RR 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. #4268 is on static display at the Gorham NH Historical Society at the former Grand Trunk RR depot in Gorham. It is also inoperable.
• The Mining Machinery Museum & Park, Port Hedland at Port Hedland has a former Western Pacific Railroad F7A: 923A. This was sold to Mt. Newman Mining and operated as lococmotive 5451 before being transferred to Port Hedland Shire Council This is a static display. The prime mover has been removed.

References

• Fuhrman, Jim. EMD F7 & F9 phases. Retrieved on January 2, 2005.
• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Milwaukee, WI. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
• The Western Pacific Surviving Locomotive List
• PRESERVED DIESEL AND ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES, John Cleverdon

External links

• Preserved EMD F-Units