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EMD E-unit
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EMD E-unit
EMD E-units were a line of passenger train streamliner diesel locomotives built by the General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and its predecessor the Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC). Final assembly for all E-units was in La Grange, Illinois. Production ran from May 1937, to December, 1963 with 1,294 units produced. The name E-units refers to the model numbers given to each successive type, which all began with E. The E originally stood for eighteen hundred horsepower (1800 hp = 1300 kW), the power of the earliest model, but the letter was kept for later models of higher power.
The predecessors of the E-units were the EMC 1800 hp B-B locomotives built in 1935. These had similar power and mechanical layouts to the E-units, but in boxcab bodies on AAR type B two-axle trucks.
EMC also introduced the TA model in 1937, selling six to the Rock Island. This had similar carbody styling, but otherwise had more in common with UP M-10001, M-10002, and M-10003 to M-10006, in that it was a 1,200 hp (900 kW), single-engined unit on B-B trucks instead of the E-units' A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. It is not part of the E-unit series.
The EMD F-units followed the basic B-B truck design of the TA model, but with a V-16 EMD 567 prime mover generating 1350 hp as introduced in 1939.
E-units standardized the two engine configuration for passenger locomotives to maximize power and, while the less-reliable Winton Diesel prime movers were in use, faced a less severe loss of power should one of the engines become disabled. While E-units were used singly for shorter trains, longer trains needed multiple locomotive units; many railroads used triple units. E-units could be purchased with or without cabs; units with a cab are called A units or lead units, while cabless units are called B units or booster units. B units did contain hostler controls, but they could not be so controlled on the main line. The locomotive units were linked together with cables which enabled the crew in the lead unit to control the trailing units. Railroads tended to buy either ABA sets (two cab-equipped units facing in opposite directions with a booster in between) or ABB sets (a single cab with a pair of boosters). The former did not need to be turned to pull in either direction, but B units were less expensive than A units and gave a smoother line to the train.
As locomotives of EMC's own standardized design produced in-house, expandable to meet various power requirements, the E-units marked the arrival of Diesel power benefiting from economies of scale and were adequate for full-sized consists, a significant threshold in the viability of Diesel motive power as a replacement for steam in passenger service.
The EA/EB, E1, and E2 models were powered by twin 900 hp Winton 201A V-12 engines in each power unit. They were standardized mechanically and in overall design. Union Pacific's E2 cab unit was distinguished from the slant-nosed EA and E1 units by its bulbous nose, round porthole style windows, and stainless steel ornamentation on the pilot and nose. The "E" designation originated to denote the locomotive units' Eighteen hundred horsepower, as opposed to the Twelve hundred horsepower "T" units but was later used to refer to all carbody constructed twin-engine mainline passenger locomotives units produced by EMC. Their twin V-12 diesel engine layout, Blomberg A-1-A trucks, and 57 ft 1 in (17.40 m) wheelbase would become the standard for all future E models. EMC/EMD has built all of its major components since 1939.
The E3, E4, E5, and E6 had the new GM-EMC 567 purpose-designed locomotive engines, for a total of 2,000 hp (1.5 MW). They had the sharply raked "slant nose", and square windows on the sides (with the exception of Union Pacific orders with porthole style windows). Production stopped in 1942. The E5 designation was used for Chicago Burlington and Quincy's stainless steel clad locomotives in keeping with their Zephyr theme.
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EMD E-unit AI simulator
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EMD E-unit
EMD E-units were a line of passenger train streamliner diesel locomotives built by the General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and its predecessor the Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC). Final assembly for all E-units was in La Grange, Illinois. Production ran from May 1937, to December, 1963 with 1,294 units produced. The name E-units refers to the model numbers given to each successive type, which all began with E. The E originally stood for eighteen hundred horsepower (1800 hp = 1300 kW), the power of the earliest model, but the letter was kept for later models of higher power.
The predecessors of the E-units were the EMC 1800 hp B-B locomotives built in 1935. These had similar power and mechanical layouts to the E-units, but in boxcab bodies on AAR type B two-axle trucks.
EMC also introduced the TA model in 1937, selling six to the Rock Island. This had similar carbody styling, but otherwise had more in common with UP M-10001, M-10002, and M-10003 to M-10006, in that it was a 1,200 hp (900 kW), single-engined unit on B-B trucks instead of the E-units' A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. It is not part of the E-unit series.
The EMD F-units followed the basic B-B truck design of the TA model, but with a V-16 EMD 567 prime mover generating 1350 hp as introduced in 1939.
E-units standardized the two engine configuration for passenger locomotives to maximize power and, while the less-reliable Winton Diesel prime movers were in use, faced a less severe loss of power should one of the engines become disabled. While E-units were used singly for shorter trains, longer trains needed multiple locomotive units; many railroads used triple units. E-units could be purchased with or without cabs; units with a cab are called A units or lead units, while cabless units are called B units or booster units. B units did contain hostler controls, but they could not be so controlled on the main line. The locomotive units were linked together with cables which enabled the crew in the lead unit to control the trailing units. Railroads tended to buy either ABA sets (two cab-equipped units facing in opposite directions with a booster in between) or ABB sets (a single cab with a pair of boosters). The former did not need to be turned to pull in either direction, but B units were less expensive than A units and gave a smoother line to the train.
As locomotives of EMC's own standardized design produced in-house, expandable to meet various power requirements, the E-units marked the arrival of Diesel power benefiting from economies of scale and were adequate for full-sized consists, a significant threshold in the viability of Diesel motive power as a replacement for steam in passenger service.
The EA/EB, E1, and E2 models were powered by twin 900 hp Winton 201A V-12 engines in each power unit. They were standardized mechanically and in overall design. Union Pacific's E2 cab unit was distinguished from the slant-nosed EA and E1 units by its bulbous nose, round porthole style windows, and stainless steel ornamentation on the pilot and nose. The "E" designation originated to denote the locomotive units' Eighteen hundred horsepower, as opposed to the Twelve hundred horsepower "T" units but was later used to refer to all carbody constructed twin-engine mainline passenger locomotives units produced by EMC. Their twin V-12 diesel engine layout, Blomberg A-1-A trucks, and 57 ft 1 in (17.40 m) wheelbase would become the standard for all future E models. EMC/EMD has built all of its major components since 1939.
The E3, E4, E5, and E6 had the new GM-EMC 567 purpose-designed locomotive engines, for a total of 2,000 hp (1.5 MW). They had the sharply raked "slant nose", and square windows on the sides (with the exception of Union Pacific orders with porthole style windows). Production stopped in 1942. The E5 designation was used for Chicago Burlington and Quincy's stainless steel clad locomotives in keeping with their Zephyr theme.
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