The EMD FP9 is an American 1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW), B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive that was produced between February 1954 and December 1959 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, except for Canadian orders, which were assembled by Canadian subsidiary GMD at London, Ontario. The FP9 was essentially EMD's F9 locomotive extended by 4 feet (1.2 m) to give greater steam generator and water capacity for hauling passenger trains. A total of 90 cab-equipped lead A units were built; unlike the freight series, no cabless booster B units were sold. Regular F9B units were sometimes used with FP9 A units, since they, lacking cabs, had more room for water and steam generators. The FP9 and its predecessor, the FP7, were offshoots of GM-EMD's highly successful F-unit series of cab unit diesel locomotives.[1]

EMD FP9
RLGN 1400 (originally CN 6539) in 2003
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderGeneral Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada)
ModelFP9
Build dateFebruary 1954 – December 1959
Total produced90
Specifications
Configuration:
 • AARB-B
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
TrucksBlomberg B
Wheel diameter40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 m radius)
Wheelbase43 ft (13.11 m)
Length55 ft 2+14 in (16.82 m)
Width10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height15 ft (4.57 m)
Loco weight260,000 lb (120,000 kg)
Fuel capacity1,200 US gal (4,500 L; 1,000 imp gal)
Prime moverEMD 16-567C
RPM range800
Engine typeV16 Two-stroke diesel
AspirationRoots-type supercharger
Displacement9,072 cu in (148.66 L)
GeneratorEMD D-12
Traction motors(4) EMD D-37
Cylinders16
Cylinder size8+12 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed65–105 mph (105–169 km/h)
Power output1,750 horsepower (1,300 kW)
Career
LocaleNorth America, Saudi Arabia

Original buyers

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Locomotives built by EMD at La Grange, Illinois

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Railroad Quantity FP9 Quantity F9B
(where ordered with FP9)
Road numbers FP9 Road numbers F9B Notes
Chicago & North Western Railway 4 4 4051A–4054A 4051B–4054B Built from trade-in FTs and rated at 1500 hp. "Diesel Spotters' Guide" counts these as FP7
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México 25 7010–7034
Saudi Government Railways 7 1502–1508
Totals 36 4

Locomotives built by GMD at London, Ontario

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Railroad Quantity FP9 Quantity F9B
(where ordered with FP9)
Road numbers FP9 Road numbers F9B Notes
Canadian National Railways 43 38 6500–6542 6600–6637 Model FP9ARM, 15 units were rebuilt in the 1980s with EMD 645C power up to 1800 HP.
Canadian Pacific Railway 11 8 1405–1415 1900–1907
Totals 54 46

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Foster, Gerald L. (1996). A field guide to trains of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 98. ISBN 0-395-70112-0.

Bibliography

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