High Hood Road Switchers
EMD GP7
701-713
General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) introduced the General-Purpose (GP) locomotive in 1949 the first of which was the GP7. As the name indicates, the "Geep" was extremely versatile and performed just as well hauling freight as it did leading passenger trains. EMD would produce over 2,700 GP7s by the time production ended in 1954. Because they were produced in such a large quantity, the angular boxy styling was so that the beauty of the beast grew into the 'normal' for road switchers. Some of the options available included dynamic braking, fuel tank size, steam generator, winterization hatch, and drop steps. EMD's ruggedly reliable 567 series diesel engine insured that the GP7s would stay in service for many, many years.
 |
| GP7 711 in near pristine paint at San Jose in May 1966. |
| East-West Rail Scenes Photo. |
Based on the popular F7 locomotive it was conceived by
Electro-Motive designer Dick Dilworth as the ultimate in functional
versatility. The GP7 would prove more than equal to its designation
as a General Purpose locomotive. For the railroads, strained by
traffic demands, the "geep" offered a truly bi-directional
locomotive, equally at home in freight, passenger, or switching
service. Although based on the F7 this new model with its unique
body permitted greatly improved visibility over cab units. Because
most of the major components originated from the F7 for EMD, this
squarish looking 1500hp road switcher offered lower construction
cost and easier servicing.
Deciding that each new locomotive should have a cab and control
stand Western Pacific went looking for additional power. EMD offered
WP the newly designed GP7, which sporting a high short hood, were
virtually identical both mechanically and electrically to late model
F7’s with a 567B 16-cylinder motor producing 1500 horsepower.
Authorized for purchase by the Board of Directors in February 1952
units 701-709 began the practice of equipping hood units with dual
cab controls and Pyle National “Barrel style” headlights that so
characterized later classes of WP power. Costing $171,000.00 each
delivery of these nine GP7’s numbered 701-709 was in October 1952.
Sporting Pyle-National “barrel” style headlights, colors were the
now standard Zephyr paint with the road name spelled out on a single
line. Handrail stanchions were cast and a winterization hatch
covered the forward rear radiator fan. Five chime Nathon M5R24 horns
were mounted above the generator on the long hood. A spotting
feature was the 3 sets of under cab louvers on the equipment doors.
The 710-713 were delivered in March and April of 1953 and
effectively sealed the fate of steam ever running on the WP again.
Of the thirteen units on the roster two, 711 and 712 would be
transferred to the Sacramento Northern in 1971. The original
headlights gave way to both EMD standard twin sealed beam units and
inserts for the original barrel headlights in the late 1970’s. The
Feather River Rail Society at its Western Pacific Railroad Museum in
Portola, California preserves four units, the 705, 707 complete with
“barrel” headlights, 708 and Sacramento Northern (ex WP) 712.
EMD GP9
725-732
The GP9 was manufactured from 1954 until 1959. Over 70 railroads purchased more than 4,000 before production of this model ceased. Consequently, GP9's can still be found in active service to this date. Phase II GP9's are differentiated by 36" cap top fans, fuel tank inspection slots in the locomotive skirts, a rear mounted fuel fill, a single set of louvers on the battery box, and formed handrail stanchions.
 |
| GP9 726 rests between assisgnments at Salt Lake City on May 29, 1968. |
| East-West Rail Scenes Photo. |
With the building of the Ford plant in Milpitas and the resulting
need for more power Western Pacific again returned to EMD in 1955.
Having replaced the GP7 in the builders’ line WP owned but eight GP9
locomotives numbered 725 through 732. Occupying the RS-62 class the
units developed 1,750 horsepower. Equipped similarly to their GP7
predecessors they had dual cab controls, winterization hatches over
the forward rear radiator fan and the large Pyle-National barrel
style headlamps. Differing visually from the similar GP7, rearranged
hood louvers necessitated the road name being spelled out using two
lines verses the single line on the GP7’s. Handrail stanchions were
now formed into a U-section and not cast. With the purchase of these
eight locomotives costing $184,764.00 each, EMD order number 5407,
would be the next to last high short hood units on the roster.
Roaming system wide the GP9’s performed a variety of duties for
owner WP. Their flexibility, power, and reliability proved to be of
great value to the WP. Although their starting tractive effort of
61,900 lbs. was slightly less than their heavier F7 cousins, the
road switcher hood configuration proved to be of great convenience
to WP crews and it was common to see them working mainline freights,
locals, yard service and even occasional snow plow duty. Of the
original eight, the 726 and the 730 left the roster during their
service on the WP due to wrecks. At the time of the UP merger two
more left the roster without being renumbered, the 727, which was
donated to the City of Elko, NV in September of 1984 and the 728
which was sold for scrap to Erman-Howell Division of Turner, Kansas
in March of 1985.
The remaining four, the 725, 729, 731 and the 732 were renumbered to
UP 300, 304, 306 and 308 respectively and remained in service,
mostly on former WP rails, until 1985 when they were retired and
sold to Precision National Corporation. PNC in turn sold them to
Helm Leasing who leased them to the Iowa Interstate Railroad in
August and September of 1986 where they retained their UP numbers
with IAIS reporting marks. Two years later, the 304 (ex WP 729) and
the 308 (ex WP 732) were wrecked on the IAIS and retired. These
retirements left only three former WP GP9s, with one already on
permanent static display (the 727) in the City of Elko, NV. Through
the efforts of the Feather River Rail Society the remaining two, 725
and 731, were saved and are now part of the Western Pacific Railroad
Museum roster in Portola, California.
EMD GP20
2001 – 2010
When the railroads asked General Motors' Electro-Motive division for a locomotive with more horsepower, EMD responded with one of the strongest locomotives of its time. 260 were built from 1959 to 1962, with these powerful locomotives making quite a name for themselves. In fact, it took only three GP20s to pull as many cars as four F3s. The GP-20 can be considered both a beginning and an end. It was the last first generation locomotive produced by EMD. The advances heralded the second generation of EMD locomotives. Initially an experimental homebuilt, designed by Union Pacific's Omaha shops, this locomotive type increased per unit horsepower of an already proven system.
 |
| Brand new GP20 2001 prior to delivey to WP. |
| EMD Photo. |
Western Pacific became the first customer for EMD’s new turbocharged
GP20 when in 1959 they ordered six of the new units. Numbers
2001-2006 came to the WP adorned in the then standard aluminum and
orange “California Zephyr” inspired paint scheme with Western
Pacific adorning the long hood in a single line. Measuring 56 feet 2
inches over the coupler faces the new locomotive was built around
the proven 567 prime mover, carried 2,350 gallons of fuel and
weighed 257,000 pounds fully loaded. These were the first units
available from EMD factory equipped with a turbocharger, which let
the 567D2 16-cylinder motor develop 2000 horsepower, within 500
horsepower of the 567’s practical horsepower limit. All of WP’s
GP20’s were considered to be phase 1a units. Occupying road class
RS64 the GP20’s received many improvements over the years due to
WP’s commitment to equipment modernization.
Costing $212,793.00 each, the first six units were built without any
trade-in credit. Equipped with dual cab controls the railroad
envisioned them working in local and switching service as well as
out on the mainline. Built with the then standard WP barrel type
headlight at both ends the units also came equipped with a
re-railing frog mounted near the rear truck on both sides. These
units also had a Nathan M5R24 five-chime horn mounted just off the
centerline to the right on the cab roof with the bell mounted atop
the left side of the long hood just behind the cab.
Returning in 1960 for four additional units, trade-in FT’s reduced
the per unit price by $17,000.00. Virtually identical to the first
order these units were heavier by 1,110 pounds. Until the merger
with the Union Pacific in 1983 only one unit had left the roster.
The 2003 was wrecked at Beowawe, Nevada in September 1963, with
damage extensive enough that it was traded back to EMD for credit
against GP35 3011. Of those roads that ordered the GP20 only two,
Great Northern and Western Pacific, opted for the high short hood.
One unit, the very first production GP20 built, WP 2001 was donated
to the Feather River Rail Society by the Union Pacific Railroad in
June 1985 and now operates at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in
Portola, California.