EMD E5

EMD E5
CB&Q EMD E5 No. 9911A Silver Pilot at the Illinois Railway Museum
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) Model E5 Build date February 1940 – June 1941 Total produced 11 A units, 5 B units
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR A1A-A1A Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Wheel diameter 36 in (0.914 m) Wheelbase: ​  • Truck 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) Length 71 ft 1 in (21.67 m) Width 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) Height 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) Loco weight A unit: 315,000 lb (142,882 kg) B unit: 290,000 lb (131,542 kg) Prime mover EMD 12-567, 2 off Engine type V12 Two-stroke diesel Cylinders 12 × 2 Loco brake D22L
Performance figures Maximum speed 116 mph (187 km/h) Power output 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 56,500 lbf (25,628 kgf)  • Continuous 31,000 lbf (14,061 kgf) @11 mph (18 km/h)
Career Operators Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and subsidiaries Disposition One unit preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum

The EMD E5 is a 2,000-horsepower (1,500 kW), A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of La Grange, Illinois. It was produced exclusively for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (“The Burlington Route”), and its subsidiaries between 1940 and 1941.

The E5 was distinguished from the otherwise very similar E3, E4 and E6 by being clad in polished stainless steel to match the Burlington's Zephyr trains. It also featured unique small grill-like ornamentation on both sides of the upper headlight. Like the other pre-war models in the E-series, the E5 had a sloping “slant nose” design and was equipped with two headlights—a regular stationary headlight above a gyrating Mars signal light. The E5 was the sixth model in the EMD E-unit series.

Engine and powertrain

The E5 was powered by twin 12-cylinder prime movers, developing a total of 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) at 800 rpm. Designed specifically for railroad locomotives, the mechanically aspirated, two-stroke, 45-degree V-type engine, with an 8+1⁄2 in (216 mm) bore by 10 in (254 mm) stroke, giving 567 cubic inches (9,290 cm³; 9.29 L) displacement per cylinder. This engine design remained in production until 1966.

Power for the locomotive's traction was provided by two direct-current generators, one for each prime mover. This generators powered four traction motors, two on each truck, in an A1A-A1A arrangement. This truck design was used across all E units, as well as on the MP 7100 AA6, CB&Q 9908, and CRI&P AB6 power cars. Since 1939, EMC/EMD has manufactured all of its major components.

Original owners

Railroad	Cab-equipped A units	Cabless booster B units	Road numbers A units	Road numbers B units	Notes
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad	9	3	9910A–9912A, 9909, 9913, 9914A,B, 9915A,B	9910B–9912B	9911A preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum
Colorado and Southern Railway	1	1	9950A	9950B
Fort Worth and Denver Railway	1	1	9980A	9980B
Total	11	5

Locomotive details

Name	Cab or Booster	#(as built)	EMD order no.	EMD serial no.	Build date	History
Silver Bullet	(cab)	9909	E 278-A	970	Mar 1940	to C&S 9953 in Dec 1955;
Silver Speed	(cab)	9910A	E 278-A	967	Feb 1940	to C&S 9951A in Aug 1955; retired Oct 1967 and traded in to EMD on an SD40.
Silver Power	(booster)	9910B	E 279-B	971	Feb 1940	to C&S 9951B in Aug 1955; retired Oct 1967 and traded in to EMD on an SD40.
Silver Pilot	(cab)	9911A	E 278-A	968	Feb 1940	to FW&D 9982A in Aug 1955; to C&S 9952A in Oct 1955; retired in Mar 1968 and traded in to EMD on an SD40. Purchased by Illinois Railway Museum in 1969.
Silver Mate	(booster)	9911B	E 279-B	972	Feb 1940	to FW&D 9982B in Aug 1955; to C&S 9952B in Oct 1955; retired in Mar 1968 and traded in to EMD on an SD40.
Silver Meteor	(cab)	9912A	E 278-A	969	Mar 1940	retired Mar 1965 and traded in.
Silver Comet	(booster)	9912B	E 279-B	973	Mar 1940	retired Mar 1965 and traded in.
Silver Wings	(cab)	9913	E 331-A	1133	Oct 1940	to C&S 9954 in Apr 1957;
Silver Arrow	(cab)	9914A	E 377-A	1301	Jun 1941	to C&S 9955 in Sep 1961;
Silver Swift	(cab)	9914B	E 377-A	1302	Jun 1941	wrecked at Nodaway, Missouri in Aug 1960; retired and scrapped.
Silver Carrier	(cab)	9915A	E 377-A	1303	Jun 1941	wrecked at Biglow, Missouri in Apr 1963; retired and scrapped.
Silver Clipper	(cab)	9915B	E 377-A	1304	Jun 1941	retired Mar 1965 and traded in.
Silver Racer	(cab)	9950A (C&S)	E 278-A	1035	Mar 1940
Silver Steed	(booster)	9950B (C&S)	E 279-B	1037	Mar 1940
Silver Chief	(cab)	9980A (FW&D)	E 278-A	1036	Mar 1940
Silver Warrior	(booster)	9980B (FW&D)	E 279-B	1038	Mar 1940

Surviving example

Only one E5 unit of the original 16 built survives today. The last surviving EMD E5 diesel, CB&Q No. 9911A Silver Pilot, is owned and operated by the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. The locomotive was last used on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway (a CB&Q subsidiary) for the Texas Zephyr. It is now paired with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyrs, a 5 car, articulated, stainless steel passenger train from 1936.

This equipment has been featured in several film productions, including the 1992 movie A League of Their Own and the 2006 movie Flags of Our Fathers. E5 9911A Silver Pilot was used with 4 stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr trainset. 9911 is equipped with dual horns, which is a WABCO E2 and a Leslie Controls RS2M.

See also

• List of GM-EMD locomotives

References

Bibliography

• 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. EMD–121–123. 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 (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.
• Wilson, Jeff (2002). E Units: Electro-Motive's Classic Streamliners. Classic Trains / Golden Years of Railroading series. Waukesha, WI, USA: Kalmbach Publishing. ISBN 0890246068.

External links

• IRM Roster: Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A
• Burlington Route Historical Society, Rosters, Equipment & Structures