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EMD F7
Santa Fe Railway F7 #309 with theGrand Canyon Limited on August 19, 1967
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada) Model F7 Build date February 1949 – December 1953 Total produced 2,393A units 1,463B units
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo’Bo’ Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Trucks Blomberg B Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 23° (250.79 ft or 76.44 mradius) Wheelbase 39 ft (11.89 m) Length A unit: 50 ft 8 in (15.44 m) B unit: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m) Width 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) Height 15 ft (4.57 m) Loco weight 247,300 lb (112,200 kg) Prime mover EMD16-567B RPM range 800 Engine type Two-strokeV16diesel Aspiration Roots blower Displacement 9,072 cu in (148.66 L) Generator EMD D-12 Traction motors (4) EMD D-27-B Cylinders 16 Cylinder size 8+1⁄2 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 65–102 mph (105–164 km/h) Power output 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) Tractive effort Starting: 56,500 lbf (251 kN) at 25% Continuous: 40,000 lbf (180 kN) at 9.3 mph (15 km/h)
Career Locale North America

TheEMD F7 is a model of 1,500-horsepower (1,100 kW)diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by theElectro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) andGeneral Motors Diesel (GMD).^[1]

Although originally promoted by EMD as afreight-hauling unit, theF-series, including the F7 were also capable of passenger service, and used in hauling trains such as theSanta Fe Railway's high-speed flagship trains, theSuper Chief, &El Capitan, and theOntario Northland'sNorthlander.

The F7 was the fourth model in GM-EMD's successful line ofF-unit locomotives, and by far the best-sellingcab unit of all time. In fact, more F7s were built than all other F-units combined. The F7 succeeded theF3 model in GM-EMD's F-unit series, and was replaced in turn by theF9. Final assembly was at GM-EMD'sLa Grange, Illinois, plant or GMD'sLondon, Ontario, facility. There was no F4, -5 or -6 model; "7" was chosen to match the contemporary twin-engineE7, and was also applied to the newGP7 road-switcher.

The F7 differed from the F3 primarily in internal equipment—mostly electrical—and some external features. Its continuoustractive effort rating was 20 percent higher, e.g. 40,000 lbf (180 kN) for an F7 with 65 mph (105 km/h) gearing, compared to 32,500 lbf (145 kN) for an F3 with the same gearing.

Many F7s remained in service for decades, as railroads found them economical to operate and maintain. However, the locomotive was not very popular with 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 a 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 "road switchers" such as theEMD GP7, F-units were primarily used in "through freight" and "unit train" service where there was little or no switching to be done.

The F7'sprime mover is a 16-cylinder567B seriesdiesel engine developing 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) at 800 rpm. The 567B is amechanically aspiratedtwo-stroke design in a 45-degreeV engine configuration, with 567 cu in (9.29 L) displacement per cylinder, for a total of 9,072 cu in (148.66 L).  A direct current generator that is mechanically coupled to theflywheel end of the engine powers fourtraction motors, with two motors mounted on eachBlomberg B truck. EMD has built all of its major components since 1939.^[2][3][4][5]

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 seen on most F3s, and no F3s had later F7 changes described below underPhases.

The 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 F9's greater power output, of course, cannot be seen from the outside.

There were also two main classes of F7s: passenger and freight. Most passenger units had upper and lower headlights, but there were exceptions. Many freight units had the upperMars or Pyle brand warning light as well. And some passenger units only had a single upper headlight, i.e. the Pennsylvania. Many units eventually had the upper lights or the door light removed/plated over and the Mars/Pyle light removed. These early warning lights had a motor and linkages that often required maintenance in the shops.

Several F7s were rebuilt byMorrison–Knudsen asF9PHs and used in passenger operations. Others were rebuilt as the "FP10" and used by theMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for theircommuter rail service. In addition, the Santa Fe had 190 of their F7As rebuilt intoCF7 hood units in the 1970s. Only one original F7 unit from the railway exists to this day, preserved in running condition at theCalifornia State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

In the early 2000s, a single unpowered EMD F cab unit #7100 (ex-Baltimore & Ohio Railroad F7 #4553) operated onMARC, occasionally substituting for a cab car. In addition to serving as an all-purpose control unit, it also had a head-end power generator that supplied electricity to the train.^[6]

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(July 2025)

Locomotives based on the F7 design were built by licensees in Europe and Australia.

A total of 2,393 cab-equipped leadA units and 1,463 cabless-booster orB units were built. Roughly fifty railroads purchased A units, B units, or both. The single largest buyer was theSouthern Pacific Railroad, which purchased 294 A units and 236 B units.^[7][8] Other significant buyers included theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, theNew York Central Railroad, theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad, and thePennsylvania Railroad.^[7] Locomotives intended for use in Canada were built byGeneral Motors Diesel, EMD's Canadian subsidiary. These included 76 for theCanadian National Railway^[9] and 29 for theCanadian Pacific Railway.^[10] TheWabash Railroad, although primarily an American railroad, purchased locomotives from both EMD and GMD.^[11] TheFerrocarriles Nacionales de México's (NdeM) 39 locomotives were built in the United States.^[12]

Several F7s are preserved at shortlines, tourist lines, and museums, including:

• Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway^[13]
• Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad^[14]
• California State Railroad Museum^[15]
• Conway Scenic Railroad^[16]
• Don Rhodes Mining and Transport Museum^{[17][18][unreliable source?]}
• Galveston Railroad Museum^[19]
• Illinois Railway Museum^[20]
• Manitoba Children's Museum^[21]
• Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry^{[22][unreliable source?]}
• Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad^[23]
• Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad^[24]
• Toronto Railway Museum cab of ex-Canadian National Railway F7A 9159 - built 1951 and scrapped 1991; cab acquired by TRM in 2006.

• EMD FP7
• NOHAB
• List of GM-EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives

• Cook, Preston (Spring 2015). "F Units, T to 9".Classic Trains. pp. 20–35.ISSN 1527-0718.
• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973).The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, Wisconsin:Kalmbach Publishing.ISBN 978-0-89024-026-7.
• Ross, David, ed. (2003).The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives. New York: Barnes & Noble.ISBN 978-0-7607-9679-5.
• Wilson, Jeff (2017).Guide to North American Diesel Locomotives. Waukesha, Wisconsin:Kalmbach Publishing.ISBN 978-1-62700-455-8.

• Dorin, Patrick C. (1972).Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. pp. 119–121.ISBN 0-87564-715-4.
• Hawkins, R. W. (2020, November 27). Southern Railway CabUnits. HawkinsRails. Retrieved November 22, 2021, fromhttps://hawkinsrails.net/mainlines/sou/sou_mp_cabs.htm.
• 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.
• 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 (2005).EMD F-Unit Locomotives. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press.ISBN 978-1-58007-192-5.
• 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.
• Rio Grande Modelling and Historical Society. DRGW EMD F7 Roster. D&RGW F7 diesel roster. Retrieved November 22, 2021, fromhttps://www.rgmhs.org/data/diesels/f7.htmlArchived November 23, 2021, at theWayback Machine.
• The Diesel Shop. EMD F7A and F7B. EMD F7 Data Sheet. Retrieved November 22, 2021, fromhttps://www.thedieselshop.us/Data%20EMD%20F7.HTML.
• Wilson, Jeff (1999).F Units: The Diesels That Did It. Golden Years of Railroading. Waukesha, Wisconsin:Kalmbach Publishing.ISBN 978-0-89024-374-9.
• General Motors Electro-Motive Division Service Department "Locomotive Reference Data" published January 1, 1959, 286 pages.
• General Motors of Canada Limited Diesel Division "Serial Number Record" 1942–1990, includes import of EMD units to Canada, 230 pages.

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