EMD E5
Encyclopedia
The EMD E5 was a 2000 hp, 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
, and produced exclusively for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
(“The Burlington Route”), and its subsidiaries, during 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. Like those other models, the E5 had a sloping “slant nose” equipped with two headlights — a regular stationary headlight and a gyrating signal light. The E5 was the sixth model in a long line of passenger diesels of similar design known as EMD E-units.
1,000 hp engines in the engine compartment, each engine driving its own electrical generator
to power the traction motor
s.
The last surviving EMD E5 diesel, named Silver Pilot, is owned and operated by the Illinois Railway Museum
in Union, Illinois
. Last used on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway
(a CB&Q
subsidiary) on the Texas Zephyr
, the E5 is matched with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyr
s, a 5 car, articulated, stainless steel 1936 passenger train. This equipment was used in the production of the 1992 film A League of Their Own
, and for the 2006 film Flags of Our Fathers
, E5 9911A Silver Pilot was used with 4 stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr trainset.
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of La Grange, Illinois
La Grange, Illinois
La Grange, a suburb of Chicago, is a village in Cook County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 15,608 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and produced exclusively for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
(“The Burlington Route”), and its subsidiaries, during 1940 and 1941. The E5 was distinguished from the otherwise very similar E3, E4 and E6
EMD E6
The EMD E6 was a , A1A-A1A, passenger train locomotive manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors Electro-Motive Division, of La Grange, Illinois. The cab version, or E6A, was manufactured from November, 1939 to September, 1942, and 91 were produced...
by being clad in polished stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
to match the Burlington's Zephyr trains. Like those other models, the E5 had a sloping “slant nose” equipped with two headlights — a regular stationary headlight and a gyrating signal light. The E5 was the sixth model in a long line of passenger diesels of similar design known as EMD E-units.
Overview
The 2,000 hp. was achieved by putting two model 567 V12V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
1,000 hp engines in the engine compartment, each engine driving its own electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
to power the traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s.
The last surviving EMD E5 diesel, named Silver Pilot, is owned and operated by the Illinois Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
in Union, Illinois
Union, Illinois
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census, up from 576 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union is located at ....
. Last used on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway
Fort Worth and Denver Railway
The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region....
(a CB&Q
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
subsidiary) on the Texas Zephyr
Texas Zephyr
The Texas Zephyr was a named passenger train operated by the Colorado and Southern Railway and the Fort Worth and Denver Railway...
, the E5 is matched with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyr
Nebraska Zephyr
The Nebraska Zephyr was a named passenger train of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad ....
s, a 5 car, articulated, stainless steel 1936 passenger train. This equipment was used in the production of the 1992 film A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
, and for the 2006 film Flags of Our Fathers
Flags of Our Fathers (film)
is a 2006 American war film directed, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis. It is based on the book of the same name written by James Bradley and Ron Powers about the Battle of Iwo Jima, the five Marines and one Navy Corpsman who were involved...
, E5 9911A Silver Pilot was used with 4 stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr trainset.
Original owners
| Railroad | Cab-equipped A unit A unit An A unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive equipped with a driving cab, or crew compartment, and the control system to control other locomotives in a multiple unit, and therefore able to be the lead unit in a consist of several locomotives controlled from a single position... s | Cabless booster B unit B unit A "B" unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive unit which does not have a driving cab, or crew compartment, and must therefore be controlled from another, coupled locomotive with a driving cab . The term booster unit is also used. The concept was largely confined to North America... s | Road numbers A units | Road numbers B units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,... |
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9909, 9913, 9914A,B, 9915A,B |
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| Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the... |
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| Fort Worth and Denver Railway Fort Worth and Denver Railway The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region.... |
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| Total | 11 | 5 | |||
Locomotive Names
| Name | Cab/Booster | #(as built) |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Bullet | (cab) | 9909 |
| Silver Speed | (cab) | 9910A |
| Silver Power | (booster) | 9910B |
| Silver Pilot | (cab) | 9911A |
| Silver Mate | (booster) | 9911B |
| Silver Meteor | (cab) | 9912A |
| Silver Comet | (booster) | 9912B |
| Silver Wings | (cab) | 9913 |
| Silver Arrow | (cab) | 9914A |
| Silver Swift | (cab) | 9914B |
| Silver Carrier | (cab) | 9915A |
| Silver Clipper | (cab) | 9915B |
| Silver Racer | (cab) | 9950A (C&S Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the... ) |
| Silver Steed | (booster) | 9950B (C&S Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the... ) |
| Silver Chief | (cab) | 9980A (FW&D Fort Worth and Denver Railway The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region.... ) |
| Silver Warrior | (booster) | 9980B (FW&D Fort Worth and Denver Railway The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region.... ) |