description EMD FT Overview
The EMD FT was a pioneering diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division. Notably, it represented a significant step in freight operations due to its robust design and reliable performance. Primarily used for hauling heavy loads over long distances, the FT locomotive is relevant for rail historians, transportation professionals, and collectors interested in early 20th-century American rail technology.
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Why is the EMD FT considered a revolutionary locomotive?
The EMD FT, introduced in 1939, is widely considered the locomotive that proved diesel-electric power was superior to steam for mainline freight hauling. Its reliable, high-traction design convinced major railroads that the future lay in dieselization.
What does the FT stand for on the EMD FT locomotive?
In Electro-Motive Division's naming convention, the F stood for Freight service, while the T generally denoted the 2700 combined horsepower of the standard A-B unit setup. This combination marked EMD's successful transition from manufacturing smaller switcher engines to mainline road freight locomotives.
How was an EMD FT locomotive usually configured?
Because early diesel engines were limited in horsepower, the EMD FT was typically operated as a semi-permanently coupled A-B-B-A set. An A unit had a cab for the crew, while the cabless B unit boosted the overall power of the 2,700-horsepower set.
What engine did the EMD FT use?
The EMD FT was powered by the incredibly reliable EMD 567 diesel engine, specifically a V16 configuration. This engine model became the backbone of EMD's locomotive success for decades, lasting well into the 1960s in subsequent models.
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