The EMD FT is a diesel-electric freight locomotive with a streamlined cab, built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (formerly Electro-Motive Corporation) from March 1939 through November 1945. Each A unit produced 1,350 horsepower, and railroads typically ran an A unit paired with a cabless B unit for 2,700 horsepower combined, on a B-B wheel arrangement capable of 65 to 95 miles per hour; 555 A units and 541 B units were built in total, with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway the largest single buyer at 155 A units and 165 B units. The FT was the first model in EMD's F-unit series and is regarded by many rail historians as one of the most important locomotive models ever built, because it proved to American railroads, despite wartime production restrictions, that diesel-electric power could outperform steam on freight service and set up EMD's dominance of the postwar dieselization of American railroading.
Facts
SignificanceRegarded by many rail historians as one of the most important locomotive models ever built, because it proved to American railroads that the diesel-electric freight locomotive was the future of the industry. 1 Manufacturer or BuilderElectro-Motive Corporation (EMC), a division of General Motors 1 FAQs
Why did the Santa Fe own more FT booster units than cab units?
A crew dispute with the unions led to extra boosters being built.
The Brotherhoods of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen insisted that the two cabs of the original four-unit sets required two crews. The railway therefore had EMD produce extra boosters and renumbered its earliest sets into four-unit sets of one cab unit and three boosters. Negotiation with the unions soon settled the dispute, but those sets stayed as they were, which is why the road had ten more FTB booster units than FTA cab units.
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Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: EMD FT
WikipediaOpening paragraph: builder and production dates
produced between March 1939 and November 1945, by General Motors' Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC)
Opening paragraph: historical assessment
Many rail historians consider the FT one of the most important locomotive models of all time.
In Group: American Diesel-Electric Road Locomotives, Lead sentence
The EMD FT is a 1,350-horsepower (1,010 kW) diesel-electric locomotive that was produced between March 1939 and November 1945, by General Motors' Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC), later known as GM Electro-Motive Division (EMD).
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