Someone told me that the GP9’s are 50 years old.
Can this be true?
BB
From http://membrane.com/~elmer/rail/product.html
GP9 1/54-8/63 4092 [all 567C engine]
GP9M variant used components from FTs, lower HP
GP9B 2/54-12/59 165
“DSchmitt” is right on target with the GP9’s age. The GP9 & GP9B were 1750 Hp engines.
There were 2,724 GP7 (10/49-5/54), and 5 GP7B (3/53-4/53). The GP7 & GP7B were 1500 Hp engines.
It would seem you have to look pretty closely to spot the differences between any GP7 - GP9.
For example, the GP7s and GP9s came with or without dynamic brakes. Also, there was an underbelly tank on the GP7 or GP9 passenger engines with a steam generator exhaust above the top of the shorter hood.
A confession: About 25 years ago I purchased a handy-dandy Kalmbach “The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide” third printing of 1978 for the then $10.75 from a L.H.S. This is a very helpful personal library book. A detailed picture-oriented website like North East Rails can’t hurt either => http://www.northeast.railfan.net/
Thanks fellows,
I guess I’m older than I realize.
BB
FWIW I have a couple of the Atlas HO GP-7 Demonstrators from 1949. GP-7 production started in 1950 and GP-9’s a few years later. I wonder how many are still out there?? In the eighties Soo Line ran highnose GP-9’s on the line in front of my house, I know at least some of them lasted long enough to be repainted in the CP red scheme in the nineties.
While I have heard they are no longer there the last time I was in Florida there was a FEC high nose GP9 switching Bowden yard that they purchased new in the mid to late 50’s. About the end ot the year 1999 almost 2000. They sure got there monies worth out of them. I am sure they sold them to some short line as there engines were always well maintained. There are GP9’s and a lone CF7 parked on the dead line at Argentine yard in SF yellow/blue warbonet paint scheme as we speak or they were at least 2 months ago.
I was in North Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin this last August. I saw a one of CN’s 7 GP9RMs (#4000) and was glad I was able to snap some photos of it. I certainly didn’t expect to see one of those around anymore
Guilford Rail Systems has a few GP9s still around last I knew. I have photos of atleast three that I can think of taken in the last year or so at Waterville, ME. ST 72, ST 52 and ST 71 (Springfield Terminal). They may be just used at the yard there as I have not seen them anywhere else in the system… Jim
Originally FEC had GP7’s and at some point in there life they were augmented on main line service with GP9’s. With the arrival of GP40’s the GP7’s were relegated to yard service or short locals. When the GP38’s arrived the GP7’s were rarely seen on the main line and the GP9’s only as part of a consist or a short local. When I last saw then the 9’s were working out the last days on the FEC yard and a second one was kept running as a stand by it case the first one choked. They smoked like an ALCO by then but still sounded like a 567.
At the Galesburg terminal over the past two weeks I have seen 4 running GP7’s. We have also had 2 SD9’s come in powering a train and are in the shop being worked on.
The SD9-3 from Lacrosse was in last month and the weird SD9 hump power sets have been through recently as well.Kinda neat to stand next to a locomotive from the steam era and not be ina museum 
While I am familiar with the Galesburg name I do not rememder the name of the RR that operates it. Whose flag were these relics from the dawn of diesel flying? (roadnames and numbers if you know?)
CN uses one for switching duties in the town I live in all the time. Here is a pic of it I took in the Summer.
The Ontario Northland has a few of them still kicking around as well.
BNSF still uses GP7s and 9s in switching service and on locals.Not bad for 50 years old.[:)]
Aren’t we all…
A lot of the Paducah rebuilds GP7s and GP9s of the early 70s are now being put out to pasture and were it not for the extremely tight locomotive market now, I’m sure they’d be razor blades and hubcaps already…
LC
You mean SD9s, right? BNSF has no GP7s or GP9s, but they do have some Santa Fe rebuilt GP7s and GP9s, which are really not 50 years old, more like 30 years old, effectively. About all that’s original on them is some steel frame and carbody. Some of the SD9s, however, still have original wiring. That’s impressive.
S. Hadid
They even have new cabs.
Central Montana Railroad still runs, I believe, six GP9’s in daily service and on a dinner train. They’re painted in Big Sky Blue–very striking. Good to see them in action.
The Sierra Railroad/Yolo Short Line uses a GP7 (or is it a GP9? I forget) for freight service and I think for their tourist “River Train” line between Woodland and West Sacramento.
I just went through the North Fond Du Las yard the other night and saw one of them leading a CN GP-40 moving around the yard while I waited for two long througn trains to pass each other. Looked like it is in great shape with a recent painting.
The Washington County rr in Vermont uses a GP9R, it was this spring still a GP9 high nose they recently cut the nose and put RC in it