FP7 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype Information

The EMD FP7 rolled out in 1949 as a dual-service locomotive built to handle both passenger and freight trains. General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division took the proven F7 design, stretched the frame by four feet, and added a steam generator with water tanks for passenger heating. With its 1,500-horsepower 567B prime mover, the FP7 gave railroads a single locomotive that could cover long passenger runs and then move directly into freight service.

Railroads across North America put the FP7 to work. The Southern Railway, Milwaukee Road, and Canadian Pacific all relied on it for dependable passenger power. Between 1949 and 1953, EMD built 324 units in the U.S., while General Motors Diesel in Canada added another 57. Even as passenger service declined in the 1950s and 1960s, railroads kept their FP7s running in freight service and later on excursion trains. Today, several FP7s still operate on museums and tourist lines, showing off the streamlined look and versatility that defined the locomotive.