GP60 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype Information

The EMD GP60 is a diesel-electric locomotive that General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division built from 1985 to 1994. EMD introduced it to compete directly with GE’s growing line of high-horsepower freight locomotives. Pushing out 3,800 horsepower from its 16-cylinder 710G3A engine, the GP60 brought new technology to the GP series, becoming the first in the line to use microprocessor-based controls for better efficiency, diagnostics, and reliability.

The GP60 came in three versions. The standard model featured a conventional cab and saw service with railroads like Southern Pacific and Union Pacific. Santa Fe ordered two exclusive variants: the GP60M, which had a wide-nose North American safety cab, and the GP60B, a cabless booster unit. In total, EMD built 294 GP60 units across all variants.

Railroads used the GP60 primarily in fast freight service, where its high horsepower and four-axle flexibility made it a strong performer. Although railroads eventually shifted toward six-axle units for heavy-haul efficiency, many GP60s still run today, especially on shortlines and regionals. The model marked the end of an era for high-horsepower four-axle locomotives, closing out the legendary GP series on a high note.