E6 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype Information

The EMD E6 entered production in 1939 as Electro-Motive’s next step in streamlined diesel passenger power. It used the twin 567 diesel-engine setup common to early E-units, producing a combined 2,000 horsepower. EMD refined the carbody with a sleeker, more aerodynamic nose, which became one of the most recognizable early diesel designs.

Railroads such as Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, Pennsylvania Railroad, Rock Island, and others bought the E6 to modernize their passenger fleets before and during World War II. The locomotives earned a reputation for reliability and smooth performance, helping railroads shift away from steam on premier passenger trains.

Production ended in 1942 as the war shifted industrial priorities. Many E6s remained in service well into the 1950s and early 1960s, giving the model a long career and cementing its place in the rise of streamlined diesel passenger power.