EMC E5
Diesel locomotive
title: "EMC E5" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["diesel–electric-locomotives-of-the-united-states", "a1a-a1a-locomotives", "electro-motive-division-locomotives", "chicago,-burlington-and-quincy-railroad", "passenger-locomotives", "railway-locomotives-introduced-in-1940", "locomotives-with-cabless-variants", "standard-gauge-locomotives-of-the-united-states", "streamlined-diesel-locomotives", "chicago,-burlington-and-quincy-locomotives"] description: "Diesel locomotive" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMC_E5" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Diesel locomotive ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox locomotive"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | EMC E5 |
| image | EMD E5 at IRM.jpg |
| caption | CB&Q EMC E5 No. 9911A Silver Pilot at the Illinois Railway Museum |
| powertype | Diesel-electric |
| builder | Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC) |
| buildmodel | E5 |
| builddate | February 1940 – June 1941 |
| totalproduction | 11 A units, 5 B units |
| aarwheels | A1A-A1A |
| Britishclass | |
| driver | |
| gauge | |
| wheeldiameter | 36 in |
| drivers | |
| coupled | |
| truck | 14 ft |
| bogie | |
| tendertruck | |
| tenderbogie | |
| pivotcentres | |
| wheelspacing | |
| length | 71 ft |
| width | 10 ft |
| height | 15 ft |
| leadingbogie/pony | |
| trail bogie/pony | |
| locoweight | A unit: 315000 lb |
| | B unit: {{convert|290000|lb|kg|0|abbr | on|lk=in}} | | primemover | EMD 12-567, 2 off | | enginetype | V12 Two-stroke diesel | | displacement | | | t/m amps 1 hr | | | t/m amps cont | | | cylindercount | 12 × 2 | | locobrakes | D22L | | maxspeed | 116 mph | | poweroutput | 2000 hp | | t/e continuous | 31000 lbf @11 mph | | t/e starting | 56500 lbf | | operator | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and subsidiaries | | disposition | One unit preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum | ::
| name = EMC E5 | image = EMD E5 at IRM.jpg | alt = | caption = CB&Q EMC E5 No. 9911A Silver Pilot at the Illinois Railway Museum | powertype = Diesel-electric | designer = | builder = Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC) | ordernumber = | serialnumber = | buildmodel = E5 | builddate = February 1940 – June 1941 | totalproduction = 11 A units, 5 B units | rebuilder = | rebuilddate = | numberrebuilt = | website = | aarwheels = A1A-A1A | uicclass = | Britishclass = | driver = | gauge = | trucks = | bogies = | leadingdiameter = | wheeldiameter = 36 in | trailingdiameter = | minimumcurve = | wheelbase = | engine total = | leading = | drivers = | coupled = | trailing = | truck = 14 ft | bogie = | tender total = | tendertruck = | tenderbogie = | pivotcentres = | wheelspacing = | length = 71 ft | over couplers = | over bufferbeams = | body = | width = 10 ft | height = 15 ft | axleload = | leadingbogie/pony = | weightondrivers = | trail bogie/pony = | locoweight = A unit: 315000 lb
B unit: 290000 lb | fueltype = | fuelcap = | lubecap = | coolantcap = | watercap = | sandcap = | powersupply = | consumption = | watercons = | primemover = EMD 12-567, 2 off | rpmrange = | rpmrange low = | rpmrange idle = | rpmrange max = | enginetype = V12 Two-stroke diesel | aspiration = | displacement = | alternator = | generator = | tractionmotors = | t/m amps 1 hr = | t/m amps cont = | headendpower = | cylindercount = 12 × 2 | cylindersize = | transmission = | gear ratio = | multipleworking = | trainheating = | locobrakes = D22L | dynamicpeakeffort = | locobrakeforce = | trainbrakes = | reservoircap = | compressorcap = | exhaustercap = | coupling = | maxspeed = 116 mph | poweroutput = 2000 hp | poweroutput start = | poweroutput 1 hr = | poweroutput cont = | tractiveeffort = | t/e 1 hr = | t/e continuous = 31000 lbf @11 mph | t/e starting = 56500 lbf | factorofadhesion = | f/adh starting = | f/adh 1 hr = | f/adh continuous = | safety = | operator = Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and subsidiaries | operatorclass = | powerclass = | numinclass = | fleetnumbers = | officialname = | nicknames = | axleloadclass = | locale = | deliverydate = | firstrundate = | lastrundate = | retiredate = | withdrawndate = | preservedunits = | restoredate = | scrapdate = | currentowner = | disposition = One unit preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum | notes = The EMC E5 is a 2000 hp, A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of La Grange, Illinois. It was produced exclusively for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (“The Burlington Route”), and its subsidiaries between 1940 and 1941.
The E5 was distinguished from the otherwise very similar E3, E4 and E6 by being clad in polished stainless steel to match the Burlington's Zephyr trains. It also featured unique small grill-like ornamentation on both sides of the upper headlight. Like the other pre-war models in the E-series, the E5 had a sloping “slant nose” design and was equipped with two headlights—a regular stationary headlight below a gyrating Mars signal light. The E5 was the sixth model in the EMD E-unit series.
Engine and powertrain
The E5 was powered by twin 12-cylinder prime movers, developing a total of 2,000 hp at 800 rpm. Designed specifically for railroad locomotives, the mechanically aspirated, two-stroke, 45-degree V-type engine, with an 8+1/2 in bore by 10 in stroke, giving 567 cuin displacement per cylinder. This engine design remained in production until 1966.
The E5 was originally intended to look very different with the cab section looking very similar to the streamlined diesel passenger trains that the CB&Q was famous for. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/EMC_E5_-_Original_Design.webp" caption="The original design for the E5, note the cab shape. This design was created on October 23, 1939."] ::
Power for the locomotive's traction was provided by two direct-current generators, one for each prime mover. This generators powered four traction motors, two on each truck, in an A1A-A1A arrangement. This truck design was used across all E units, as well as on the MP 7100 AA6, CB&Q 9908, and CRI&P AB6 power cars. Since 1939, EMC/EMD has manufactured all of its major components.
Original owners
::data[format=table] | Railroad | Cab-equipped A units | Cabless booster B units | Road numbers A units | Road numbers B units | Notes | Total | 11 | 5 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 9 | 3 | 9910A–9912A, 9909, 9913, 9914A,B, 9915A,B | 9910B–9912B | 9911A preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum | | | | | Colorado and Southern Railway | 1 | 1 | 9950A | 9950B | | | | | | Fort Worth and Denver Railway | 1 | 1 | 9980A | 9980B | | | | | ::
Locomotive details
::data[format=table]
| Name | Cab or Booster | #(as built) | EMD order no. | EMD serial no. | Build date | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Bullet | (cab) | 9909 | E 278-A | to C&S 9953 in ; | ||
| Silver Speed | (cab) | 9910A | E 278-A | to C&S 9951A in ; retired and traded in to EMD on an SD40. | ||
| Silver Power | (booster) | 9910B | E 279-B | to C&S 9951B in ; retired and traded in to EMD on an SD40. | ||
| Silver Pilot | (cab) | 9911A | E 278-A | to FW&D 9982A in ; to C&S 9952A in ; retired in and traded in to EMD on an SD40. Purchased by Illinois Railway Museum in 1969. | ||
| Silver Mate | (booster) | 9911B | E 279-B | to FW&D 9982B in ; to C&S 9952B in ; retired in and traded in to EMD on an SD40. | ||
| Silver Meteor | (cab) | 9912A | E 278-A | retired and traded in. | ||
| Silver Comet | (booster) | 9912B | E 279-B | retired and traded in. | ||
| Silver Wings | (cab) | 9913 | E 331-A | 1133 | to C&S 9954 in ; | |
| Silver Arrow | (cab) | 9914A | E 377-A | 1301 | to C&S 9955 in ; | |
| Silver Swift | (cab) | 9914B | E 377-A | 1302 | wrecked at Nodaway, Missouri in ; retired and scrapped. | |
| Silver Carrier | (cab) | 9915A | E 377-A | 1303 | wrecked at Biglow, Missouri in ; retired and scrapped. | |
| Silver Clipper | (cab) | 9915B | E 377-A | 1304 | retired and traded in. | |
| Silver Racer | (cab) | 9950A (C&S) | E 278-A | 1035 | ||
| Silver Steed | (booster) | 9950B (C&S) | E 279-B | 1037 | ||
| Silver Chief | (cab) | 9980A (FW&D) | E 278-A | 1036 | ||
| Silver Warrior | (booster) | 9980B (FW&D) | E 279-B | 1038 | ||
| :: |
Surviving example
Only one E5 unit of the original 16 built survives today. The last surviving EMD E5 diesel, CB&Q No. 9911A Silver Pilot, is owned and operated by the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. The locomotive was last used on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway (a CB&Q subsidiary) for the Texas Zephyr. It is now paired with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyrs, a 5 car, articulated, stainless steel passenger train from 1936.
This equipment has been featured in several film productions, including the 1992 movie A League of Their Own and the 2006 movie Flags of Our Fathers. E5 9911A Silver Pilot was used with 4 stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr train set. 9911 is equipped with dual horns, which is a Leslie A200-156 and a Leslie S2M.
References
Notes
Bibliography
References
- Ross 2003, pp. 273-274.{{full citation needed. (July 2016)
- "Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A".
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