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How Many EMD F5 Locomotives Did D&RGW Own?

This page was last updated on July 9, 2015.

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How many F5s Did D&RGW own?

The short answer is "None."

A close examination of the available sources indicates that D&RGW did not operate any F5 locomotives.

Overview

EMD historians and D&RGW locomotive historians seem to disagree as to D&RGW's fleet of EMD F5 locomotives. Some say Rio Grande operated as many as 12 F5 locomotive (6 cab units and 6 booster units); others say that D&RGW operated as few as four F5 locomotives (2 cab units and 2 booster units). Others say that D&RGW didn't operate F5s at all.

First some agreed-on facts. D&RGW ordered three A-B-B-A sets of road freight locomotives from EMD in 1947; one set (D&RGW 556) was delivered in November 1948, and the other two sets (D&RGW 555 and 557) were delivered in February 1949. (see John Templeton's notes, below)

According to "Rio Grande Diesels", Volume 1 (Shade Tree Books, 1983), EMD began building the F5 as an interim model in late summer 1948. This interim model was by all appearances a late F3, but was equipped mechanically and electrically with features that would later be the basis for the F7 locomotive, first officially delivered in February 1949. These features were a stronger traction motor (D27 vs. D17 model) and better wheel slip control above 25 m.p.h. This same source states that D&RGW had only one A-B-B-A set F5 locomotives, numbered as D&RGW 556, delivered in November 1948. Two adjacent-numbered sets, D&RGW 555 and 557, are shown as being built as F7s in February 1949. All three A-B-B-A sets were ordered from EMD in 1947, with D&RGW being given the option of accepting at least one set as F5s, with the interim features that were to be offered later on F7s. At the same time, EMD assured Rio Grande that the F5 set could be later upgraded to an F7 set using the newer diesel engine and the newer automatic transition. This conversion was likely completed within a year.

Rio Grande's own employee timetables refer to these three A-B-B-A locomotive sets (numbered as 555, 556, and 557) as F7s, as evidenced in "Rio Grande Steam Finale" (South Platte Press, 1999, pages 56-58)

Don Dover's ground breaking F unit spotting guide in the January 1970 issue of Extra 2200 South does not mention the F5 at all. Neither does the D&RGW diesel roster in the October-November 1970 issue of the same magazine.

In EMD's own Product Reference data books, while the company does acknowledge that some F5 were delivered as F3s, none of the D&RGW units are specifically called out as being part of this interim F5 group of locomotives. In fact, EMD calls all of the D&RGW locomotives F7s.

For those who believe that there were 12 F5s on Rio Grande, their full-four-unit A-B-B-A set numbers were D&RGW 555 (later 5551-5554), 556 (later 5561-5564), and 557 (later 5571-5574). This quantity is based on Larry Russell's fine article in Extra 2200 South.

Three things are certain: 1) the sources do not agree; 2) the differences are purely internal; and 3) the F5 model was never an official EMD model.

Without formal documentation to the contrary, this web site will consider all D&RGW locomotives delivered during this time period (August 1948 to February 1949) to be F7s.

The formal documentation referred to will be either a D&RGW source, or a direct D&RGW-EMD communication stating that certain locomotives are indeed designated as F5s. For modeling purposes, late F3s look like early F7s, so it really is a minor point, since any differences are purely internal to the locomotives.

Using the build date, as shown on the units' builder plate is a problem. It was an era of transition, and unfortunately, builder dates do not accurately represent the changes that were taking place. It was a very competitive time for all three builder's, so EMD's engineering department was in a mad rush to get upgrades and engineering improvements out the door and into the hands of the marketing types.

General Guidance

EMD production of F3 units was from July 1945 to October 1948.

EMD production of F3 units with D27 traction motors (usually known as F5 units) was between October 1948 and February 1949.

EMD production of F7 units was from February 1949 to December 1953.

There are always exceptions...

References

The F5

By Larry G. Russell

(from Extra 2200 South, Issue 96, July-August-September 1992, page 19)

The following data list is from page 21 of the above article, as it pertains to D&RGW's 12 units:

EMD 1950 Locomotive Reference Data

Note the blending of the F3 and F5 models between the Unit Type column and the Loco. Model column.

EMD note: * All F5 locomotive were delivered as F3 units.

D&RGW listing from September 1950 EMD book.

Note that here, although EMD includes the F5 model as a valid model in the above table, all 12 of the D&RGW units shown in 1950 are shown as F7s.

EMD January 1971 Locomotive Reference Data

(same in January 1973 issue)

EMD note: * All F5 locomotive were delivered as F3 units.

D&RGW listing from 1971 EMD book.

Pages C11 to D1

Note that for 1971, although EMD includes the F5 model, the remaining D&RGW units, numbered as 5553 and 5572, are still called an F7, while the third unit has been rebuilt to an F9.

John Templeton Notes

The following comes from John Templeton's research in D&RGW motive power records.

(Note that there is no mention of a model, F3 vs. F5 vs. F7, and that the only specifics are D17B traction motors and both D8 and D12 main generators.)

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