EMD GP15-1

EMD GP15-1

NPBL #1435 is an EMD GP15-1 owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway (ex-Conrail) operating on the Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD)
Model	GP15-1
Build date	June 1976 – March 1982
Total production	310
AAR wheel arr.	B-B
Gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)
Length	56 ft 2 in (17.12 m)
Total weight	246,000 lb (111,500 kg)
Fuel capacity	2,400 gal
Prime mover	EMD 645E
Engine type	2-stroke diesel
Aspiration	Roots blower
Displacement	7,740 in³ (126.8 L)
Cylinders	V12
Cylinder size	9.1 in × 10 in (215.5 mm × 231.1 mm)
Transmission	DC generator, DC traction motors
Power output	1,500 hp (1,119 kW)
Tractive effort	47,000 lbf (209 kN)
Locomotive brakes	Straight air
Train brakes	26-L air
Locale	United States

The EMD GP15-1 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between June, 1976 and March, 1982. Intended to provide an alternative to the rebuilding programs that many railroads were applying to their early road switchers, it is generally employed as a yard switcher or light road switcher. This locomotive is powered by a 12-cylinder EMD 645E engine, which generates 1,500 horsepower (1,119 kW). The GP15-1 uses a 50' 9" frame, has a wheelbase of 29' 9" and has a length over couplers of 54' 11" A total of 310 units were built for American railroads. The Missouri Pacific Railroad purchased more units than the other three buyers combined. For spotting purposes, the MP models have a number of visually-distinguishing features, though not all were applied consistently to the MP units:

• The MP units have a grab iron ladder mounted on both sides of the long hood end;
• MP's initial order of GP15-1s rode on Blomberg M trucks rather than the more common Blomberg B (all subsequent units were delivered with Blomberg B trucks) — and, while the standard Blomberg B truck carries two brake shoes per wheel, many MP units were equipped with only a single brake shoe per wheel;
• #1555–#1574 were outfitted with the standard 81" nose, while the remaining units (all built in December, 1976 or later) came with an 88" nose; and
• The radiator section is similar to those found on the EMD SD40T-2 and EMD SD45T-2 "tunnel motors," leading some observers to incorrectly identify the units as such.

A number of GP15-1s remain in service today.

Original Owners

Two Union Pacific GP15-1s doing yard work in Illinois.

References

• GP15-1 specification page. GATX Rail Locomotive Group. Retrieved on June 25, 2005.
• The History of EMD Diesel Engines. Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. Retrieved on December 14, 2005.
• Marre, Louis A., and Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1989). The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide. Waukesha, WI: Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-89026-088-4. 

Further reading

• Sperandeo, Andy. (1990). "The EMD GP15-1: EMD's Down-Sized Switcher." Model Railroader 57 (1) 110–115.

External links

• Missouri Pacific Railroad GP15-1 Locomotive Roster