CF7
Locomotive #517, a CF7, is the main power on the Commonwealth Railway in Suffolk, Virginia.
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| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder |
General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD); rebuilt by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Cleburne, Texas shops |
| Model | CF7 |
| Rebuild date | October 1969 – March 1978 |
| Number rebuilt | 233 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration: |
|
| • AAR | B-B |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Length | 48 ft 6 in (14.78 m) |
| Loco weight | 249,000 pounds (113 t) |
| Prime mover | EMD 16-567BC |
| Engine type | 2-stroke diesel |
| Aspiration | Roots blower |
| Displacement | 9,072 cu in (148.7 liters) |
| Cylinders | V16 |
| Cylinder size | 8.5 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm) |
| Transmission | DC generator, DC traction motors |
| Loco brake | Straight air |
| Train brakes | 26 L air |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Power output | 1,750 hp (1,300 kW) |
| Tractive effort | 62,250 lbf (276.9 kN) |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Locale | North America |
The CF7 is an EMD F-unit railroad locomotive that has had its streamlined carbody removed and replaced with a custom-made, "general purpose" body in order to adapt the unit for road switching duty. All of the conversions were performed by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in their Cleburne, Texas workshops between October, 1970 and March, 1978. The program was initiated in response to a system-wide need for more than 200 additional four-axle diesel hood units to meet projected motive power demands on branch lines and secondary main lines.
Santa Fe's aging fleet of 200-series F-units were in dire need of overhaul, and were not suitable for switching service in their original configuration due to the poor visibility resulting from their full-width carbody; the engineer was required to stick his or her head out of the window in order to see the end of the train or locomotive when coupling and uncoupling cars. As new, state-of-the-art locomotives cost upwards of $150,000 each at the time, Santa Fe elected to experiment with modifying its existing F-units to serve their purpose, which they hoped they could accomplish for around $60,000 each.
Changes in business philosophy led the company to sell off its entire CF7 inventory by 1987, with most of the units (all but 9) ending up in the hands of regional and short-line railroads, and a few excursion lines. A number remain in service today.
The first locomotive to go through the "Converted F7" Program was Santa Fe #262C, an F7A cab unit that entered the Cleburne shops in October, 1969. The unit was stripped down to bare metal, its sleek carbody removed and scrapped. Unlike hood units, cab units were structurally supported by their carbodies, so a new underframe had to be constructed. Next, a new road switcher carbody complete with walkways was manufactured and installed, along with numerous other upgrades traditionally associated with a comprehensive overhaul, including remanufactured prime movers, trucks, and traction motors (rebuilt at the San Bernardino, California shops), refurbished electrical systems, and enhanced brakes. #262C was the only CF7 conversion ever equipped with dynamic brakes, which were parted-out from the long hood of wrecked GP7B #2788A.
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Wikipedia