#3291· FL9

EMD FL9

🇺🇸 United States ·built by Electro-Motive Diesel· from 1956· dual-mode electro-diesel locomotive, built for the New Haven Railroad

⚡ electric locomotive bi-mode preserved

5 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. EMD FL-9 Danbury 1: Mike Powell· CC BY-SA 2.0
2. New Haven FL9 2010 near Enfield, July 1968: Roger Puta· Public domain
3. FL9 2011 with train 138 at South Norwalk, October 1968 (1): Roger Puta· Public domain
4. FL9 2030 with the Puritan at Providence, July 1968: Roger Puta· Public domain
5. Penn Central FL9 5023 in Chatham N.Y. yard on April 26, 1970 (25771064316): Roger Puta· Public domain

Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

what is it?

The EMD FL9 is a model of electro-diesel locomotive, capable of operating either as a traditional diesel-electric locomotive or as an electric locomotive powered from a third rail ("dual power"). Sixty units were built between October 1956 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (the "New Haven"). The locomotives were designed to allow diesel-powered trains to enter Grand Central Terminal, where non-electric locomotives are forbidden.

who runs it

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Penn Central Transportation Company Amtrak Conrail Metro-North Railroad

base stats

speed 143 km/htop speed
power 1.3 MWpower output
weight 129 tin working order
built 60made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 70 years ago, in 1956.
Top speed is 1.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
1.3 MW is about 16 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
Weighs about as much as 22 African elephants (~6 t each).
18 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.

spec sheet

built: 1956–1960
status: preserved
number built: 60
kind: Electro-diesel
traction: bi-mode
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: Electro-Motive Diesel
operators: New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, Penn Central Transportation Company, Amtrak, Conrail, Metro-North Railroad
top speed: 143 km/h
power: 1.3 MW
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: Bo'(A1A)
length: 18 m
weight: 129 t
Dutch name: FL9

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q2248348, Wikipedia: EMD FL9 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.