#4277

EMD GP15

🇺🇸 United States ·built by Electro-Motive Diesel· from 1976· model of 310 American 1500hp Bo′Bo′ diesel-electric locomotives

🛤️ diesel locomotive diesel

8 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. USA-Vallejo-EMD GP15-1 Locomotive: Eugene Zelenko· CC BY-SA 4.0
2. UPY 615 GP15-1: Davidellias· CC0
3. UPY 722-EMD GP15AC (45880320755): Jim Hamilton· CC BY 2.0
4. CFNR 105 EMD GP15-1: Nate Beal· CC BY 2.0
5. CSX 1508 (GP15-1) (10585240523): Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China· CC0
6. EMD GP15-1 Diesel Locomotive: Samson Ng . D201@EAL· CC BY-SA 4.0
7. GMTX 427 GP15-1 (32125054992): Milwaukee beerNut· CC BY-SA 2.0
8. LTEX -1420 EMD GP15-1 (15168601975): Raymond Wambsgans from Akron Ohio, USA· CC BY-SA 2.0

Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

what is it?

The EMD GP15 is a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between June 1976 and April 1983. 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. There were 3 variants made: the GP15-1, the GP15T, and the GP15AC. The GP15-1 and GP15AC are powered by a 12-cylinder EMD 645E engine, which generates 1,500 hp (1,119 kW).

who runs it

Conrail Missouri Pacific Railroad Chicago and North Western Transportation Company St. Louis–San Francisco Railway

base stats

speed 132 km/htop speed
power 1.1 MWpower output
weight 112 tin working order
built 310made 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 50 years ago, in 1976.
1.1 MW is about 13 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
Weighs about as much as 19 African elephants (~6 t each).

diesel locomotive: A diesel engine on board drives the wheels, usually through a generator (diesel-electric).

spec sheet

built: 1976–1983
number built: 310
kind: Diesel-electric
traction: diesel
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: Electro-Motive Diesel
operators: Conrail, Missouri Pacific Railroad, Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, St. Louis–San Francisco Railway
top speed: 132 km/h
power: 1.1 MW
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: B-B
weight: 112 t

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

Sources: Wikidata Q5323423, Wikipedia: EMD GP15 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.