#3168

EMD SD9

🇺🇸 United States ·built by Electro-Motive Diesel· from 1954· model of 1750 hp Co′Co′ American diesel locomotive

🛤️ diesel locomotive diesel ✓ in service

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Norfolk and Western 2349 (16030220411): jpmueller99 from Columbus, OH, USA· CC BY 2.0
2. BN6234JSRH: Keon McGarvey· CC BY-SA 4.0
3. Southern Pacific Class DF-120: Drew Jacksich from San Jose, California Republic· CC BY 2.0
4. Southern Pacific 5399: N9002U· CC BY-SA 4.0
5. Nevada Northern Railway 204: Thomas Farley· CC0
6. Southern Pacific Class EF618E-2: Drew Jacksich from San Jose, CA, The Republic of California· CC BY 2.0
7. Algiers, Winslow and Western Railway 206, EMD SD9: Insomniac187· Public domain
8. AWW 203 EMD SD9: Nate Beal· CC BY 2.0
9. AWW 204 EMD SD9: Nate Beal· CC BY 2.0
10. DBGX SD9 6129: Wheresmything· CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

The EMD SD9 is a model of diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. An EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine generated 1,750 horsepower (1.30 MW). Externally similar to its predecessor, the SD7, the SD9 was built with the improved and much more maintainable 567C engine.

base stats

speed 105 km/htop speed
power 1.3 MWpower output
built 515made 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 72 years ago, in 1954.
1.3 MW is about 15 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
18.3 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

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

spec sheet

built: 1954–1959
status: in service
number built: 515
kind: Diesel-electric
traction: diesel
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: Electro-Motive Diesel
top speed: 105 km/h
power: 1.3 MW
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: Co'Co'
length: 18.3 m

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

Sources: Wikidata Q5323475, Wikipedia: EMD SD9 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.