2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. GM GL8 3632 ALL: Milton Ribeiro· CC BY-SA 2.5
- 2. EMD GL8 FTC SA: SD40-2· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The EMD GL8 is an export diesel-electric locomotive introduced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) in 1960. They have been designed as light locomotives with a low axle loading. Measuring 36 feet 2 inches over the end sills, they are equipped an EMD 8-567CR engine producing 875 hp (652 kW) for traction, driving four traction motors in either A1A-A1A or B-B flexicoil trucks.
base stats
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 66 years ago, in 1960.
- 652 kW is about 8 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- 11 m long: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
diesel locomotive: A diesel engine on board drives the wheels, usually through a generator (diesel-electric).
spec sheet
- built
- 1960–1965
- status
- preserved
- number built
- 78
- kind
- Diesel-electric
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- builders
- General Motors
- top speed
- 124 km/h
- power
- 652 kW
- gauge
- 1,000 mm metre gauge
- wheel arrangement
- B-B or A1A-A1A
- length
- 11 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
family
Sources: Wikidata Q3045969, Wikipedia: EMD GL8 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.