3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Grain train: WSOR 3807 ( talk )· CC BY 2.5
- 2. PHL SD20-2 45: Wikimedia Commons· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 3. MNA 1023 SD20: terry cantrell· CC BY-SA 2.0
what is it?
The EMD SD20 is the product of a rebuilding program by the Illinois Central Gulf's Paducah Shops as a conversion from the EMD SD7, EMD SD24, SD24B (cabless), and EMD SD35 locomotives. The program involved rebuilding the 567 engine to 645E with 2000 horsepower rating, eliminating the turbocharger if equipped with one, upgrading the electronics to Dash 2 technology, and adding cabs to the B units. A total of 42 units were rebuilt.
who runs it
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.
spec sheet
- built
- —
- status
- in service
- number built
- 42
- kind
- Diesel-electric
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- builders
- Paducah Shops
- operators
- Illinois Central Railroad
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- wheel arrangement
- C-C
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7389404, Wikipedia: EMD SD20 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.