EMD GM10B

The GM10B was a solitary testbed electric locomotive for freight duties built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of the United States in collaboration with ASEA of Sweden. It was built at EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant[1] entering service in August 1976. Equipped with B-B-B trucks and a high proportion of Swedish ASEA design and technology, the locomotive was designed for high-speed freight service.

EMD GM10B
Type and origin
Power typeElectric
BuilderGM-EMD
Serial number75607-1
ModelGM10B
Build dateAugust 1976
Total produced1
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARB-B-B
 • UICBo'Bo'Bo'
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
TrucksASEA
Wheel diameter50 in (1,270 mm)
Length73 ft 4 in (22.35 m)
Width10 ft 3 1⁄8 in (3.13 m)
Height15 ft 10 in (4.83 m) (over locked-down pantographs)
Loco weight394,500 lb (178,900 kg)
Electric system/sSwitchable: 11 kV 25 Hz,
25 kV 60 Hz
Catenary
Current pickup(s)Pantograph
GeneratorEMD D79MA75
Traction motors6 × ASEA LJH108-3
Performance figures
Power output10,000 hp (7.46 MW)
Tractive effortStarting: 114,000 lbf (510 kN);
Continuous: 99,000 lbf (440 kN) at 10 mph (16 km/h), 82,000 lbf (360 kN) at 37 mph (60 km/h)
Career
OperatorsPenn Central (later Amtrak and Conrail)
Numbers1976 (later 4976)
LocaleNortheast Corridor electrified lines
DispositionScrapped

Motives

At the time, high oil prices had a number of large US railroads contemplating electrification of their most heavily used lines, while the only major US railroad with freight-hauling electrification, the Penn Central, had a fleet of aging locomotives needing replacement.

Circumstances changed after the GM10B and earlier GM6C locomotives were developed; oil prices declined, which wiped out the interest freight railroads had in electrification, while diesel locomotive power and adhesion were improved.

Meanwhile, the bankruptcy of Penn Central led to the division of the railroad's physical plant between Amtrak, which inherited much of the electrified region, and Conrail. Increased access charges on the part of Amtrak led to Conrail ceasing electric operations in 1982, dismantling the electrification on its lines and avoiding Amtrak-owned rails. The two locomotives were now surplus to requirements and were returned to EMD, remaining in the LaGrange plant's yard until scrapping in the mid 1980s.

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References
  1. Graham-White, Sean (2007), "EMD's Freight Electrics", Diesel Era, Withers, 18 (5), pp. 48–54, ISSN 1049-5622
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