EMC E5

The EMC E5 is a , A1A-A1A passenger train-hauling diesel locomotive manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation, and its corporate successor, General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of La Grange, Illinois. It was produced exclusively for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and its subsidiaries in 1940 and 1941.

The E5 was distinguished from the otherwise very similar E3, E4 and E6 by being clad in polished stainless steel to match the Burlington's Zephyr trains. It also featured unique small grill-like ornamentation on both sides of the upper headlight. Like the other pre-war models in the E-series, the E5 had a sloping “slant nose” design and was equipped with two headlights—a regular stationary headlight below a gyrating Mars signal light. The E5 was the sixth model in the EMD E-unit series.

Engine and powertrain The E5 was powered by twin 12-cylinder prime movers, developing a total of at 800 rpm. Designed specifically for railroad locomotives, the mechanically aspirated, two-stroke, 45-degree V-type engine, with an bore by stroke, giving displacement per cylinder. This engine design remained in production until 1966.

The E5 was originally intended to look very different with the cab section looking very similar to the streamlined diesel passenger trains that the CB&Q was famous for.Silver Bulldogs: Burlington's E5s Classic Trains March 2025 pages 46/47

Power for the locomotive's traction was provided by two direct-current generators, one for each prime mover. This generators powered four traction motors, two on each truck, in an A1A-A1A arrangement. This truck design was used across all E units, as well as on the MP 7100 AA6, CB&Q 9908, and CRI&P AB6 power cars. Since 1939, EMC/EMD has manufactured all of its major components.Ross 2003, pp. 273-274.

Original owners Image Railroad Cab-equippedA units Cabless boosterB units Road numbersA units Road numbersB units Notes Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad 9 39910A–9912A,9909, 9913,9914A,B, 9915A,B 9910B–9912B 9911A preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum Colorado & Southern Railway 1 1 9950A 9950B Fort Worth & Denver Railway 1 1 9980A 9980B Total 11 5

Locomotive details Name Cab or Booster #(as built)EMD order no.EMD serial no.Build dateHistorySilver Bullet(cab)9909E 278-Ato C&S 9953 in ;Silver Speed(cab)9910AE 278-Ato C&S 9951A in ; retired and traded in to EMD on an SD40Silver Power(booster)9910BE 279-Bto C&S 9951B in ; retired and traded in to EMD on an SD40Silver Pilot(cab)9911AE 278-Ato FW&D 9982A in ; to C&S 9952A in ; retired in and traded in to EMD on an SD40, purchased by Illinois Railway Museum in 1969Silver Mate(booster)9911BE 279-Bto FW&D 9982B in ; to C&S 9952B in ; retired in and traded in to EMD on an SD40Silver Meteor(cab)9912AE 278-Aretired and traded inSilver Comet(booster)9912BE 279-Bretired and traded inSilver Wings(cab)9913E 331-A1133to C&S 9954 in Silver Arrow(cab)9914AE 377-A1301to C&S 9955 in Silver Swift(cab)9914BE 377-A1302wrecked at Nodaway, Missouri in ; retired and scrappedSilver Carrier(cab)9915AE 377-A1303wrecked at Biglow, Missouri in ; retired and scrappedSilver Clipper(cab)9915BE 377-A1304retired and traded inSilver Racer(cab)9950A (C&S)E 278-A1035Silver Steed(booster)9950B (C&S)E 279-B1037Silver Chief(cab)9980A (FW&D)E 278-A1036Silver Warrior(booster)9980B (FW&D)E 279-B1038

Surviving example Only one E5 unit of the original 16 built survives today. The last surviving EMD E5 diesel, CB&Q No. 9911A Silver Pilot, is owned and operated by the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. The locomotive was last used by the Fort Worth & Denver Railway on the Texas Zephyr. It is now paired with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyrs, a five car, articulated, stainless steel passenger train from 1936.

This equipment has been featured in several film productions, including the 1992 movie A League of Their Own and the 2006 movie Flags of Our Fathers. E5 9911A Silver Pilot was used with four stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr train set. 9911 is equipped with dual horns, which is a Leslie A200-156 and a Leslie S2M.

EMC E5

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