The EMD SW8 is a diesel switcher locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between September 1950 and February 1954. Power is supplied by an EMD 567B 8-cylinder engine, for a total of 800 hp (600 kW). A total of 309 of this model were built for United States railroads and 65 for Canadian railroads. Starting in October 1953 a number of SW8s were built with either the 567BC or 567C engine.

This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2016)

Quick Facts Type and origin, Power type ...

EMD SW8
EMD SW8 retired from the USAF Titan missile program.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder General Motors Electro-Motive Division General Motors Diesel (GMD, Canada) Model SW8, TR6 Build date September 1950 – February 1954 Total produced EMD SW8: 309 GMD SW8: 65 EMD TR6A: 12 EMD TR6B: 12
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo’Bo’ Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Length 44 ft 5 in (13.54 m) Width 9 ft 11.6 in (3.038 m) Height 14 ft 6.2 in (4.425 m) Loco weight 230,000 lb (104,326 kg) Prime mover EMD 8-567B Engine type V8 Two-stroke diesel Aspiration Roots-type supercharger Cylinders 8
Performance figures Maximum speed 65 mph (105 km/h) Power output 800 hp (600 kW) Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 57,000 lbf (254 kN) at 25%  • Continuous 36,000 lbf (160 kN) at 11 mph (18 km/h)
Career Locale North America South Korea

Close

The United States Army ordered 41 SW8s, numbered 2000–2040, for service in Korea during the Korean War. These were shipped in the spring of 1951.

After the Korean War, many US Army-owned SW8s were turned over to the South Korean government while others were retained by the Army and assigned to various Army posts, depots and ammunition plants. Most were retired around 1990 and replaced in service by rebuilt geeps, such as GP10s from VMV in Paducah, KY, and other rebuilders.^{[citation needed]}

Of all of the locomotives turned over to the Korean National Railroad, only one, KNR #2001, believed to be ex-USAX #2011, still exists. As of May 2011 it was stored in the back of a locomotive shed in the Korea Railroad Busan Rolling Stock Workshop, 125 Sincheon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, Korea 614–765. Diesel Locomotive Team Leader Kim Hyun-Sik stated KORAIL is in talks with the city of Pusan to put the locomotive on display in the city as a part of Korea's heritage, as it is the oldest diesel locomotive in the country.^{[citation needed]}

Two examples of these locomotives, ex-USAX #2019 and #2022, are preserved at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Alabama. After serving in Korea, #2019 was sent back to the manufacturer for reconditioning in 1953. #2022 was rebuilt in 1955. Both served in military bases in the United States until the early 1990s, finishing their careers at Fort Campbell, Ky. The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum acquired them in 1995.^[1]

In addition, 12 TR6 cow-calf paired sets were produced.

In May 1953, a single example of the SW8 was built with a hydraulic transmission as model DH2. This locomotive was displayed at a trade show in 1955, but no sales of the DH2 followed. The locomotive was rebuilt with a standard electrical transmission, and served EMD as plant switcher #105 until 1968.

The first TR6A, Southern Pacific 4600, later numbered 1100, is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California.

• List of EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives