EMD model GP20

(GP20 roster text by David Lotz ©1998 Burlington Route Historical Society. Roster compiled from Bernard G. Corbin's "the Burlington in Transition" and Robert C. Del Grosso's "Burlington Northern 1980-1991 Annual," "The Burlington Northern Railroad in 1993" and current data from Matthew J. Frahm, John B. Lee and David Lotz.) Click on photos and diagrams to see larger size.

Created from the need for higher horsepower units, and to compete with ALCO and General Electric road switchers, the EMD GP20 was introduced in November of 1959. For the trackside observer, the GP20 represented a new generation in motive power - something new and different - a symbol of power and progress.

The Union Pacific, historically known for seeking new ways to advance their motive power fleet, began experimenting to increase horsepower as early as September 1955 by equipping GP9's with turbochargers. The Omaha shops installed nine from AiResearch and ten from Elliot, creating nineteen "Omaha GP20's." Turbocharging routes exhaust gases through a turbine which forces air into the cylinders, thereby increasing the compression and the horsepower rating of the GP9's from 1750 to 2000.

EMD was somewhat reluctant to equip production units with turbochargers due to increased maintenance costs, but with the competitors offering road switchers with up to 2500 hp ratings, they decided the time was right. Shortly after EMD developed it's turbocharger, nine UP GP9's were thus equipped and tested prior to offering it in a production unit. The first production model with turbocharging was the SD24, introduced to the catalogs in May of 1959. A short, six months later the second turbocharged model was the GP20.

Burlington Publicity Shot

Marketed as being able to replace four carbody units with three more versatile units as well as an offer to accept trade-ins, the railroads viewed the announcement with tempered excitement. Only eight roads purchased the GP20; Santa Fe (75), Southern Pacific (38), Burlington (36), Great Northern (36), Union Pacific (30), Cotton Belt (20), New York Central (14) and the Western Pacific (10). Production ended with the announcement of the GP30 in 1961.

The CB&Q decided to take advantage of EMD's trade-in offer and began trading FT units that were only 15 years old for the "new" GP20. Considering the frugal Burlington kept some steam locomotives in service for over 50 years, this decision was remarkable! However, it was time for class one repairs on the heavily-used FT's, and with a price tag of $50,000 per overhaul, the decision was made somewhat easier.

GP20 #906 at the head of a freight at Savannah, IL. (Courtesy Jan Kohl/Castle Graphics)

The Burlington GP20's contained remanufactured parts from the FT's trade-ins. Truck frames, traction motors, traction motor fans, fuel pumps, air compressors, cooling fans, water pumps, injectors, camshafts, main and auxiliary generators, alternators, air horns, speed recorders, batteries and the bells were all recycled into the new units. Although rebuilt, these parts carried the same warrantee as the new parts.

The Burlington opted for the low nose on it's GP20's, the first CB&Q units so equipped. Unique to the Q were the metal GP20 plates and the use of Mars lights between the number boards above the windshield. The Burlington units were equipped with dynamic brakes with a 48" pan-top fan, a 2350-gallon fuel tank, a 48" cooling fan behind the cab, a single exhaust stack, a 36" cooling fan covered by a winterization hatch and a final 48"fan. The prime mover was the turbo-charged, 16 cylinder, 16-567 D2 engine feeding DC current to four D47 traction motors, each producing 500 hp. These locomotives tipped the scales at Lincoln at 260,560 pounds.

The first order of two GP20's, EMD order #7598, arrived on the property in February of 1961, followed closely by the second order (#7597) of 34 units in February, March and April of 1961. A total of 12 units in February, 10 units in March and the remaining 14 in April. The Q was quick to assign the new units to visible freight service out of Chicago. Mated with UP GP20's, the bright red Q units often were in charge of the CD and CGI. Later assigned to Lincoln, the GP20's continued to provide dependable service for the Q, with all 36 receiving BN numbers in 1970.

Brand-new GP20 #915 is on the lead track to the scale house at Lincoln in March, 1961. The unit was delivered to Nebraska to avoid paying Illinois taxes (legally), and was waiting to be weighed before being placed in service. (Dick Rumbolz)

Five of the ex-CB&Q GP20's were chosen for yet another remanufacturing while on the BN. Between 1988 and 1990 these units were sent to the Generation II Locomotive, a company that was formed by Caterpillar dealer Ziegler, Inc. at Babbit, Minnesota. Gen II shops equipped with a Caterpillar 12-3512 prime mover, the "new" units were classed GP20C. The Cat engine provided the same 2000 horsepower as the EMD prime mover and at 264,000 pounds, they exerted a tractive effort of 54,500 pounds at 11.3 mph. Also equipped with a microprocessor control system and a 1250-volt brushless/transitionless traction alternator, the new units now can control wheel slip, engine excitation and other related functions.

Another other major change is a new cooling system designed for treated water or anti-freeze, thus allowing the units to be shut down in cold weather saving expensive fuel. When compared to EMD's GP38-2, the GP20C can effect a 17 to 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency.

Remarkably, nine ex-CB&Q GP20's - four GP20C's and five plain-Jane GP20s - are still in service! Considering that some of the parts of these units were manufactured 50 years ago, they are somewhat like that pink battery rabbit, in that they keep going and going and going...

CB&Q Number	Date Built	EMD Serial Number	BN Number	Rebuild Date	2nd BN Number	Date Retired	Disposition
900	2-61	26571	2036	03/90 See Note 1	2006:2		To GLLX No. 2006 4/93, to RRVW No. 2052(date?) STILL ACTIVE!
901	2-61	26572	2037	03/90 See Note 1	2009:2		To GLLX No. 2009 4/93, to GLLX 3516 in demonstrator colors. (date?) STILL ACTIVE!
902	2-61	26573	2038			08/82	To Colorado & Eastern Railroad No. ? 9/82, to Pielet 7/88, to MNVA No. 321 (date?)
903	2-61	26574	2039			12/85	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 02/86
904	2-61	26575	2040			12/85	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 02/86
905	2-61	26576	2041	10/89 See Note 1	2001:2		To GLLX No. 2001 4/93, to Twin Cities & Western No. 2001 (date?) STILL ACTIVE!
906	2-61	26577	2042	02/90 See Note 1	2008:2		To GLLX No. 2008 4/93, to Twin Cities & Western No. 2008 (date?) STILL ACTIVE!
907	2-61	26578	2043			05/72	Wrecked @ Maquon, IL 5/24/72, Dismantled 7/12/72
908	2-61	26579	2044			11/15/94	Wrecked 3/92 - To Livingston Rebuild Center 9/93,Sold to Livingston Rebuild Center for parts 12/94
909	2-61	26580	2045			4/87	Sold for scrap Precision National Corp., Mt. Vernon, IL 4/87
910	2-61	26581	2046			06/82	Trade in to General Electric on B30-7A order
911	2-61	26582	2047			09/86	Wrecked 9/86, scrapped
912	3-61	26583	2048				STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE BNSF!!
913	3-62	26584	2049			10/93	Sold to Livingston Rebuild Center for parts 10/93
914	3-62	26585	2050			05/87	Sold for scrap to Precision National Corp., Mt. Vernon, IL 05/87
915	3-62	26586	2051			08/85	Retired (disposition?)
916	3-62	26587	2052			12/86	Sold for scrap to Azcon Corp., Chicago & Hegewisch, IL 12/86
917	3-62	26588	2053			08/86	12/86 Wilson Railway Corporation - Des Moines, IA, to SWPC-414 03/87, (disposition?)
918	3-62	26589	2054				STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE BNSF!!
919	3-62	26590	2055			07/85	Trade in to GE
920	3-62	26591	2056			12/81	SFS to Hyman-Michaels Co., Chicago IL 12/81
921	4-62	26592	2057				STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE BNSF!!
922	4-62	26593	2058				STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE BNSF!!
923	4-62	26594	2059	10/89 See Note 1	2000:2	?	Wrecked in washout at Fountain City, WI 07/08/91 (scrap date?)
924	4-62	26595	2060			05/87	Sold for scrap Precision National Corp., Mt. Vernon, IL to PNC 08/87
925	4-62	26596	2061			07/84	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 09/84
926	4-62	26597	2062			01/86	Retired (disposition?)
927	4-62	26598	2063				STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE ON THE BNSF!!
928	4-62	26599	2064			?	Retired (disposition?)
929	4-62	26600	2065			07/85	Trade in to EMD on GP50 order 07/85
930	4-63	26601	2066			05/87	Wilson Railway Corporation - Des Moines, IA 08/87, (disposition?)
931	4-63	26602	2067			01/86	To D & I Railroad No. 10 12/86, (disposition?)
932	4-63	26603	2068			12/86	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 12/86
933	4-63	26604	2069			08/85	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 10/85
934	4-63	26605	2070			?	Retired (disposition?)
935	4-63	26606	2071			06/85	Sold for scrap Southwest Railroad Car Parts , Longview, TX 08/85

Footnotes

1. Rebuilt at Generation II Locomotive in Babbit, MN. Reclassed a GP20C, designating rebuilding with the 2,000 hp Catepillar 12-3512 engine. The engines were rated at 541,500 lbs tractive effort at 11.3 mph, and weighed 264,000 lbs. A larger, 2,300 gallon fuel tank was a result of the rebuild. These locomotives were leased back to the BN by Gen II Leasing (GLLX).