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EMD's NW5: Testing The Road-Switcher Market

Published: August 11, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The NW5 is a unique and historically significant design produced by Electro-Motive between December 1946 and February 1947. 

It stands out due to its distinctive combination of road-switcher and switcher locomotive design elements. EMD built a total of just 13 units, making it relatively rare in the realm of diesel locomotives.

The NW5 featured a B-B wheel arrangement, sporting Blomberg trucks, and boasted 1,000 horsepower via a 12-cylinder, 567B prime mover.

EMD returned to the road-switcher design with this model, albeit again as somewhat of a testbed concept.  The builder was hoping to capatilize on its popularity following Alco's success with the RS1.

The design foresight of combining road and switcher capabilities in one unit made the NW5 a precursor to future road switchers that would become more prevalent in railroad operations by the 1950s.

The model was EMD's first to feature a true, road-switcher design with an offset cab, wrap around walkways, and raised cab for improved visibility.

It was essentially a stretched NW2 and improved upon the earlier NW3, which itself was an early road-switcher concept but lacked an offset cab.  Ultimately, neither the NW3, nor NW5n found much interest in the market.

Massachusetts Central's rare NW5, #2100 sits at the intermodal facility in Palmer, Massachusetts on January 11, 1996. The NW5 was an elongated NW2 switcher with a short hood. Only 13 were built, and this one was the former Southern's #2100, a one unit order that spent most of its time assigned to New Orleans. Doug Kroll photo.

Reviving The NW3 Concept

Although the pre-World War II NW3 didn't achieve significant commercial success, the end of wartime hostilities in 1945 marked a renewed interest from EMD in capturing the light switcher market, largely dominated by the Alco's RS1 at the time.

During the war, EMD had been instructed by the War Production Board to focus on constructing road units, leaving no room for the NW3’s development.

In 1946, EMD introduced the NW5, a refined successor to the NW3. This 12-cylinder, 1,000 horsepower locomotive featured design improvements that made it more visually appealing and functional.

The NW3, at certain angles, had a somewhat pieced-together appearance, but the NW5’s repositioned steam generator on the short hood offered a more streamlined, attractive design. This time, the model found favor with three railroads: the Great Northern, the Union Belt of Detroit, and the Southern Railway.

Background

The NW5, much like its precursor the NW3, was based on the NW2. It featured the same switcher hood, prime mover - a 12 cylinder model 567B - and main generator, but on an elongated frame equipped with EMD's Blomberg B road trucks.

To accommodate its dual role for both switching and road service, the NW5 was outfitted with large, road-sized fuel and water tanks positioned between the trucks underneath the frame.

This design closely mirrored what Alco had successfully implemented with its RS-1 model.  The NW5’s versatility was evident in its assignments; it adeptly handled switching jobs, local duties, and branch line operations.

Interestingly, if EMD had intended for the NW5 to be employed in light road-switcher assignments, i.e. freight work, it was generally not used for such among its three buyers; Great Northern, Southern Railway, and the Fort Street Union Depot.

Instead, the locomotive was typically tasked with shuffling passenger cars around terminals thanks to its steam generator.  It seems that during that era - the 1940s - Alco had the road-switcher market locked up.

Whereas the NW5 sold just 13 examples, Alco produced some 469 RS1s for both domestic and foreign customers.  These units were employed in a wide range of assignments but were generally tasked with handling freight work.

Data Sheet

Production Roster

Total Produced = 13

Preserved Examples

Interestingly, Great Northern's fleet of ten enjoyed long lives and were still in service into the Burlington Northern era, numbered 986-995 (and handling freight assignments by that time).

Three NW5s have been preserved and continue to be appreciated by rail enthusiasts today. The Great Northern #192 is proudly displayed at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota.

Southern #2100, its sole unit, which primarily served in New Orleans, was later acquired by the Massachusetts Central (pictured above). Additionally, a former Fort Street Union Depot unit now resides at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish, Florida.

These surviving locomotives stand as a testament to the NW5’s unique place in railroad history, showcasing EMD’s innovative design and the locomotive’s valuable contributions to the rail industry.