EMD GP11


The EMD GP11 is a four-axle road switcher diesel locomotive rebuilt by the Illinois Central Railroad's Paducah shops. It is very similar in appearance to the GP8 and GP10.
The Illinois Central Railroad began its GP11 rebuilding program in 1978. All units were rebuilt from recycled EMD GP7, GP9 or GP18 parts. Spotting features are an angled cab, exterior paper air filter, new air intake for the traction motors and four exhaust stacks. Internally they had Dash 2 solid state electrical equipment.

Original buyers

A total of 54 of these remanufactured locomotives were built from April 1978 to 1981. The first prototype unit of this model was numbered 8301. To avoid confusion the 8700-series was created to separate the GP11s from the GP10s. It was intended that 8301 would be renumbered 8700 but that never happened. IC units 8701 through 8726 were built in 1979 while units 8727 through 8750 were built in 1980; the remaining three from 8751 to 8753 were built in early 1981.
Core units for the rebuilds came from IC GP9, a lone IC GP18, MBTA GP9, RDG GP7 and UP GP7, GP9 and GP9B.
In Spring 1979, the Clinchfield Railroad sent six GP7s to Paducah to be rebuilt to GP11s. These units were called GP16s by Clinchfield.
RailroadQuantityRoad numbersNotes
Illinois Central
1
8301
Built 1978
Illinois Central
26
8701-8726
Built 1979
Illinois Central
24
8727-8750
Built 1980
Illinois Central
3
8751-8753
Built 1981
Total54

Disposition

The majority of Illinois Central's GP11 roster was retired prior to Canadian National's purchase of the railroad, though many of these engines can still be seen in service on other short-line railroads and/or preserved in various locations.