# EMC E5

The EMC E5 is a 2,000-horsepower (1,500 kW), 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 and Quincy Railroad (“The Burlington Route”), and its subsidiaries between 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 above 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 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) at 800 rpm. Designed specifically for railroad locomotives, the mechanically aspirated, two-stroke, 45-degree V-type engine, with an 8+1⁄2 in (216 mm) bore by 10 in (254 mm) stroke, giving 567 cubic inches (9,290 cm$^3$; 9.29 L) 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.
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.

## Original owners

| Railroad | Cab-equipped A units | Cabless booster B units | Road numbers A units | Road numbers B units | Notes |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 9 | 3 | 9910A–9912A, 9909, 9913, 9914A,B, 9915A,B | 9910B–9912B | 9911A preserved in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum |
| Colorado and Southern Railway | 1 | 1 | 9950A | 9950B | |
| Fort Worth and Denver Railway | 1 | 1 | 9980A | 9980B | |
| Total | 11 | 5 | | | |

## Locomotive details

| Name | Cab or Booster | #(as built) | EMD order no. | EMD serial no. | Build date | History |
| Silver Bullet | (cab) | 9909 | E 278-A | 970 | Mar 1940 | to C&S 9953 in Dec 1955; |
| Silver Speed | (cab) | 9910A | E 278-A | 967 | Feb 1940 | to C&S 9951A in Aug 1955; retired Oct 1967 and traded in to EMD on an SD40. |
| Silver Power | (booster) | 9910B | E 279-B | 971 | Feb 1940 | to C&S 9951B in Aug 1955; retired Oct 1967 and traded in to EMD on an SD40. |
| Silver Pilot | (cab) | 9911A | E 278-A | 968 | Feb 1940 | to FW&D 9982A in Aug 1955; to C&S 9952A in Oct 1955; retired in Mar 1968 and traded in to EMD on an SD40. Purchased by Illinois Railway Museum in 1969. |
| Silver Mate | (booster) | 9911B | E 279-B | 972 | Feb 1940 | to FW&D 9982B in Aug 1955; to C&S 9952B in Oct 1955; retired in Mar 1968 and traded in to EMD on an SD40. |
| Silver Meteor | (cab) | 9912A | E 278-A | 969 | Mar 1940 | retired Mar 1965 and traded in. |
| Silver Comet | (booster) | 9912B | E 279-B | 973 | Mar 1940 | retired Mar 1965 and traded in. |
| Silver Wings | (cab) | 9913 | E 331-A | 1133 | Oct 1940 | to C&S 9954 in Apr 1957; |
| Silver Arrow | (cab) | 9914A | E 377-A | 1301 | Jun 1941 | to C&S 9955 in Sep 1961; |
| Silver Swift | (cab) | 9914B | E 377-A | 1302 | Jun 1941 | wrecked at Nodaway, Missouri in Aug 1960; retired and scrapped. |
| Silver Carrier | (cab) | 9915A | E 377-A | 1303 | Jun 1941 | wrecked at Biglow, Missouri in Apr 1963; retired and scrapped. |
| Silver Clipper | (cab) | 9915B | E 377-A | 1304 | Jun 1941 | retired Mar 1965 and traded in. |
| Silver Racer | (cab) | 9950A (C&S) | E 278-A | 1035 | Mar 1940 | |
| Silver Steed | (booster) | 9950B (C&S) | E 279-B | 1037 | Mar 1940 | |
| Silver Chief | (cab) | 9980A (FW&D) | E 278-A | 1036 | Mar 1940 | |
| Silver Warrior | (booster) | 9980B (FW&D) | E 279-B | 1038 | Mar 1940 | |

## 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 on the Fort Worth and Denver Railway (a CB&Q subsidiary) for the Texas Zephyr. It is now paired with one of the Burlington's Nebraska Zephyrs, a 5 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 4 stainless steel passenger cars relettered to resemble the Zephyr trainset. 9911 is equipped with dual horns, which is a WABCO E2 and a Leslie Controls RS2M.