EMD E5A/E5B

The EMD E5 was a passenger locomotive produced by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors between 1940 and 1941, representing a relatively brief but notable chapter in the development of streamlined diesel passenger power in the United States. The E5 emerged as part of EMD's evolving E-series line, which had been steadily refining the diesel passenger locomotive concept throughout the late 1930s. Only one railroad ultimately ordered the E5, and that was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which acquired all eleven A units and five B units ever constructed. The Burlington's enthusiasm for diesel streamlined power was well established by this period, given its pioneering role with the early Zephyr trainsets, and the E5 order reflected the railroad's continued commitment to modern motive power for its premier passenger services. The Burlington placed these locomotives into service on its principal passenger routes, where they hauled named trains across the Midwest. The sleek, stainless-steel-clad carbodies of the E5 units visually complemented the Burlington's broader fleet aesthetic, particularly the stainless steel passenger cars that were a hallmark of the railroad's identity. The relatively small production run of sixteen units total made the E5 one of the rarer entries in the E-series catalog, sandwiched between the more numerous E6 and earlier variants. Despite their limited numbers, the units served the Burlington reliably through the postwar years before eventually being retired as newer motive power became available. The E5 occupies a modest but genuine place in diesel locomotive history as a transitional design that helped bridge the gap between the earliest E-series locomotives and the highly successful models that followed. Its exclusivity to a single railroad gives it a particular identity in enthusiast and historical circles, and the Burlington's distinctive application of stainless steel styling to the carbodies made these units visually distinctive among contemporary diesel passenger power.

Each E5A cab unit was rated at 2,000 horsepower, produced by a pair of EMD 567 prime movers, each generating 1,000 horsepower. The 567 series engine, which became one of the most significant diesel engine families in American railroad history, was relatively new at the time of the E5's construction and represented a considerable advance in reliability and power output over earlier EMD designs. The locomotives rode on the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement, meaning each three-axle truck had its center axle unpowered, a configuration common to the E-series that helped distribute the locomotive's weight while keeping the number of powered axles matched to available traction motor capacity. Traction was provided through a direct current electrical transmission system, standard practice for the period. The B units, designated E5B, were cabless booster units intended to operate in multiple with the A units, expanding the total available horsepower for heavier trains without requiring an additional crew. The carbody styling of the E5 followed the smooth, rounded contours characteristic of the E-series, and the Burlington's decision to finish the units with stainless steel fluting on the sides gave them a striking appearance consistent with the railroad's broader equipment standards. The overall mechanical layout followed established EMD practice for the period, with the prime movers, generators, and auxiliary equipment arranged along the length of the carbody in a configuration that EMD had refined through successive E-series iterations.

—