EMD F40PH

Electro-Motive Division

Company type	Division of General Motors
Industry	Locomotive manufacturing
Founded	1922 in United States
Parent	General Motors

The EMD F40PH is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive produced by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between 1975 and 1992. Initially developed to serve Amtrak's short-distance passenger lines, it quickly became the cornerstone of Amtrak’s diesel-powered fleet after the EMD SDP40F proved unreliable. Beyond Amtrak, the F40PH was widely utilized by various U.S. commuter rail systems as well as Canada's VIA Rail. Between 1988 and 1998, Morrison-Knudsen and MotivePower manufactured several variants, primarily through rebuilding older units.

In the early 2000s, Amtrak gradually retired its F40PH locomotives, replacing them with the newer GE Genesis models. Nevertheless, the F40PH remains a vital component of VIA Rail’s long-haul operations and is even depicted on the Canadian $10 banknote. Numerous American commuter railroads still operate these locomotives, while Amtrak maintains 22 units configured as non-powered control cars.

Background

When Amtrak was established in 1971, it inherited a diverse and aging diesel fleet from multiple private railroads, many of which were mechanically incompatible. The newest locomotives stayed with freight and commuter operators since commuter services were legally excluded from Amtrak’s domain. To modernize its roster, Amtrak procured 150 EMD SDP40F locomotives that began service in 1973, supplemented by 25 GE P30CH units arriving in 1975. However, the SDP40F experienced derailment issues due to problematic weight distribution during the mid-1970s. Additionally, the P30CH’s truck design flaws limited further acquisitions at a time when Amtrak urgently required dependable short- and medium-haul locomotives in spring 1975.

Design

The F40PH’s architecture was derived from the EMD GP40-2 freight road switcher, incorporating its turbocharged EMD 645E3 V16 two-stroke diesel engine that generates at 893 RPM. This prime mover powers a main electrical generator that feeds four traction motors, each connected to two driving wheels. A standard gear ratio of 57:20 enables a maximum speed of , with select Amtrak units geared for higher speeds up to . Early models featured a fuel capacity of , later expanded to . Introduced in 1985, the EMD F40PH-2 upgraded the engine output to , with many original locomotives receiving this enhancement through retrofitting. The locomotive measures approximately in length and weighs around .

For passenger operations, the F40PH is equipped with a head-end power (HEP) alternator delivering three-phase AC at 480 V—initially rated at 500 kW and later increased to 800 kW—to supply train lighting, heating, and air conditioning. Early versions powered HEP directly from the prime mover, necessitating a constant engine speed of 893 RPM to maintain a stable 60 Hz frequency even when idling. Subsequent designs incorporated an independent auxiliary diesel engine to operate HEP separately, permitting variable prime mover speeds and quieter idling.

Originally, the battery box and air reservoirs were situated ahead of the fuel tank but were relocated behind it after 1977; however, the F40PH-2 restored the battery box to its initial position. Units delivered to Caltrain as F40PH-2 models featured Southern Pacific-style headlights.

The "F40PH" designation denotes its characteristics: "F" signifies a full-width cowl body; "40" indicates its lineage from the GP40-2 freight locomotive series; "P" stands for passenger service; and "H" refers to head-end power capability.

History

Amtrak placed its initial order for 30 EMD F40PH locomotives on May 8, 1975, with the first unit entering operational service on April 9, 1976. Originally designed for shorter routes such as the San Diegan and non-electrified segments of the Northeast Corridor, the F40PH rapidly became a cornerstone of Amtrak’s diesel-powered roster.

At first, long-distance trains were powered by the EMD SDP40F, which received acclaim in 1975 but soon suffered from mechanical failures and derailments. The severe winter of 1976–1977 further highlighted the weaknesses of the aging steam-heated passenger cars, forcing service interruptions on many lines. This led Amtrak to prioritize the F40PH, which featured an integrated head end power (HEP) generator, perfectly suited for the newly introduced Amfleet I coaches intended for short-distance travel. Consequently, Amtrak adopted the F40PH as its primary diesel locomotive across its national network.

In 1977, Amtrak returned 40 SDP40Fs to EMD; their components were repurposed into F40PH chassis to create the F40PHR variant, which included larger fuel tanks and more robust HEP generators. Through this process, Amtrak acquired a total of 132 F40PHRs. Alongside new acquisitions from 1975 to 1988 and six GMD F40PHs purchased from GO Transit in 1990, Amtrak’s fleet expanded to 216 units—the largest diesel locomotive fleet in the United States.

The first commuter rail operator to use the F40PH was Chicago's Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which ordered 74 units between 1977 and 1983; Metra followed with an additional 41 units from 1988 to 1992. Other purchasers included Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) with 18 locomotives, Caltrain with 20, GO Transit with six, New Jersey Transit with 17, VIA Rail Canada with 59, and Speno, a rail maintenance company, acquiring four units. In total, EMD manufactured 449 locomotives including the F40PHR models.

The F40PH proved to be highly dependable for Amtrak; by the early 1990s only four had been retired due to accidents. It became an iconic symbol of Amtrak’s brand identity. On average, each locomotive covered approximately annually.

Starting in the early 1990s, Amtrak began replacing the F40PH with newer models such as the GE Dash 8-32BWH (1991), GE P40DC (1993), and GE P42DC (1996). The final F40PH was withdrawn from service in 2001 after operating on the Maple Leaf. Several former Amtrak units found continued use on the Panama Canal Railway for both freight and passenger operations due to compatible HEP voltage systems.

VIA Rail maintains operation of F40PH locomotives well into the 21st century. Between 2007 and 2012, VIA invested CAD$100 million in refurbishing its fleet of 53 locomotives by upgrading engines, HEP generators, safety systems, and applying a contemporary paint scheme. Locomotive No. 6403 was prominently featured on Canada’s redesigned ten-dollar bill in 2013. As of 2018, VIA operates these alongside newer GE P42DCs delivered in 2001 and Siemens SCV-42 locomotives introduced in 2023. A new rebuilding program commenced in 2024 aims to extend service life through 2035 for a fleet of 39 F40PH-2D units.

Variants

The extended service life of the F40PH led to numerous conversions and rebuilds frequently utilizing EMD parts. Some transit agencies modified their locomotives by adding separate head end power generators, resulting in variants such as F40PH-2C and F40PH-CAT, equipped with Cummins and Caterpillar generators respectively. The heavier F40PH-2C weighed . VIA Rail’s F40PH-2D incorporated Canadian-specific features including ditch lights. Metra’s final batch of thirty units, designated F40PHM-2 and later rebuilt as F40PHM-3, featured sloped cabs inspired by the experimental EMD F69PHAC and earned the nickname "Winnebago." Speno's four F40PH-2M locomotives were built without turbochargers, limiting output to . Morrison-Knudsen rebuilt five EMD GP40 units for Tri-Rail into F40PHL-2 models. Progress Rail remanufactured forty-one Metra locomotives with upgraded prime movers, traction motors, and microprocessor controls as F40PH-3. MBTA’s twelve F40PHM-2C and Altamont Commuter Express's six F40PH-3C locomotives were newly constructed using EMD components by MotivePower. Beginning in 2019, MBTA has been rebuilding its F40PH-2C and F40PHM-2 units into F40PH-3C models.

As Amtrak transitioned away from the F40PH in favor of newer GE Genesis locomotives, many retired units were converted into baggage/cab cars known as Non-Powered Control Units (NPCUs), colloquially called "cabbages." These conversions involved removing engines, traction motors, and alternators while adding large side roll-up doors for baggage handling. Between 1996 and 2007, Amtrak converted twenty-two units with new numbers assigned by prefixing "90." In 2011, unit No. 406 was converted into an NPCU equipped with a HEP generator for push-pull operation during its role on Amtrak’s 40th-anniversary exhibit train; it retained an operational exterior appearance.

Some F40PH locomotives were adapted for freight use after modifications. The F40M-2F, operating on the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad and formerly on the Canadian American Railroad, was regeared for , fitted with an enlarged fuel tank holding , and outfitted with front door/platform/steps. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad acquired unit number 450 in 2018.

Between 2023 and 2024, Rolling Stock Solutions undertook rebuilds of several F40PHs intended for commuter rail leasing under the designation F40PH-4C. These feature remanufactured Tier 0+ prime movers (EMD 16-645E3B), separate Tier 4-compliant HEP generators, and advanced microprocessor controls. The inaugural unit "1001" made its debut in Boston in October 2024.

Original owners

Between 1975 and 1992, Electro-Motive Division manufactured a total of 475 F40PH locomotives. General Motors Diesel (GMD), the Canadian branch of GM, supplied units for GO Transit and VIA Rail Canada. Additionally, Morrison-Knudsen (M-K) and its successor MotivePower (MPI) refurbished 31 locomotives from 1988 through 1998.

Railroad	Model	Quantity	Road numbers
Altamont Corridor Express	MPI F40PH-3C	6	3101–3106
Amtrak	EMD F40PH	78	200–229; 270–279; 300–309; 332–359
	EMD F40PHR	132	230–269; 280–299; 310–331; 360–400; 401–409
Caltrain	EMD F40PH-2	20	900–919
	MPI F40PH-2C	3	920–922
Coaster	M-K F40PHM-2C	5	2101–2105
GO Transit	GMD F40PH	6	510–515
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority	EMD F40PH	18	1000–1017
	EMD F40PH-2C	26	1050–1075
	M-K F40PHM-2C	12	1025–1036
Metra	EMD F40PH-2	11	174–184
	EMD F40PHM-2	30	185–214
NJ Transit	EMD F40PH	17	4113–4129
Regional Transportation Authority	EMD F40PH	74	100–173
Speno	EMD F40PH-2M	4	S1–S4
Tri-Rail	M-K F40PHL-2	5	801–805
	M-K F40PH-2C	3	807–809
VIA Rail	GMD F40PH-2	59	6400–6458
Total		509

Preservation

Three former Amtrak F40PH locomotives have been saved for historical purposes: No. 231 is housed at the Illinois Railway Museum, No. 281 is part of the California State Railroad Museum collection, and No. 307 is preserved at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

Regarding Coaster's F40PHM-2C models, two are maintained in preservation: unit No. 2103 at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and No. 2105 at the Southern California Railway Museum. In October of 2024, the Southern California Railway Museum began a fundraising campaign to conserve an original Caltrain F40PH-2 locomotive that has not undergone rebuilding.

See also

• List of EMD locomotives
• List of GMD Locomotives

External links

• EMD F40PH Data Sheet
• Via Rail EMD F40PH-2D Operator's Manual (in French)