Downtown in Roanoke, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Norfolk & Western EMD GP9 #521
Manufacturer: General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD), 1958
Quantity built: 4,015
Length: 56 feet 2 inches
Weight: 256,720 pounds (lbs.)
Cylinders: 16
Horsepower: 1,750
Speed: 78 miles per hour(mph)
Trucks: EMD Bloomberg B
Tractive effort: 64,180 pounds-force (lbf)
Wheel diameter: 40 inches
GP9s were built between 1954 and 1963 for railroads in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela.
American production ended in 1959, but thirteen additional units were built in Canada until production stopped in 1963. It is a diesel-electric powered locomotive. Power was provided by an EMD 567C sixteen cylinder engine.
The EMD GP9 521 was built in 1958. 521 is one of 416 GP9 units ordered by the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Railway. This locomotive was one of 21 GPgs that were painted red for use in passenger service, earning them the nicknamed "Redbirds." They replaced N&W's 14 Class J steam passenger locomotives.
521 was one of only twenty-one that the N&W equipped with steam generators needed to haul passenger trains. The steam from these generators was used to heat the passenger cars. 521 was retired in 1988.
Erected by
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1958.
Location. 37° 16.386′ N, 79° 56.789′ W. Marker is in Roanoke, Virginia. It is in Downtown. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Norfolk Avenue Southwest and 3rd Street Southwest, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 303 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke VA 24016, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Norfolk & Western EMD SD45 #1776 (a few steps from this marker); Virginian Railway Caboose #321 (a few steps from this marker); Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662 (a few steps from this marker); Norfolk & Western ALCO RS-3 Diesel Electric #300 (a few steps from this marker); Virginian Class SA #4 (within shouting distance of this marker); Virginia Central Porter Rod Driven Locomotive #3 (within shouting distance of this marker); Norfolk & Western ALCO C630 Diesel-Electric #1135 (within shouting distance of this marker); Wabash E8A Diesel-Electric #1009 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 391 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
