Rock Island's EMC TA diesels

This topic came up on another board. The Rock Island's EMC TA diesels were all built with GE electrical equipment and all to the same wiring diagram. The road numbers were 601-606. The EMC serials were 735-740 completed on order E151. Production was completed between August and October 1937. These were the first General Motors B-B cab units.

I'm researching 16-201A engines to see if there is any there, there.

Ed in Kentucky

The EMC 16-201A engine was used in both railroad and marine service. A total of 18 were used in railroad applications and 16 were used in U S Navy submarines. The Rock Island TAs were the last units assembled with the 16-201A engine. Other locomotives using the engine were Burlington 990^B-9907B, the Illinois Central #121 power car on the Green Diamond train, and nine Union Pacific units eventually used on the City of Denver trains CD5, CD6, and CD7.

Before the Rock Island TAs were built, EMC was already researching the 16-201As replacement, the 567 diesel engine. See https://utahrails.net/pdf/EMD_567_Histo ... t_1951.pdf

The U S Navy installed four 16-201A engines in each of the four Porpoise Class Submarines SS172-SS175. The Porpoise Class is unique in that they were the first U S submarines with diesel electric drive systems.

Ed in Kentucky

For some light reading on the subject pick up a copy of Railroad magazine, the January 1938 issue. There is a feature story: Trains That Are Making Good No. 16 - The Rockets. The magazine merely records the fact that the new Rockets are diesel powered. And then goes on to disparage the diesel stating that the motive power weight to car weight is off.

Ed in Kentucky

The TAs had twin steam generators located in the back of the unit. The EMD Product Data shows 1600 pound per hour steam generator capacity, but doesn't state if this is the combined effort of the twin SGs. There was a large water tank located under the cab floor. Overall length was 60 feet ten inches. The Railroad Magazine RI roster shows a weight of 226, 400 pounds for the TA. The Extra 2200 South RI roster shows a 226,000 pound weight.

Ed in Kentucky