Equipment Information

Chicago & North Western 1518 is the first GP-series (General Purpose) locomotive, or “Geep,” ever built. It was constructed at the EMD plant in LaGrange as prototype, or demonstrator, number 922 and was later sold to the C&NW. It is the forerunner of some 17,000 “Geeps” to be built between 1948 and 2001. It was restored by the C&NW to its 1950s appearance and donated to IRM in 1986.

COMPARE ME WITH: Chicago & North Western 411, an F7A locomotive built at about the same time and also originally a freight locomotive. The “Geep” was a design known as a “road switcher,” more utilitarian than streamlined “cab units” like 411 but with far better visibility and easier maintenance due to better access to internal components.

Builder: Electro Motive Division GM
Year Built: 1948
Model: GP-7
Horsepower: 1500
Length: 55ft 9in
Width: 10ft 3in
Height: 14ft 6in
Weight: 255000 lbs
Brakes: 6BL
Engine: 16-567BC
Motors: 4 EMD D37
Trucks: Blomberg B
Description: Diesel-Electric / First GP Series built
Arrived: 1987
Condition: Complete / restored / not operational

Photo gallery

Ownership History
1948-1949 – Electro-Motive Division #922
1949-1950 – Electro-Motive Division #100
1950-1972 – Chicago & North Western #1518
1972-1987 – Chicago & North Western #4311
1987-present – Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL