Engine No. 501 was built in 1939 by Electro Motive Corporation for the Atlantic Coastline passenger service between the northeast and Florida. In the engines 33 years of commercial service it served the Atlantic Coastline and Seaboard Coastline which later became CSX. With more than six million miles, the 2,000 horsepower locomotive is believed to be the highest mileage passenger diesel engine in the world. Top speed is 117 miles-per-hour and it is equipped with two 12-cylinder, V-type 2-cycle General Motor engines. It holds 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel and the steam generator carries and additional 1,000 gallons of water. Engine No. 501 is regarded as one of the finest examples of America’s prewar streamliners. In 1972 it was sold for private ski train service in Colorado. Sold again in 1977 the engine was used for an excursion train in Wisconsin. The North Carolina Department of Transportation purchased the engine in 1999 for display in the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina. |
