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Southern Railway 5044 & 5109

Twin GP38-2 locomotives built for dependable freight service in the 1970s

Southern Railway 5044 and 5109 are sister GP38-2 locomotives built by GM’s Electro-Motive Division in 1973 and 1974. Each unit delivers 2,000 horsepower and reflects the practical, hard-working diesel power that helped shape modern rail operations.

Southern Railway‘s 5044 & 5109: Powerful GP38-2 Units with Unique High Short Hoods

The Southern Railway 5044 and 5109 stand as iconic representations of the GP38-2 locomotives, boasting an impressive output of 2,000 horsepower each. These marvels were manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, with 5044 gracing the tracks in 1973 and its counterpart, the 5109, following in 1974 for Southern Railway. Defying the conventions embraced by other railroads, Southern Railway exhibited a preference for high short hoods, deploying them on all 257 of their GP38-2 units, contrasting the more typical low short hoods. These two emblematic locomotives found their new home when Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) seized the opportunity to procure them at auctions in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Specifications:

Locomotives: Southern Railway 5044 & 5109

Locomotive Type: Diesel-Electric

Operators: Southern Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

Model: GP38-2

Builder: General Motors Electro-Motive Division

Date Built: 1973 & 1974

Locomotive Weight: 250,000 lb

Prime Mover: EMD 16-645E

Fuel: Diesel

Horsepower: 2,000 hp

Status: 5044 – Operational/5109 – Operational

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