Virginian Railway (VGN) Diesel & Electric Locomotive Roster

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Diesel and Electric Locomotive Roster of the Virginian Railway (VGN)

Virginian Railway

Below is a diesel and electric locomotive roster for the Virginian Railway (VGN), organized by manufacturer and then by model. This roster includes the number of units that VGN owned for each model. For further details, there are numerous websites, books, and archived reference materials that include more information on each locomotive.

The Virginian Railway was a highly successful coal-hauling railroad that relied on both electrification and heavy steam power for most of its history. Dieselization came late to the VGN and was not comprehensive, with the railroad using diesel-electric locomotives alongside its electric fleet rather than replacing it entirely. The VGN uniquely chose Fairbanks-Morse almost exclusively for its road diesels, contrasting with many other railroads that favored EMD or ALCO. 

Diesel locomotives

Fairbanks-Morse (FM)

  • H16-44: 40 locomotives.
    • These 1,600 horsepower road switchers were the first road diesels purchased by the VGN, arriving between 1954 and 1957.
    • The locomotives were affectionately known as “Baby Train Masters”.
  • H24-66 (“Train Master”): 25 locomotives.
    • These 2,400 horsepower six-axle units were the most powerful road switchers of their time, and the Virginian put them to work in the coal fields.
    • Used primarily on the Princeton-Deepwater main, these powerful units proved a good fit for the VGN’s heavy tonnage requirements.
    • They were delivered between 1954 and 1957 and were the last new diesels purchased by the VGN before the Norfolk and Western (N&W) merger. 

General Electric (GE)

  • 44-tonner: 1 locomotive.
    • This small, lightweight industrial switcher was a unique addition to the roster, purchased for service in the Suffolk, VA, area.
    • It was the only non-FM diesel acquired by the Virginian. 

Electric locomotives

American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and Westinghouse Electric

  • EL-3A (Class 105): 36 locomotives (10 three-unit sets, 6 single units).
    • Built between 1925 and 1926 for coal haulage over the electrified route from Elmore to Roanoke.
    • These were some of the largest and most powerful electric locomotives at the time of delivery.
    • The ten three-unit sets were nicknamed “Squareheads” by the staff. 

General Electric (GE)

  • EL-2B (Class 125): 4 locomotives (semi-permanently coupled as 8 units).
    • These large motor-generator units were built in 1948 to help with increased traffic after World War II.
    • At 150 feet 8 inches long, they were the largest two-unit electric locomotives used in North America.
    • Capable of producing 6,800 horsepower, they were retired and scrapped after the N&W merger.
  • EL-C (E-33): 12 locomotives.
    • These were the most advanced electric locomotives the VGN owned, built between 1955 and 1957.
    • After the N&W merger, they were sold to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1963.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

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