The EMD BL2 is a model of diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). A total of 58 units (plus a single BL1) were built between 1947 and 1949. [1]

Dec 18, 2024 · Electro-Motive's BL2 was the stepping stone for the company's highly successful General Purpose (GP) series. The locomotive was a derivative of the F3, EMD's most …

Jul 29, 2021 · EMD was the leader; the others played catch-up. But at the height of its postwar prosperity, EMD made one memorable misstep: the BL2 diesel locomotive and its prototype, the BL1. Although competitors Alco, Baldwin, and Fairbanks-Morse had begun producing road-switcher-type diesel locomotives as early as 1941, EMD was reluctant to offer one.

The EMD BL2 is a four-axle B-B road switcher built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). EMD's diesel program was well underway in the late 1940s and early 1950s, thanks to the success of the company's FT demonstrations across the country.

The BL2 would be called upon to pull light freight trains, occasional passenger trains, and perform switching duties. To design this locomotive, EMD essentially modified a F3 cab unit into a road switcher by adding front and read platforms, narrow the hood so the crew in the cab can see the person on the front "porch", and attempting to make ...

First put into production in 1948, the GM-EMD model BL-2 was designed for local freight services, passenger services, and mixed freight manifest trains. The diesel-electric switcher’s unique sculpted body made it possible for engineers to see the end of a train when moving in reverse, and its rear platforms provided a safe perch for crews to ...

Standing for “Branch Line Locomotive” the BL2 was EMD’s first foray into lighter-duty switching power, with production commencing in 1947. Designed for improved visibility for the engineer during operation, the locomotive was one of the earliest diesels to feature a wide cab and a narrow long hood, allowing for a clearer view when ...

3 days ago · It seems to be generally agreed that the BL-2 was a flop: discontinued after 59 units, replaced in the EMD catalogue by the very successful but radically different GP-7. The basic package SHOULD have been successful: use the works of the popular F …

The Branch-Line or BL-2 from AHM is among the company's earliest offerings. As such, it does suffer from some degree of crudity. The unit rides on the truck used for the FM C-Liner, rather than the prototypical EMD Blomberg truck. The model also lacks steps on the cab doors.

EMD BL1 ad BL2 Data Sheet