The E8 locomotive succeeded the E7 in late 1949. Though the “E” in E locomotives represented eighteen, for the 1,800 horsepower of the E1 and E2, the E3 through E7 produced 2,000 horsepower and the E8 upped this to 2,250. The later E9 would produce 2,400.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

The first E8 was demonstrator 952, built in August 1949. After the usual tour, General Motors sold it to Rock Island, which renumbered it 643. Rock Island bought 11 more E8s and had an E6 rebuilt into an E8.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

GM delivered this and four other E8s to RF&P in November 1949. The B unit on this card was one of five delivered in December 1949. The railroad ended up buying ten more A units.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

E units were not popular in Canada. In fact, only three were purchased by any Canadian railroad, and they were used for Canadian Pacific trains between Montreal and Boston operated jointly with Boston & Maine. These were delivered in December 1949.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

The Frisco named its E7 and E8 locomotives after famous horses, in this case, Whirlaway, the winner of the 1941 Triple Crown. Frisco’s first ten E8s, including this one, were delivered in February 1950. Another seven came later.