EMD GP20 Phase Guide and Builder's List

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EMD's GP20 was cutting-edge technology in 1959 when the first unit was sold to the Western Pacific. 

The builder was loathe to risk the sacrifice of its rock-solid engineering reputation on the altar of unproven technology. 

Railroads, however, were having none of it. The horsepower race was well underway. Wealthy customers were already blazing new ground, EMD in tow or not.

Union Pacific was happily buying General Electric gas turbines that dwarfed the power of the GP9/GP18. The railroad was also adding turbochargers to their existing GP9 fleet.

Southern Pacific and the Denver & Rio Grande Western were importing complex and exotic diesel hydraulics from Germany that had unheard of adhesion and horsepower.  

If that wasn't bad enough, General Electric was ready to introduce the 2500 horsepower U25B that had been long under development.

Reluctantly, then, EMD introduced the SD24 and the GP20, unfortunately just as a severe recession was getting started. 

No one at that moment could foresee the rapid rise of single unit horsepower ratings, culminating in the 3600-horsepower GE U36C and EMD SD45 in just five years. It was impossible at this time to also forsee the traction motor crisis and the wheel slip crisis as diesel engines, traction motors, and the laws of physics all were pushed to their limits.

Here, then, is a GP20 builder list and phase guide.

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