List of most powerful locomotives

As railroads around the world haul larger quantities of freight efficiently, the title of "world's most powerful locomotive" has often been passed to new generations of locomotives.

Standard There are many ways in which a locomotive can be the largest: the heaviest, longest, most cylinders, most power, or most wheels. It is often defined as the longest in length, but even then sources differ on whether the measurement should include the tender of a steam locomotive. A steam locomotive that has a tender cannot function without it, but (with rare exceptions) the tender does not contribute to traction. To establish the "largest" category, several factors take precedence: overall weight, which gives traction over driving axles; size (length and height of engine itself); and power, which may be in terms of raw horsepower, tractive effort, available power at axles (shaft horsepower) or, in the case of steam locomotives, available steam on a sustained basis.

List

NameOriginal ownerFleet numbersManufacturer Year of manufacture Drive typeWheel arrangement Weight Tractive effort/force PowerNotesImage2ЭС10 with 2ЭС10С unitRussian RailwaysUral Locomotives2014–presentElectric3×Bo'Bo' 1-hour ratingThree sections modification of 2ES10.Russian RailwaysNovocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant2014–presentElectric 4×Bo'Bo' 1-hour ratingFour sections modification of E5K. 060-EA Romanian Railways (CFR) and numerous private railways in Romania and Hungary 40 (060-EA): 120 km/h, 41 (060-EA1): 160 km/h, 42: 200 km/h ASEA (first ten), Electroputere Craiova (the rest, approx. 1,000) 1965-91 Electric Co'Co' Powerful locomotive in the 1970s; high continuous tractive effort.2-10-10-2Santa Fe and Virginian Railway3000-3009 (Santa Fe) 800-809 (Virginian)Baldwin Locomotive Works (Santa Fe)American Locomotive Company (Virginian)1911-1912, 1918Steam2-10-10-2 simple; compoundWeight and performance figures listed for the Virginian variant, as that locomotive was the heavier and more powerful of the two. AA20 Russian Railways Voroshilovgrad 1934 Steam 4-14-4 Largest non-articulated steam locomotive, and the only seven-axle non-articulated steam locomotive ever built. AD60 class New South Wales Government Railways 6001-6042 Beyer, Peacock & Company 1952–1954, 1956 Steam 4-8-4+4-8-4 Largest steam locomotive ever operated in AustraliaNSWGR AD60 Class Beyer-Garratt Locos Locomotives International issue 132 August 2021 page 16 Ae 6/6 Swiss Federal Railways 11401-11520 SLM, MFO/BBC 1952; 1955–66 Electric Co'Co' continuous Still in operation Ae 6/8 BLS, Switzerland 201-208 SLM / Sécheron 1939 Electric (1'Co)(Co1') 1-hour rating Two remain in working order as heritage locos Ae 8/8 BLS, Switzerland 271-275 SLM / BBC 1959-66 Electric (Bo)(Bo)+(Bo)(Bo) starting; 1-hour rating 1-hour rating One preserved in working order. Ae 8/14 Swiss Federal Railways 11852 SLM, MFO/BBC 1939 Electric (1'A)A1'A(A1')+(1'A)A1'A(A1') 1-hour rating; continuous Exhibit at Swiss Museum of Transport H-8 Allegheny Chesapeake & Ohio RailwayVirginian Railway 1600-1659 (C&O), 900-907 (VGN) Lima Locomotive Works 1941–48 Steam 2-6-6-6 Two on static display GTEL third generation Big Blow Union Pacific 1-30 (control cab), 1B-30B (turbine unit) General Electric 1958–61 Gas turbine-electric C-C+C-C ; over 10,000 hp at lower altitude and ambient temperatures (turbine only) Two preserved in museums; Surpassed by . 4884-1 Big Boy Union Pacific 4000-4019 ALCO 1941 Steam 4-8-8-4 Several on static display. No. 4014 in service with the UP Heritage Steam collectionBig Boy 4014 is back: UP restores, runs iconic train Railway Age May 8, 2019 4884-2 Big Boy Union Pacific 4020-4024 ALCO 1944 Steam 4-8-8-4 No. 4023 on static display. EQJ1 China Railway 北京6001 Beijing Feb. 7th 1969 Diesel-hydraulic D'D' starting continuous ; in actual service Most powerful diesel-hydraulic locomotive ever built. Challenger Union Pacific 3950-3999 ALCO 1936–43 Steam 4-6-6-4 Two locomotives preserved, one on static display. Union Pacific 3985 operated for company PR and occasional excursion service from 1981 to 2010. Donated to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America in April 2022Union Pacific donates Challenger for overhaul Steam Railway issue 532 May 27, 2022 page 22China Railways DF8DJChina RailwayDF8DJ0001, later DF8B5672CSR Ziyang2006Diesel-electricCo'Co' starting continuousMost powerful single-engine diesel locomotive ever built.China Railways FXSY1China RailwayCRRC ZhuzhouElectro-dieselCo'Co' electric, dieselChina Railways FXSY3China RailwayCRRC DalianElectro-dieselCo'Co' electric, diesel China Railways HXD1 China Railway HXD10001 - HXD10220 CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, Siemens 2006–08 Electric Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' starting continuous China Railways HXD1B China Railway HXD1B0001-HXD1B0500 CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, Siemens 2009– Electric Co'Co' One of the most powerful single-frame locomotives currently in series production. China Railways HXD1C China Railway HXD1C0001-HXD1C0990 CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, Siemens 2009– Electric Co'Co' starting One of the most produced single-frame locomotives over 6,000 kW. China Railways HXD2 China Railway HXD20001- HXD20180 Datong Electric Locomotive, Alstom 2006–08 Electric Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' starting continuous China Railways HXD2B China Railway HXD2B0001-HXD2B0500 Datong Electric Locomotive, Alstom 2009– Electric Co'Co' starting; continuous One of the most powerful single-frame locomotives currently in series production. China Railways HXD2C China Railway HXD2C0001- Datong Electric Locomotive, Alstom 2010– Electric Co'Co' starting; continuous China Railways HXD3 China Railway HXD30001-HXD30890, HXD38001-38150 Toshiba, Dalian Locomotive 2006–09 Electric Co'Co' China Railways HXD3B China Railway HXD3B0001-HXD3B0500 Dalian, Bombardier 2009– Electric Co'Co' starting; 1-hour rating One of the most powerful single-frame locomotives currently in series production. China Railways HXD3C(A) China Railway HXD3C0001-HXD3CA6001- Dalian, Bombardier 2010– Electric Co'Co' starting; continuous One of the most produced single-frame locomotives over 6,000 kW. China Railways HXN3 China Railway HXN30001 - HXN30300 Dalian Locomotive, Electro-Motive Diesel 2008– Diesel-Electric Co'Co' starting; continuous Most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in active production. China Railways HXN5 China Railway HXN50001 - HXN50300 GE, CRRC Qishuyan 2008– Diesel-Electric Co'Co' starting; continuous Most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in active production. Class 461 Železnice Srbije, Serbia ŽS461-0/1, ŽS461-2 Electroputere Craiova, Romania 1965–91 Electric Co'Co' Operational in Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Hungary & Macedonia. DB Class 101 Deutsche Bahn 101 001-145 Adtranz 1996–99 Electric Bo'Bo' continuous Maximum speed 220 km/h (137 mph). DB Class 103 Deutsche Bahn 103 101-245 AEG, Brown, Boveri & Cie, Henschel, KraussMaffei, Krupp, Siemens 1970–73 Electric Co'Co' or short term; 1-hour rating; continuous rating One of the most powerful electric locomotives ever built, it also is the most powerful (short term) single-frame locomotive ever built (currently its maximum short term power is limited to ; It has immense short term power with a tractive effort of 312 kN up to a speed of 140 km/h (87 mph). DB Class 151 Deutsche Bahn 151 001-170 AEG, BBC, Henschel, KraussMaffei, Krupp, Siemens 1972–78 Electric Co'Co' Powerful freight locomotive in the 1970s with high continuous tractive effort. DSB EG DB Schenker Rail 3103-3113 Siemens 1999–2000 Electric Co'Co' continuous One of the most powerful single-frame electric locomotives in operation in Europe; surpassed by . EMD DDA40X Union Pacific 6900-6946 Electro-Motive Diesel 1969–71 Diesel-electric Do'Do' starting; continuous One operational, 13 in various museums; largest operational single-unit diesel locomotive and the most powerful.EMD SD70ACe-T4Union Pacific

BNSF CSX 3000-3099 (Union Pacific)Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD)2015–presentDiesel-electricCo'Co' starting continuous EMD SD90MAC Union Pacific 8500-8561 Electro-Motive Diesel 1996–2002 Diesel-electric Co'Co' starting; continuous Retired from service, some on lease with EMLX.Erie Class P-1Erie Railroad2603-2605, later 5014-5016Baldwin Locomotive Works1914-1916Steam2-8-8-8-2Maximum speed approx. 10 mph. EuroSprinter Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB KraussMaffei, Siemens 1996–Present Electric Bo'Bo' short term; continuous Maximum speed 230 km/h (143 mph); Taurus Rh 1216 050-5 holds the world speed record for conventional electric locomotives at 357 km/h (222 mph). Eurotunnel Class 9 Getlink 9000 Euroshuttle Locomotive Consortium 1993-2002 Electric Bo-Bo-Bo starting;