Introduced by EMD in 1950, the SW8 offered railroads and industry a rugged and reliable unit for switching chores, replacing the last of steam or earlier diesel switchers still in service. Powered by the famed 567B, the engines delivered 800 horsepower. In 1954, industry demand for a more powerful switcher led EMD to introduce the SW900, producing 100 additional horsepower from the 567C prime mover. Outwardly, these units (and the SW600 of which only 15 were built) were virtually identical. Production ended in late 1965 with a combined total of 743 engines. Well into the 1980s, these early switchers served railroads large and small and some remain in industrial service today.
 
* Perfect for Yard or Industrial Work * Powerful Motor with Skew Wound Armature & Dual Flywheels * Split Frame Mechanism * 8-Wheel Drive & Electrical Pick-Up * AccuMate(R) Operating Couplers