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 rolling stock.
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.
| Name | Original owner | Fleet numbers | Manufacturer | data-sort-type="date" | Year of manufacture | Drive type | Wheel arrangement | data-sort-type="number" | Weight | data-sort-type="number" | Tractive effort/force | data-sort-type="number" | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russian Railways | Ural Locomotives | 2014–present | Electric | 3×Bo'Bo' | 300t | 264375lbf | 17701hp 1-hour rating | Three sections modification of 2ES10. | ||||||
| Russian Railways | Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant | 2014–present | Electric | 4×Bo'Bo' | 392t | 304840lbf | 17594hp 1-hour rating | Four 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' | 120t | 93000lbf | 6839hp | Powerful locomotive in the 1970s; high continuous tractive effort. | ||||
| 2-10-10-2 | Santa Fe and Virginian Railway | 3000-3009 (Santa Fe) 800-809 (Virginian) | Baldwin Locomotive Works (Santa Fe) American Locomotive Company (Virginian) | 1911-1912, 1918 | Steam | 2-10-10-2 | 415t | 175000lbf simple; 147200lbf compound | Weight 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 | 140t | 71940lbf | 3652hp | Largest non-articulated steam locomotive, and the only seven-axle non-articulated steam locomotive ever built. | |||||
| AD43C | Iranian Railways (RAI) | 2001-2100 | Alstom | 2001 | Diesel electric | Co'Co' | 123t | 54200daN | 3160kW | [1] About 50 locomotives are stopped because of failures in the RK 215 diesel engines | ||||
| AD60 class | New South Wales Government Railways | 6001-6042 | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1952–1954, 1956 | Steam | 4-8-4+4-8-4 | 255t | 59575lbf | 5930hp | Largest steam locomotive ever operated in Australia[2] | ||||
| Ae 6/6 | Swiss Federal Railways | 11401-11520 | SLM, MFO/BBC | 1952; 1955–66 | Electric | Co'Co' | 120t | 88125lbf | 5766hp continuous | Still in operation | ||||
| Ae 6/8 | BLS, Switzerland | 201-208 | SLM / Sécheron | 1939 | Electric | (1'Co)(Co1') | 140t | 79360lbf | 5914hp 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) | 160t | 46000kgf starting; 31000kgf 1-hour rating | 8800PS 1-hour rating | [3] 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') | 236t | 110160lbf | 10945hp 1-hour rating; 10255hp continuous | Exhibit at Swiss Museum of Transport | ||||
| Allegheny | Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Virginian Railway | 1600-1659 (C&O), 900-907 (VGN) | Lima Locomotive Works | 1941 - 48 | Steam | 2-6-6-6 | 544t | 110000lbf | 7500hp | Two on static display | ||||
| Big Blow | Union Pacific | 1-30 (control cab), 1B-30B (turbine unit) | General Electric | 1958 - 61 | Gas turbine-electric | C-C+C-C | 425t | 212312lbf | 8469hp
| Two preserved in museums; Surpassed by . | ||||
| Big Boy | Union Pacific | 4000-4024 | ALCO | 1941- - 44 | Steam | 4-8-8-4 | 548t | 135375lbf | 6290hp | Several on static display. No. 4014 in service with the UP Heritage Steam collection[4] | ||||
| BJ 6001 | China Railway | 北京6001 | Beijing Feb. 7th | 1969 | Diesel-hydraulic | D'D' | 6000hp-metric | Most powerful diesel-hydraulic locomotive ever built. | ||||||
| Challenger | Union Pacific | 3950-3999 | ALCO | 1936 - 43 | Steam | 4-6-6-4 | 485t | 97350lbf | 5000hp | 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 2022[5] | ||||
| China Railways DF8 | China Railway | DF8DJ0001, later DF8B5672 | CSR Ziyang | 2006 | Diesel-electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 130389lbf starting98916lbf continuous | 6437hp | Most powerful single-engine diesel locomotive ever built. | ||||
| China Railways HXD1 | China Railway | HXD10001 - HXD10220 | CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, Siemens | 2006 - 08 | Electric | Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' | 200t | 760kN starting | 9600kW continuous | |||||
| China Railways HXD1B | China Railway | HXD1B0001-HXD1B0500 | CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, Siemens | 2009 - | Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 12874hp | 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' | 150t | 570kN starting | 7200kW | |||||
| China Railways HXD2 | China Railway | HXD20001-HXD20180 | Datong Electric Locomotive, Alstom | 2006 - 08 | Electric | Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' | 200t | 760kN starting | 10000kW continuous | |||||
| China Railways HXD2B | China Railway | HXD2B0001-HXD2B0500 | Datong Electric Locomotive, Alstom | 2009 - | Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 131000lbf starting; 125000lbf continuous | 12874hp | 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' | 150t | 130000lbf starting; 90000lbf continuous | 9655hp | |||||
| China Railways HXD3 | China Railway | HXD30001-HXD30890, HXD38001-38150 | Toshiba, Dalian Locomotive | 2006 - 09 | Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 130000lbf | 9655hp | |||||
| China Railways HXD3B | China Railway | HXD3B0001-HXD3B0500 | Dalian, Bombardier | 2009 - | Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 128000lbf starting; 114000lbf | 12874hp 1-hour rating | One of the most powerful single-frame locomotives currently in series production. | ||||
| China Railways HXD3C | China Railway | HXD3C0001- | Dalian, Bombardier | 2010 - | Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 130000lbf starting; 83000lbf | 9655hp | |||||
| China Railways HXN3 | China Railway | HXN30001 - HXN30300 | Dalian Locomotive, Electro-Motive Diesel | 2008 - | Diesel-Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 140000lbf starting; 134000lbf continuous | 6300hp | Most powerful diesel-electric locomotive in active production. | ||||
| China Railways HXN5 | China Railway | HXN50001 - HXN50300 | GE, CRRC Qishuyan | 2008 - | Diesel-Electric | Co'Co' | 150t | 140000lbf starting; 127000lbf continuous | 6250hp | 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' | 120t | 88125lbf | 7638hp | Operational in Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Hungary & Macedonia. | ||||
| DB Class 101 | Deutsche Bahn | 101 001-145 | Adtranz | 1996 - 99 | Electric | Bo'Bo' | 83t | 67443lbf | 8583hp continuous | Maximum speed 220 km/h (137 mph). | ||||
| DB Class 103 | Deutsche Bahn | 103 101-245 | AEG, Brown, Boveri & Cie, Henschel, Krauss-Maffei, Krupp, Siemens | 1970 - 73 | Electric | Co'Co' | 114t | 70140lbf | 16270hp or 13900hp short term;10433hp 1-hour rating;9977hp continuous rating | One of the most powerful electric locomotives ever built, it also is the most powerful single-frame locomotive ever built (currently its maximum short term power is limited to 12000hp); 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, Krauss-Maffei, Krupp, Siemens | 1972 - 78 | Electric | Co'Co' | 118t | 88800lbf | 8432hp | Powerful freight locomotive in the 1970s with high continuous tractive effort. | ||||
| DSB EG | 3103-3113 | Siemens | 1999 - 2000 | Electric | Co'Co' | 132t | 89930lbf | 8717hp continuous | One of the most powerful single-frame electric locomotives in operation in Europe. | |||||
| EMD DDA40X | Union Pacific | 6900-6946 | Electro-Motive Diesel | 1969 - 71 | Diesel-electric | Do'Do' | 244t | 113940lbf starting; 103000lbf continuous | 6600hp | One operational, 13 in various museums; largest operational single-unit diesel locomotive and the most powerful. | ||||
| EMD SD70ACe-T4 | Union Pacific | 3000-3099 (Union Pacific) | Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) | 2015–present | Diesel-electric | Co'Co' | 194t | 200000lbf starting175000lbf continuous | 4400hp | |||||
| EMD SD90MAC | Union Pacific | 8500-8561 | Electro-Motive Diesel | 1996 - 2002 | Diesel-electric | Co'Co' | 193t | 200000lbf starting; 165000lbf continuous | 6300hp | Retired from service, some on lease with EMLX. | ||||
| Erie Class P-1 | Erie Railroad | 2603-2605, later 5014-5016 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1914-1916 | Steam | 2-8-8-8-2 | 531t | 176256lbf | Maximum speed approx. 10 mph. | |||||
| EuroSprinter | Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB | Krauss-Maffei, Siemens | 1996 - 2001 | Electric | Bo'Bo' | 86t | 67000lbf | 9790hp short term;8583hp 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 | 132t | 90000lbf starting; 70000lbf continuous | 9400hp | Always used in pairs (one at each end of the train). Early versions were 7500hp but most have been rebuilt to 7 MW. | |||||
| GE AC6000CW | Union Pacific | 600–699, 5000–5016, 6070–6077, 7500-7579 (being overhauled and renumbered 69xx) | General Electric | 1996 - 2001 | Diesel-electric | Co'Co' | 196t | 188000lbf starting; 166000lbf continuous | 6250hp | Actual HP output on early production units is 4,350 hp due to use of the 7FDL engine. | ||||
| Russian Railways | Sinara transport machines | Gas turbine-electric | 360t | 220313lbf | 11130hp | Currently the most powerful non-electric locomotive ever produced. | ||||||||
| H220 | Victorian Railways | H class | Newport Workshops | 1941–1958 | Steam | 4-8-4 | 265t | 55060lbf | 3600hp | The most powerful steam locomotive built in Australia at the time. Only one was constructed, preserved at the Australian Railway Historical Society Museum. | ||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-7 | Indian Railways | 27001–27999, 28000–28770, 24501-24700 | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, India, BHEL, India | 1992 | Electric | Co'Co' | 132t | 135000lbf | 5350hp | The WAG-7 is one of the most successful locomotives of Indian Railways currently serving both freight and passenger trains for over 31 years | ||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-9 | Indian Railways | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, Electric Locomotive Works, Bhusawal | 1996– | Electric | Co'Co' | 123t | 100000lbf
| 6600hp | WAG-9 has quickly become one of the important locos in the Indian railways. | |||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-9H | Indian Railways | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, Electric Locomotive Works, Bhusawal | 2000– | Electric | Co'Co' | 132t | 120000lbf Continuous:73000lbf | 6600hp | ||||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-9HH | Indian Railways | 90001+ | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, India | 2019- | Electric | Co'Co' | 135t | 9000hp | A passenger variant of the WAG-9 was developed namely the WAP-7 locomotive by modifying the gear ratio to pull lighter loads at higher speeds. | |||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-11 | Indian Railways | 29001+ | Banaras Locomotive Works Varanasi | 2018–Present | Electric | Co'Co' | 11,000 horsepower | India's Indigenously developed 12000hp electric loco. | ||||||
| Indian locomotive class WAG-12 | Indian Railways | WAG12B60001+ onward | ELF Madhepura | 2018–present | Electric | Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' | 180tUp-gradable to 200t | 176475lbf starting | 12000hp | With a power output of 12,000 hp, the WAG 12 is twice as powerful as its immediate predecessor, WAG-9. | ||||
| IORE | IORE 101 - 126 | Bombardier | 2000 - 04 | Electric | Co'Co'+Co'Co' | 360t | 314732lbf | 14483hp continuous rating (for a pair) | The most powerful double-frame locomotive in series production. It is possible to operate individual halves, however it is not usually done. | |||||
| Jawn Henry | Norfolk & Western | 2300 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1954-58 | Steam turbine electric | 404t | 175000lbf[6] | 4500hp | Struck from the N&W roster on January 4, 1958. | |||||
| JR Freight Class EF200 | JR Freight | Hitachi | 1990 - | Electric | Bo'Bo'Bo' | 100.8t | 26600kgf | 6000kW | Most powerful single-frame narrow-gauge locomotive in series production. | |||||
| Korail Class 8500 | Korail | 8501-8587 | Hyundai Rotem | 2012-2014 | Electric | Co'Co' | 132t | 101164lbf | 9600hp (1-hour rating); 9300hp continuous | 730NaN0 overall length. | ||||
| Little Joe | Milwaukee Road | EF-4 and EP-4 | General Electric | 1950-80 | Electric | 2-D+D-2 | 247.5t | 75700lbf | 5110hp | Maximum speed of 68 mph, used for freight and passenger. | ||||
| M-1 | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | 500-502 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1947 - 50 | Steam turbine electric | 2-C1-2-C1-B (4-8-0-4-8-4) | 428t | 98000lbf | 6000hp turbine; 4960hp generators | Nicknamed "Sacred Cows". Sold back to Baldwin in 1950 and scrapped. | ||||
| Class M-137 | Western Pacific Railroad | 251-260 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1931, 1938 | Steam | 2-8-8-2 | 487t | 137174lbf | Largest steam locomotives owned by Western Pacific.[7] | |||||
| MPXpress MP54AC | GO Transit | 667-682 | MotivePower Industries | 2017-2018 | Diesel-electric | Bo'Bo' | 127-132 tonnes (140-145 short tons)[8] | 82,900 pounds-force (369 kN) peak, 50,700 pounds-force continuous (225 kN) | 5,400 horsepower (3972 kW) | Highest power diesel passenger locomotive in North America | ||||
| Norfolk & Western Y Class | Norfolk & Western | Roanoke Shops | 1940s | Steam | 2-8-8-2 | 449t | 166000lbf | 5600hp | Norfolk and Western 2156 is strongest-pulling steam locomotive still in existence. | |||||
| PRR GG1 | Pennsylvania Railroad, Penn Central, Conrail, Amtrak and NJ Transit | 4800–4938, 900-929 | Altoona Works, General Electric | 1934–43 | Electric | 2-C+C-2 (4-6-6-4) | 216.4t | 65500lbf | 4629hp | Most scrapped; the prototype and 15 production locomotives have been preserved in museums. | ||||
| PRR Q2 | Pennsylvania Railroad | 6131, 6175-6199 | Altoona Works | 1941 - 45 | Steam | 4-4-6-4 | 456t | 115816lbf with booster | 7987hp | Most powerful steam locomotive ever static tested. | ||||
| PRR S1 | Pennsylvania Railroad | 6100 | Altoona Works | 1939 | Steam | 6-4-4-6 | 487t | 76403lbf | 7200hp | Fast passenger steam locomotive; the magazine Popular Mechanics cites 1941 a speed of 133.4 mph (214.7 km/h) | ||||
| PRR S2 | Pennsylvania Railroad | 6200 | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1944 | Steam turbine direct-drive | 6-8-6 | 470t | 70500lbf | 6900hp | Most powerful steam turbine locomotive ever built. | ||||
| Re 4/4 | BLS, Switzerland | Re 425 161-Re 425 195) | SLM / BBC | 1964-83 | Electric | Bo'Bo' | 80t | 70590lbf | 6678hp continuous | In operation | ||||
| Re 465 | BLS, Switzerland | Re 465 001-465 0018 | SLM, ABB | 1994-97 | Electric | Bo'Bo' | 84t | 71940lbf | 9390hp short term 8410hp continuous; | Similar locomotives with slightly different technical data are in operation with SBB (Re 460; 119 pc/NSB (El 18; 22 pc)/VR (Sr2; 46 pc)/KCRC (Hong Kong; 2 pc). | ||||
| Re 6/6 | SBB, Switzerland | 11601-11689 | SLM, MFO/BBC/Sécheron | 1972, 1975–80 | Electric | Bo'Bo'Bo' | 120t | 89475lbf | 10460hp 1-hour rating; 9705hp continuous | At the time of construction (1972) one of the world's most powerful locomotives. Currently in operation with the revised classification of Re 620. | ||||
| Shen 24[9] [10] | Shenhua Mining Group | CRRC Zhuzhou | 2020–present | Electric | 6×Bo'Bo' | 2280kN | 28800kW | Six-section modification of HXD1, 106m (348feet) long overall. | ||||||
| Shenhua Mining Group HXD1 | Shenhua Mining Group | HXD1.7 | CRRC Zhuzhou | 2013 | Electric | 3×Bo'Bo' | 276t | 256282lbf | 12900hp continuous rating | Heavy haul locomotive of China | ||||
| SJ Dm3 | SJ | ASEA | 1953 - 71 | Electric | 1'D+D+D1' | 273t | 211,320 pounds-force(970 kN) | 7200kW | Highest continuous tractive effort when built, most powerful locomotive using jackshafts. | |||||
| Softronic Transmontana | Romanian Railways (CFR) and diverse private railways in Romania and Hungary | 480 (Romania) 610 (Hungary) | Softronic Craiova | 2010–present | Electric | Co'Co' | 120t | 97800lbf | 8851hp 1-hour rating;8046hp continuous | Based on the ASEA 060-EA, but with asynchronous traction motors, IGBT and computerized control. | ||||
| Stadler Euro Dual | N/A | N/A | Stadler Rail | 2012 | Dual power electro-diesel locomotive | Co'Co' | 114t - 126t | 112500lbf | 9387.15hp | |||||
| Union Pacific 9000 class | Union Pacific | 9000-9087 | American Locomotive Company | 1926-1930 | Steam | 4-12-2 | 355t | 97664lbf | 4750hp | |||||
| Union Pacific Coal GTELs | Union Pacific | 80 (later 8080) | Union Pacific Omaha Shops | 1961 | Diesel-electric + gas turbine-electric | A1A-A1A+2-D-D-2 | 661t | 7000hp (2,000 hp Diesel + 5,000 hp turbine) | Home-built experimental coal-fired gas turbine. Assembled from ALCO PA-1 UP #607, GN W1 #5018, and the tender from Challenger #3990. 2150NaN0 overall length; 1457280lbs total weight. Unsuccessful; set aside in 1964 and scrapped in 1968. | |||||
| Virginian Railway EL-3A | Virginian Railway | 100-109 | 1925-1926 | Electric | 1-D-1+1-D-1+1-D-1 | 624t | 277500lbf | 7125hp (1-hour rating); 6000hp continuous | 152.250NaN0 overall length. | |||||
| VL85 | Russian Railways | 270 | Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant | 1983-94 | Electric | Bo'Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo'Bo' | 300t | 209522lbf | 12550hp continuous; 13437hp short term | |||||
| Voith Maxima | Voith | 2006 - 14 | Diesel-hydraulic | Co'Co' | 136t | 91730lbf | 5000hp continuous (Maxima 40CC) | Voith Maxima 40CC is the most powerful single-engine diesel-hydraulic locomotive ever built. | ||||||
| XA Triplex | Virginian Railway | 700 | Baldwin | 1916 | Steam | 2-8-8-8-4 | 532t | 166600lbf compound | Rebuilt into separate locomotives; Maximum speed approx. 10 mph. | |||||
| Yellowstone | Northern Pacific, Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway and Baltimore & Ohio | 220-237 (DM&IR) | Baldwin Locomotive Works | 1928-1945 | Steam | 2-8-8-4 | 566t | 140093lbf | 6250hp | Figures are for the DM&IR Yellowstones, the largest and generally the most well-known of their type. | ||||