Atlantic Coast Line 501

Atlantic Coast Line 501
Atlantic Coast Line No. 501 at the Washington Union Station in 2008
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Electro-Motive Company Model E3 Build date November 1939
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR A1A-A1A Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Prime mover Two 12-cylinder 567 Engine type Two-stroke diesel Aspiration Roots blower
Performance figures Power output 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
Career Operators Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Wisconsin Western Railroad Numbers 501-A Current owner North Carolina Department of Transportation Disposition Operational

Atlantic Coast Line 501 is an EMC E3 diesel locomotive built in November 1939 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. It was notable for being the sole EMC E3 survivor, though it was rebuilt into an E6 before delivery.

The No. 501 locomotive spent its career pulling the Champion. After retirement from regular service, the unit was restored to purple & silver colors by owner Glenn Monhart. In the 1980s, the engine operated on the Wisconsin Western Railroad, a short-lived heritage railway. It is currently operating at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina.