Top 100

Locomotives with the highest tractive effort

Tractive effort is the pulling force a locomotive exerts at the rim of its driving wheels. The starting tractive effort determines the heaviest train a locomotive can set in motion, which matters most for heavy-haul freight.

Locomotives built for iron ore trains, such as the IORE units that haul 8,600-tonne trains between Kiruna and Narvik, are among the strongest in the world.

Rank	Model	Type	Built	Tractive effort
1	3TE25K2M BMZ, TMH	Diesel locomotive	2017	1,284 kN288,655 lbf
2	IORE H80AC Adtranz, Bombardier	Electric locomotive	2000–2014	1,200 kN269,771 lbf
3	NP1 NEVZ	Electric locomotive	–	1,200 kN269,771 lbf
4	2VL60K NEVZ	Electric locomotive	1987	974 kN218,964 lbf
5	Dm3 ASEA	Electric locomotive	1953–1971	940 kN211,320 lbf
6	CKD9C CRRC Ziyang	Diesel locomotive	2005–2010	870 kN195,584 lbf
7	EP08 Pafawag	Electric locomotive	1972–1976	850 kN191,088 lbf
8	SD80ACe EMD	Diesel locomotive	2011	850 kN191,088 lbf
9	AZ8A Alstom, TMH	Electric locomotive	2018	833 kN187,266 lbf
10	SD9043MAC EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	822 kN184,793 lbf
11	AC4400CWM GE	Diesel locomotive	1993–2004	800 kN179,847 lbf
12	2ES7 Siemens, Sinara, UZZhM	Electric locomotive	2013	784 kN176,250 lbf
13	2ES10 Sinara	Electric locomotive	2011	784 kN176,250 lbf
14	SD70M-2 EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	730 kN164,111 lbf
15	SD70ACe-BB EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	724 kN162,762 lbf
16	2TE116U Luhanskteplovoz	Diesel locomotive	2007	646 kN145,227 lbf
17	2TE116UP Luhanskteplovoz	Diesel locomotive	1996	646 kN145,227 lbf
18	8K Alstom, CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1987–1989	628 kN141,180 lbf
19	SS4 CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1985–2006	628 kN141,180 lbf
20	SS4B CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1995–2006	628 kN141,180 lbf
21	SS4C CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1997	628 kN141,180 lbf
22	SS4G CRRC Dalian, CRRC Datong, CRRC Zhuzhou, CRRC Ziyang	Electric locomotive	1993–2007	628 kN141,180 lbf
23	ES59ACi CRRC Qishuyan, GE	Diesel locomotive	2008	620 kN139,382 lbf
24	VL11 NEVZ	Electric locomotive	1975	612 kN137,583 lbf
25	VL11-8 NEVZ	Electric locomotive	1975	612 kN137,583 lbf
26	VL11K NEVZ, UZZhM	Electric locomotive	1986	612 kN137,583 lbf
27	VL11M NEVZ	Electric locomotive	1986	612 kN137,583 lbf
28	VL11M5 TEVZ	Electric locomotive	–	612 kN137,583 lbf
29	VL11M6 NEVZ	Electric locomotive	2009	612 kN137,583 lbf
30	4-8-8-4 ALCo	Steam locomotive	1941	602 kN135,335 lbf
31	G26MC-2U GM	Diesel locomotive	–	600 kN134,885 lbf
32	GT38ACe EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	600 kN134,885 lbf
33	GT42CU AC Downer Rail	Diesel locomotive	2004	600 kN134,885 lbf
34	JT42C EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	600 kN134,885 lbf
35	2ES5 Alstom, NEVZ	Electric locomotive	2013	593 kN133,312 lbf
36	JT42CW Meinfesa	Diesel locomotive	1996	588 kN132,188 lbf
37	HXD3 / SSJ3 / DJ3 CRRC Beijing, CRRC Dalian, CRRC Datong, Toshiba	Electric locomotive	2006–2011	570 kN128,141 lbf
38	TE3 HZTM, KTZ, Luhanskteplovoz	Diesel locomotive	1956–1973	570 kN128,141 lbf
39	GM6C EMD	Electric locomotive	1975	561 kN126,118 lbf
40	WDG-4G GE, Marhowrah	Diesel locomotive	2017	544 kN122,296 lbf
41	TG16M LTZ, Sinara	Diesel locomotive	2013	543 kN122,071 lbf
42	GT42AC Progress Rail Services	Diesel locomotive	–	540 kN121,397 lbf
43	GT46MAC EMD	Diesel locomotive	1999	540 kN121,397 lbf
44	C44acHi UGL Rail	Diesel locomotive	2010–2011	535 kN120,273 lbf
45	C44aci UGL Rail	Diesel locomotive	2008	535 kN120,273 lbf
46	ES44ACi GE, LKZ	Diesel locomotive	2007	534 kN120,048 lbf
47	CV40-9i Goninan	Diesel locomotive	1996–1998	520 kN116,901 lbf
48	SDA1 CRRC Ziyang	Diesel locomotive	2012	520 kN116,901 lbf
49	WAG-9H ABB, CLW	Electric locomotive	2000	520 kN116,901 lbf
50	DE-AC33C Adtranz	Diesel locomotive	1996–2003	517 kN116,226 lbf
51	JT26CW-SS EMD	Diesel locomotive	1994–1995	508 kN114,203 lbf
52	A NS, NW	Steam locomotive	1943	507 kN113,978 lbf
53	203E Cegielski	Electric locomotive	1977–1983	500 kN112,405 lbf
54	BR 89 BREL	Electric locomotive	1986	500 kN112,405 lbf
55	EL 2000 Adtranz	Electric locomotive	1999–2000	500 kN112,405 lbf
56	Euro 6000 Stadler	Electric locomotive	2019	500 kN112,405 lbf
57	Euro 9000 Stadler	Hybrid locomotive	2020	500 kN112,405 lbf
58	Eurodual F Stadler	Hybrid locomotive	2017	500 kN112,405 lbf
59	GT46C-ACe Cardiff, Downer Rail	Diesel locomotive	2007	500 kN112,405 lbf
60	H-24-66 Fairbanks-Morse	Diesel locomotive	1953–1957	498 kN111,955 lbf
61	Ae 8/14 11801 BBC, SLM	Electric locomotive	1931	490 kN110,156 lbf
62	BJ 2000 CRRC Beijing	Diesel locomotive	1986–1990	490 kN110,156 lbf
63	SS1 CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1968–1988	487 kN109,482 lbf
64	SS6 CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	1991	485 kN109,032 lbf
65	C39-8 GE	Diesel locomotive	1984–1987	483 kN108,583 lbf
66	DF8 CRRC Qishuyan	Diesel locomotive	1984–1997	480 kN107,908 lbf
67	DF8B CRRC Qishuyan, CRRC Ziyang	Diesel locomotive	1997	480 kN107,908 lbf
68	DR 250 / DB 155 LEW	Electric locomotive	1974–1984	480 kN107,908 lbf
69	BR 60 Brush Traction	Diesel locomotive	1989–1993	474 kN106,559 lbf
70	Dash 9-44CW GE	Diesel locomotive	1993–2004	470 kN105,660 lbf
71	SS3 CRRC Datong, CRRC Zhuzhou, CRRC Ziyang	Electric locomotive	1978–2006	470 kN105,660 lbf
72	WAG-9 ABB, CLW	Electric locomotive	1996	470 kN105,660 lbf
73	WAG-9HH ABB, CLW	Electric locomotive	–	470 kN105,660 lbf
74	DF5D CRRC Dalian	Diesel locomotive	1999	467 kN104,986 lbf
75	M62M Luhanskteplovoz, Rail Polska	Diesel locomotive	1965–1974	460 kN103,412 lbf
76	SDA3 CRRC Qishuyan	Diesel locomotive	–	460 kN103,412 lbf
77	10E1 UCW	Electric locomotive	1987–1993	450 kN101,164 lbf
78	50 c/s Group 7E UCW	Electric locomotive	1978–1979	450 kN101,164 lbf
79	DB 151 AEG, BBC, Henschel, Krauss-Maffei, Krupp, Siemens	Electric locomotive	1972–1978	450 kN101,164 lbf
80	E40 AG-V1 Siemens	Electric locomotive	–	450 kN101,164 lbf
81	EPS CRRC CRRC Zhuzhou	Electric locomotive	–	450 kN101,164 lbf
82	ER20CF Siemens	Diesel locomotive	2007–2010	450 kN101,164 lbf
83	Korail 8500 Hyundai Rotem, Toshiba	Electric locomotive	2012	450 kN101,164 lbf
84	MXS-627 Bombardier	Diesel locomotive	1979	450 kN101,164 lbf
85	PH37ACi GE	Diesel locomotive	2012	450 kN101,164 lbf
86	SDA2 CRRC Qishuyan	Diesel locomotive	2014	450 kN101,164 lbf
87	EP1P NEVZ	Electric locomotive	2007–2010	440 kN98,916 lbf
88	DB E 50 AEG, BBC, Henschel, Krauss-Maffei, Krupp, SSW	Electric locomotive	1957–1973	438 kN98,466 lbf
89	GT18LC-2 EMD	Diesel locomotive	–	438 kN98,466 lbf
90	DF12 CRRC Ziyang	Diesel locomotive	1997–2001	437 kN98,242 lbf
91	C30-M CZ LOKO	Diesel locomotive	–	436 kN98,017 lbf
92	4-6-6-4 ALCo	Steam locomotive	1936–1944	433 kN97,342 lbf
93	UP 4-6-6-4 ALCo	Steam locomotive	1936–1944	433 kN97,342 lbf
94	TRA R200 Stadler	Diesel locomotive	2023	430 kN96,668 lbf
95	DF7C CRRC Beijing, CRRC Ziyang	Diesel locomotive	1991	428 kN96,218 lbf
96	GE E44 GE	Electric locomotive	1960–1963	428 kN96,218 lbf
97	NJ2 / C38AChe GE	Diesel locomotive	2006–2007	427 kN95,993 lbf
98	Korail 8000 Alstom, Daewoo	Electric locomotive	1972–1980	426 kN95,769 lbf
99	DL600B ALCo	Diesel locomotive	1956–1960	425 kN95,544 lbf
100	201E Pafawag	Electric locomotive	1971–1979	420 kN94,420 lbf

Figures come from public sources and may contain errors; obviously inconsistent values are excluded.

Locomotives with the highest tractive effort

Top 3

3TE25K2M

IORE H80AC

NP1

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