Dawn of the Diesel


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The Model 201 Diesel Engines at the 
1933 Chicago Worlds Fair

Before the 8 cylinder had been run, some brave soul decided it would be great to build two engines and have them furnish power for the General Motors Building at the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair. The U.S. Navy had been following this 2 cycle development work and had given Winton a design contract for a "V" 12 cylinder engine which was designed concurrently with the 8 cylinder. These engines were known as the Model 201 and had a fabricated steel crankcase, one of the first in this country. 

A very unconventional cylinder head retainer design with a round head similar to the 567 was used. This was fastened in an 8 cylinder long aluminum casting. This casting carried the overhead camshaft, as well as the passages for cooling water, fuel and lubricating oil. When the engine was first started these three liquids came out almost every place except where they should. After resorting to doping, peening, and everything in the book, the first engine was finally made to run. 

Immediately a new cylinder head retainer design in cast iron was started. After surprisingly few early troubles the 8 cylinder engine was up to 600 HP and was doing it with a clean exhaust (well, almost clean) and with better fuel consumption than the 8 cylinder 8x10 4 cycle. In general the performance was very good. Not much running was done before this engine and its mate had to be sent to Chicago.

From here on the flow of rush parts from Cleveland and Detroit to Chicago was fearful and wonderful. The boys worked all night and hoped the engines would run all the next day. It was no fun but we learned fast and a new design study was soon underway at Winton. To mention the parts with which we had trouble in Chicago would take far too much time. Let it suffice to say that I do not remember any trouble with the dip stick.

E.W. Kettering, Chief Engineer, EMD
History and Development of the 567 Series General Motors Locomotive Engine
Presented before
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
November 29, 1951

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