---
product_id: 404506937
title: "The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)"
price: "€ 81.79"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/404506937-the-diesel-that-did-it-general-motors-ft-locomotive-railroads
store_origin: SK
region: Slovakia
---

# The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)

**Price:** € 81.79
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)
- **How much does it cost?** € 81.79 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/404506937-the-diesel-that-did-it-general-motors-ft-locomotive-railroads)

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## Description

The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present) [Abbey, Wallace W., Keefe, Kevin P., Miller, Martha A., McDonnell, Greg] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)

Review: Interesting and entertaining - great for anyone who loves trains - I found “The Diesel That Did It” entertaining and interesting. The writing flows effortlessly and there are sidebars that bring additional life and detail to the story. Beyond that, the book is is amply illustrated with hundreds of exceptionally high quality, period photos. The story centers on the AT&SF “Santa Fe” railroad and its evaluation and eventual adoption of new technology diesel freight locomotives in the late 1930’s. Instead of only focusing on the mechanical and technical, Abbey provides readers with a sweeping view of the economic, technological, labor, and physical challenges of running a railroad. Incorporating history for context, the book knits together a series of stories into a narrative that reads like an adventure. It’s both educational and entertaining. If you really enjoy the story, you can go visit the main character In person. The lead unit of EMD 103 is preserved at the National Museum of Transportation, St Louis.
Review: Everything you wanted to know about the FT. - Wally worked on this for so many years. It is a shame that he did not get to see it finished. There was so much information in the history of the FT diesel locomotives on the Santa Fe. Wally had access to and first hand experience, the best building blocks for telling the story.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,276,753 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #27 in Railroad Pictorials #94 in History of Railroads #107 in Railroad Travel Reference |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (28) |
| Dimensions  | 10.2 x 0.8 x 10.1 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0253062780 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0253062789 |
| Item Weight  | 2.34 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Part of series  | Railroads Past and Present |
| Print length  | 220 pages |
| Publication date  | November 22, 2022 |
| Publisher  | Indiana University Press |
| Reading age  | 18 years and up |

## Images

![The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91wD61n9piL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting and entertaining - great for anyone who loves trains
*by J***G on February 18, 2023*

I found “The Diesel That Did It” entertaining and interesting. The writing flows effortlessly and there are sidebars that bring additional life and detail to the story. Beyond that, the book is is amply illustrated with hundreds of exceptionally high quality, period photos. The story centers on the AT&SF “Santa Fe” railroad and its evaluation and eventual adoption of new technology diesel freight locomotives in the late 1930’s. Instead of only focusing on the mechanical and technical, Abbey provides readers with a sweeping view of the economic, technological, labor, and physical challenges of running a railroad. Incorporating history for context, the book knits together a series of stories into a narrative that reads like an adventure. It’s both educational and entertaining. If you really enjoy the story, you can go visit the main character In person. The lead unit of EMD 103 is preserved at the National Museum of Transportation, St Louis.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Everything you wanted to know about the FT.
*by R***. on December 8, 2024*

Wally worked on this for so many years. It is a shame that he did not get to see it finished. There was so much information in the history of the FT diesel locomotives on the Santa Fe. Wally had access to and first hand experience, the best building blocks for telling the story.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An amazing experience of a railfan with the Santa Fe Railway!
*by M***Z on September 18, 2025*

This book was a joy to read. In it, author Wallace W Abbey describes the Santa Fe Railway before dieselisation in the 1930’s. He describes the events that led to the creation of the Eletro-Motive Division of General Motors and how the FT diesel was designed and built. Abbey also explains his experience riding aboard an FT locomotive on the Santa Fe, using photographs of his own and several other persons.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Diesel That Did It: General Motors' FT Locomotive (Railroads Past and Present)
- Guide to Electro-Motive E and F Units
- How Diesel and Electric Locomotives Work

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*Product available on Desertcart Slovakia*
*Store origin: SK*
*Last updated: 2026-01-27*