The EMD FL9 was arguably one of the more unique locomotive designs ever conceived, but plied its trade on New York’s commuter lines for more than 40 years.īorn from a drive to replace worn out and ageing ALCO DL109 and Boxcab Electric locomotives, New Haven president Patrick McGinnis ordered 60 of EMD’s FL9 locomotives in 1956 to operate solely on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NH).