EMC Builder's Plate, CB&Q NW-2 #9218, photo by Chuck Zeiler

EMC Builder's Plate, CB&Q NW-2 #9218, photo by Chuck Zeiler

Electro-Motive Corporation started in Cleveland, OH in 1922 as the Electro-Motive Engineering Company, and a few years later became the Electro-Motive Company. Its business was gasoline powered railcars, and later EMC struck up a relationship with the Winton Engine Company, a manufacturer of diesel power plants. In the 1930's General Motors took notice and purchased both companies, forming the Electro-Motive Corporation. Eventually GM built a manufacturing facility in McCook, IL (LaGrange), and began the design and production of its own diesel power plant for railroad applications, the Model 567. Historical references state that Electro-Motive Corporation became the Electro-Motive Division on January 1, 1941, perhaps they had some builder's plates left over and used them up on locomotives under production, I don't know for sure. These brass plates were on the Phase I NW-2's built for the CB&Q, this serial number indicates #9218, which became BN #515, retired October 1983.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Electro-Motive_Division