| GE B36-7 | |
|---|---|
| CSXT 5842, a GE B36-7 | |
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | GE Transportation Systems |
| Model | B36-7 |
| Build date | 1980 – 1985 |
| Total produced | 230 |
| AAR wheel arr. | B-B |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Prime mover | GE 7FDL16 |
| Power output | 3600 hp |
| Locale | North America South America |
| Disposition | many still in service as of 2006 |
The GE B36-7 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems between 1980 and 1985. 222 examples of this locomotive were built for North American railroads and eight units were built for a Columbian coal mining operation. The units were designed as successors to GE's U36B's. Of the 230 locomotives built, 180 of them were built for two Eastern railroads - Seaboard System Railroad (which became part of CSX Transportation in 1986) and Conrail.
These 4-axle locomotives were powerful ones, creating 3600 horsepower. They were designed for fast and priority service, moving intermodal and container trains. Most of Seaboard's 120 units are still in service as of 2006. Conrail's units were all retired in 2000 and 2001. Notable exceptions among Conrail's units were CR 5045 and 5052, which were destroyed in the infamous wreck of the Colonial at Chase, Maryland, on January 4, 1987.
One of the Cotton Belt Railroad's B36-7s was damaged in a wreck within a year of delivery and rebuilt as a B unit. This engine did not receive a special model designation to indicate its cabless status. Railfans sometimes term it a B36-7(B).
CSX was the last Class 1 railroad to roster B36-7s and GE Dash 7s in general. Though originally intended for high speed service, they spent much of their later life working on local trains in the Southeast and in the last years worked low priority MOW trains. In late 2009 CSX announced that it would retire all GE Dash 7s when they came due for their 90 day inspection. The last run of a B36-7 on the CSX system occurred in November 2009 and as of January 2010 all units are officially retired, bringing to a end the Dash 7 era on Class 1 railroads.[1]
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 16 | 7484-7499 | |
| Conrail | 60 | 5000-5059 | |
| Cerrejon Coal Project (Colombia) | 8 | 1001–1008 | |
| Seaboard System | 120 | 5806-5925 | To CSX; All retired as of Dec 2009 |
| Southern Railway | 6 | 3815-3820 | |
| Southern Pacific Transportation Company | 16 | 7754-7769 | |
| St. Louis Southwestern Railway | 4 | 7770-7773 |
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