GE B36-7

The GE B36-7 is a 4-axle diesel-electric 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 3,600 hp (2,700 kW). 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. One notable exception among Conrail's units was CR 5045, which was 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 an end the Dash 7 era on Class 1 railroads. . However there are pictures as of March 2011 of CSX 5877 working in Wilmington NC .

Original owners

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to GE B36-7 locomotives.

References

• The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide, 2nd Edition. Louis A. Marre, 1995.