GE Dash 9-44CW

GE C44-9W

BNSF C44-9W #5518 at the Port of Long Beach
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder GE Transportation Systems
Model C44-9W
Build date 1993–2004
Specifications
Configuration:
 ​
 • AAR C-C
 • UIC Co′Co′
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Brazil
Trucks GE HiAd
Wheel diameter 42 in (1,067 mm)
Length 73 ft 8 in (22.45 m)
Width 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Height 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
Loco weight 425,000 lb (192,800 kilograms)
or 212.5 short tons (189.7 long tons; 192.8 t)
Fuel capacity 5,000 US gal (19,000 l; 4,200 imp gal)
Prime mover GE 7FDL16
Engine type four stroke cycle V16 diesel engine
Aspiration Turbocharged
Alternator GE GMG197
Traction motors GE 5GE752AH DC traction motors
Cylinders 16
Transmission diesel electric with silicon diode rectifiers,
Performance figures
Power output 4,400 hp (3,281 kW)
Tractive effort Continuous: 105,640 lbf (469.9 kN),
Starting: 142,000 lbf (631.6 kN)
Career
Operators Various, see table
Locale North America, Brazil, Australia

The GE C44-9W is a 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems of Erie, Pennsylvania. Keeping in tradition with GE's locomotive series nicknames beginning with the "Dash 7" of the 1970s, the C44-9W was dubbed the Dash 9 upon its debut in 1993. The design has since proven popular with North American railroads, although some railroads, like CSX, preferred its AC equivalent, the AC4400CW. Because of more stringent emissions requirements that came into effect in the United States on January 1, 2005, the Dash 9-44CW has been replaced in production by the GE ES44DC.

Many North American railroads have ordered the C44-9W. They were originally ordered by Chicago & North Western Railway, Santa Fe, BNSF, CSX, Southern Pacific, Canadian National Railway, BC Rail, and Union Pacific Railroad. Norfolk Southern purchased the very similar Dash 9-40CWs.

BNSF Dash 9 #4723 is featured as a drivable locomotive in Microsoft Train Simulator and the actual Dash 9 has stickers on its cab noting this, and Dash 9's are also featured as drivable locomotives in RailWorks 3 and Trainz Simulator.

Rebuilds

The BNSF AC44C4M is a GE C44-9W rebuilt with AC traction motors and an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. The internal controls are similar to those of the newer GE ES44C4.[1]

Norfolk Southern also is experimenting with converting their Dash 9-44CW units to A.C. the first unit, (8900) is still being tested.[2] As of November 2015, the rebuild have been officially classified as "AC44C6M."

Original owners

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 100 599-665, 667-699 BNSF 666 renumbered to BNSF 599 in 2003 due to suspicion. All now in service with the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. All units are currently being converted to AC44C4Ms and repainted in the BNSF Railway's Heritage 3 paint
BC Rail 14 4641-4654 4641-4644 are model C44-9WL
BNSF Railway 1697 700-799, 960-1123, 4000-4199, 4300-5532 700-799 are currently being converted to AC44C4Ms. 5530-5532 were originally warranty protection units 5841-5843;
Canadian National Railway 228 2500-2522WL, 2523-2727CW, 2958CW 2500-2522 are model C44-9WL, 2523-2696 are model C44-9CW, 2697-2726 are operated by Illinois Central
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company 130 8601-8730 Most have been repainted or patch-renumbered into the Union Pacific Railroad's rosters. Two Dash 9 locomotives, #8646 and #8701, which remained in service on the UP with full C&NW paint and reporting marks once resided at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. The locomotives are in storage at the museum, but they are still owned by the railroad, so they can be called back into service at any time. Three more in C&NW paint are still in service but are patched by UP (Numbers 9696, 9798, and 9771). In early 2017, the "Twins", as #8646 and #8701 are nicknamed, were brought back into service.
CSX 53 9000-9052 Some removed from service
Estrada de Ferro Carajás (Brazil) 67 801-867 model C44-9WM
Ferrovia Norte do Brasil S/A(Brazil) 50 9001-9050 model C44-9WM
Fortescue Metals Group, Western Australia 15 001-015 Fitted with ECP brakes from New York Air Brake
General Electric (testbed) 1 905
Pilbara Rail, Western Australia 72 7043-7050, 7053-7098, 9404-9409, 9428-9436, 9470-9472(re-numbered to 9401-9403)[3][4]
Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway 11 404-414
Southern Pacific Railroad 101 8100-8200 All have been repainted into the Union Pacific locomotive rosters. The last patched SP C44-9W was #9647, and was repainted in December 2014.
Union Pacific Railroad 40 9700-9739

References

  1. ↑ "BNSF receives first rebuilt locomotives from GE, EMD". Trains. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "GE Dash 9-44CW (D9-44CW) Nos. 8889-9978". 27 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 420–421. ISBN 9781921719011.
  4. ↑ Dash 9-44CW Railpage
  • Freight Trains. Modern Marvels. History Channel. 15 March 2008. 
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