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
Maximum speed 74 mph (119 km/h)
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) road switcher 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.

Part of GE's "Dash 9" series of locomotives, the Dash 9-44CW shares its frame, HiAd trucks, 16-cylinder 7FDL engine, and 752AH-31 traction motors with the GE Dash 9-40CW. But while the more common 9-44CW offers 4,400 horsepower (3,300 kW), software in the 9-40CW's engine-governing unit restricts its power output to 4,000 horsepower (3,000 kW).

The design has since proven popular with North American railroads, although some railroads, like CSX and Canadian Pacific, 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 9s 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 an "AC44C6M."

Original owners

Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 100 599-665, 667-699 All now in service with the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.
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 All have been repainted or patch-renumbered into the Union Pacific Railroad's rosters.
CSX 53 9000-9052 All units still in service that are on the active roster. Three of the units: 9018, 9043, and 9049 were sold to GECX in late 2017. The rest are still on CSX's roster as of September 2018.
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 270 9564-9834 9564-9664 are ex Southern Pacific

9665-9700/9740-9834 are ex Chicago and Northwestern

9700-9739 are original UP 9707 wrecked.

GE Capital Leasing (GECX) 3 9018, 9043,9049 Units are former CSX, currently on lease to Norfolk Southern Railway.

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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