GE Dash 9-44CW

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.

GE C44-9W
BNSF C44-9W #5518 at the Port of Long Beach on February 4, 2005.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderGE Transportation Systems
ModelC44-9W
Build date1993–2004
Total produced3,668
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARC-C
 • UICCo′Co′
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Brazil
TrucksGE HiAd
Wheel diameter42 in (1,067 mm)
Length73 ft 8 in (22.45 m)
Width10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Height16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
Loco weight425,000 lb (192,800 kilograms)
or 212.5 short tons (189.7 long tons; 192.8 t)
Fuel capacity5,000 US gal (19,000 l; 4,200 imp gal)
Prime moverGE 7FDL16
Engine typefour stroke cycle V16 diesel engine
AspirationTurbocharged
AlternatorGE GMG197
Traction motorsGE 5GE752AH DC
Cylinders16
Transmissiondiesel electric with silicon diode rectifiers,
Performance figures
Maximum speed74 mph (119 km/h)
Power output4,400 hp (3,281 kW)
Tractive effortStarting: 142,000 lbf (64,410 kgf) @25%
Continuous: 105,640 lbf (47,917 kgf) @13 mph (21 km/h)
Career
OperatorsVarious, see table
LocaleNorth America, Brazil, Australia

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, such as 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.

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] Only some ex-Santa Fe units were rebuilt, as the rebuild program was suspended before any others could undergo rebuilding.

Norfolk Southern has also converted many of their Dash 9-44CW units to A.C.[2] As of November 2015, the rebuild have been officially classified as an AC44C6M. As of March 2020, 158 Dash 9-44CW units have been rebuilt into AC44C6M with hundreds more planned to be rebuilt in 2020, 2021, and 2022[3]

Norfolk Southern has also converted Dash 9-44CW number 8946 into an AC44C6CF, numbered 8520.

Original owners
Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 100 600–699 All now in service with the BNSF Railway. 666 renumbered to 599. 599–619 rebuilt to AC44C4M.
BC Rail 14 4641–4654 4641–4644 are model C44-9WL (4 window Canadian configuration cab)
BNSF Railway 1697 700–799, 960–1123, 4000–4199, 4300–5532 1110, 4372, 4385, 4482, 4499, 4563, 4663, 4693, 4709, 4801, 4808, 4934, 5162, 5212, and 5416 wrecked and retired.
Canadian National Railway 228 2500–2727 2500–2522 are model C44-9WL, 2523–2727 are model C44-9W, 2697–2726 are operated by Illinois Central. 2727 was previously 2667. The 2540 have been retired.
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company 130 8601–8730 All have been repainted or patch-renumbered into the Union Pacific Railroad's rosters as numbers 9665-9834.
CSX Transportation 53 9000–9052 Delivered with Dash 8 trucks.
Estrada de Ferro Carajás (Brazil) 67 801–867 model C44-9WM
Ferrovia Norte do Brasil S/A(Brazil) 50 9001–9050 model C44-9WM; fitted with Dash 8 trucks and has a modified cab.
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)[4][5]
Norfolk Southern 1090 8889–9978 Originally rated at 4,000 hp re rated to 4,400 hp in 2013–2014. 9939 and 9796 wrecked and were retired.
Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway 11 404–414
Southern Pacific Railroad 101 8100–8200 to UP 9564-9664
Union Pacific Railroad 40 9700–9739 9707 and 9731 wrecked and were retired.
GE Capital Leasing (GECX) 5 9008, 9018, 9043, 9049 and 9050 Units are former CSX, which were on lease to Norfolk Southern Railway, until Late January 2019.
Larry's Truck & Electric (LTEX Rail) 4 9007, 9009, 9020 and 9029 Units are former CSX.
Totals3,668

Incidents
  • On June 15, 2006, a manifest and a cement train collided at Kismet Siding in Madera County, CA. Dash 9s 4059, 4479, 4715, 4576, 1065 and 997 were involved in the accident. They were all repaired, and some of them were repainted.
  • On December 30, 2013, a crude oil train struck a derailed grain hopper from another train. The lead unit, 4934, was destroyed and scrapped.

References
  1. "BNSF receives first rebuilt locomotives from GE, EMD". Trains. September 9, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2015. (subscription required)
  2. "GE Dash 9-44CW (D9-44CW) Nos. 8889-9978". September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  3. "Juniata Diesel Conversions C40-9/C44-9W to AC44C6M for Norfolk Southern". AltoonaWorks. March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  4. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 420–421. ISBN 9781921719011.
  5. "Dash 9-44CW". Railpage.
  • Freight Trains. Modern Marvels. History Channel. March 15, 2008.
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