The GE C40-8W is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems from 1989 to 1994. Often referred to as the Dash light series, it is part of the GE Dash 8 Series of freight locomotives. This locomotive model is distinguished from the predecessor Dash 8-40C by the addition of a newer "wide" or "safety" cab. A cowl-bodied version of this locomotive, built only for the Canadian market, was the GE Dash 8-40CM.

History

The first Dash 8-40CW, 9356, was built for the

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...

railroad in December 1989. In total, GE would build 756 Dash 8-40CWs. The Dash 8-40CW was succeeded by the Dash 9-44CW in 1994. Like most GE locomotives, the Dash 8-40CW saw continuous upgrades over the course of its production. Later model Conrail units were built with split cooling systems for the

turbocharger In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into th ...

intercooler An intercooler is a heat exchanger used to cool a gas after compression. Often found in turbocharged engines, intercoolers are also used in air compressors, air conditioners, refrigeration and gas turbines. Internal combustion engines Mo ...

and engine cooling (previous Dash 8 series had both on the same cooling system). The later units delivered to

Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busine ...

in 1993 and 1994 were equipped with GE's Integrated Function Displays (IFD). The IFDs are

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...

displays that provide the engineer with the same information previously provided by analog gauges, as well as integrating distance counter and End of Train Device telemetry functions. As of 2021, while many C40-8W locomotives are still in service, most are either being stored in "dead lines" by Class I railroads, have been retired and/or sold to other railroads or leasing companies, or have been cut up for scrap.

Technical

The Dash 8-40CW is powered by a V16 7FDL diesel engine driving a GE GMG187 main

alternator An alternator (or synchronous generator) is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field wit ...

. The power generated by the main alternator drives six GE 752AG or 752AH

Direct Current Direct current (DC) is one-directional electric current, flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor (material), conductor such as a wire, but can also flow throug ...

traction motors, each with a gear ratio of 83:20 and connected to wheels which allow the Dash 8-40CW a maximum speed of . Depending on customer options, the Dash 8-40CW carries approximately 5000 US gallons (18927 L) of diesel fuel, 410 US gal (1,552 L) of lubricating oil, and 380 gallons (1,438 L) of coolant. The Dash 8-40CW has a maximum tractive effort of at with the 83:20 gearing. Overall dimensions for the Dash 8-40CW are in length, in height and in width.

Rebuilds

The

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

Dash 8-41CW or Dash 8-41W (C41-8W) is a variation with the same 16-cylinder engine upgraded to . 154 were produced between 1993 and 1994 for both the

and Santa Fe (ATSF) railroads, and some Dash 8-40CW units were also uprated to Dash 8-41CW standard by the railroads. Since no four-axle versions of this unit were built, the "C" designation (indicating trucks with three powered axles, or C-C) is often omitted. The GE Dash 8.5-40CW was a 6-axle 4,000 hp (2,800 kW) diesel-electric locomotive rebuilt by

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...

. The first locomotive started its rebuild in 2012. Only one unit is on the active roster, and it is stored. The units will be rebuilt with the Norfolk Southern-designed wide-nose RLS cab which meets current FRA

crashworthiness Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of aircraft and vehicles. Different criteria are used to figure out how safe a structure is in a crash, ...

standards. The rebuild will also include the installation of locomotive speed limiter (LSL), and cab signals and other electronics upgrades. NS discontinued the rebuild program in April 2016 due to repeated failures, and even retired these locomotives in April 2020. The GE C40-8WM was an experimental rebuild program done by GE in partnership with

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...

at GE's Locomotive plant at Erie, PA in late 2016 and early 2017 to see if they were worth rebuilding. The program consisted of 10 C40-8Ws from CSX, #'s 7771, 7774, 7779, 7780, 7786, 7787, 7799, 7801, 7807, and 7811. The units were rebuilt with updated prime movers, new cab interiors, new control system (upgrade to CCA from IFC), installation of PTC equipment, fresh repaint, body work as needed, addition of shutters to the radiator to help more accurately control the engine temperature, and a few other refurbs.

Current and former owners

References

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{{Santa Fe "Super Fleet" Dash 8-40C C-C locomotives Diesel–electric locomotives of the United States Freight locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1989 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway locomotives Canadian National Railway locomotives Conrail locomotives Illinois Central locomotives Norfolk Southern Railway locomotives Union Pacific Railroad locomotives

History

Technical

Rebuilds

Current and former owners

See also

References