Wikipedia

GE AC4400CW

The GE AC4400CW, sometimes referred as "AC44CW" is a 4,400 horsepower (3,300 kW) diesel-electric locomotive that was built by GE Transportation Systems between 1993 and 2004. Similar to the Dash 9-44CW, the AC44CW uses AC traction motors instead of DC, using a separate inverter per motor. In appearance, the AC4400CW is somewhat similar to GE's more powerful locomotive, the AC6000CW.

GE AC4400CW
A conductor rides on a pair of CSX AC4400CW locomotives in Worcester, MA.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderGE Transportation Systems
ModelAC4400CW
Build date1993–2004
Total produced2,834
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARC-C
 • UICCo'Co'
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter42 in (1,067 mm)
Wheelbase13 ft 2 in (4.01 m)
Length73 ft 2 in (22.30 m)
Height15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Loco weight426,000 lb (193,000 kg)
Fuel capacity5,000 US gal
(19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal)
Traction motors6
Performance figures
Power output4,400 hp (3,300 kW)
Tractive effort180,000 lbf (800 kN) Starting
145,000 lbf (640 kN) at 13.7 mph (22.0 km/h)
Career
OperatorsVarious, see table
LocaleNorth America
UP AC44CW #6655 sits with a Union Pacific Railroad GE Evolution Series ES44AC #7494.

2,834 units were built for North American railroads over an 11-year production. In 2005, all Class I freight railroads except Norfolk Southern and Canadian National owned at least one AC4400CW. Norfolk Southern ordered the very similar C40-9Ws, although NS would later acquire 36 former CEFX AC4400CWs in August 2023. As a result of more stringent emissions requirements that came into effect on January of that year, GE no longer offers the AC4400CW, replacing it with the ES44AC.

CP AC4400CW #9560 and CP SD40-2 #6029 head west towards the NS Elkhart Yard, 2009
Kansas City Southern AC4400CW no. 4575 with self-steering trucks in October 2014
UP 5739 (AC4400CW), in Roseville, CA
UP 6521 with a trailing ex Southern Pacific AC44CW
UP 6521 with a trailing ex Southern Pacific AC4400CW

Design variations

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The AC4400CW was the first GE locomotive to offer an optional self-steering truck design, intended to increase adhesion and reduce wear on the railhead.[1] This option was specified by Canadian Pacific Railway, Cartier Railway, CSX for their units 201-599, Ferromex, Ferrosur, and Kansas City Southern Railway.[citation needed] The other railroads still used the hi-ad truck design

CSX ordered many of its AC4400CW locomotives with 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) extra weight to increase tractive effort. These same units were also modified in 2006-2007 with a "high tractive effort" software upgrade and redesignated CW44AH.[2]

Rebuilds

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In 2017, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (then known as the Canadian Pacific Railway and simply Canadian Pacific) requested that General Electric modernize 30 of its 9500 and 9600-series AC4400CW units. The original units had the original front cab completely removed and upgraded to current GE standards with upgraded electrical systems including PTC and FTO systems. Other improvements GE has made include up to 10 percent fuel efficiency gains, 40 percent increase in reliability and 50 percent increase in haulage ability. The units were subsequently placed into service with the designation AC4400CWM (for Modernized). The first batch of rebuilds (8100-8129) also had their original Steerable trucks replaced with GEs High Adhesion trucks, where later batches each individual engine kept the trucks they already had.[citation needed]

The following year Canadian Pacific Kansas City asked GE to similarly rebuild several more batches for a total of 110 locomotives. The second order (8130-8144) retains their steerable trucks. The third batch (8000-8064) will feature an Evolution Series sized fuel tank and radial trucks. In 2019 a fourth batch of rebuilds happened, 8145-8160 & 8064-8080 from the 95/9600-series. In 2021 both the 8500 series is slated to be rebuilt at 8201-8280 and the 8100-series be completed.[3]

The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) ordered many of their AC4400CWs with Controlled Tractive Effort software, giving them the designation of C44ACCTE. This software package is now standard on a portion of their ES44ACs as well. CTE limits tractive effort to mimic TE level of Dash series locomotives. In late 2023, they will all be rebuilt into C44ACMs.[citation needed]

In 2018, UP placed a small order for 20 rebuilds from GE of their AC4460CW fleet and later announced that they would be upgrading 1,000 of their AC4460CWs and AC44s into the new C44ACM class over the next 15 years. Unlike CP, the original 20 rebuilds did not receive a new crew cab.[citation needed]

CSX also placed orders to rebuild their large AC4400CW fleet. An initial batch of 10 AC4400CWs were rebuilt at Wabtec's Erie, Pennsylvania facility,[4] with 40 more to follow.[5] CSX continued the program and had received a total of 260 rebuilt locomotives by 2024. A final order has been placed to rebuild the remaining 200 plus locomotives and will be compled from 2024-2028.[6] The rebuilds are numbered in the 7000, 7200, 7300, 7400, and 7500 series and CSX is referring to them as CM44ACs.

NS recently acquired 36 of these locomotives from CEFX in June 2023. They are currently being patched for starting service on the roster. These units will be rebuilt to AC44C6M locomotives (similar to the ones from the Dash 9 locomotives) at the Wabtec locomotive plant in Fort Worth, TX. The first unit, NS 3980, was the first unit to be rebuilt into an AC44C6M and it's undergoing testing at the Wabtec facility.[citation needed]

Operators

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AC4400CW owners and operators past and present[needs update] include:[citation needed]

Owners Qty Numbers Year delivered Notes
Union Pacific 1,169 5554-5694, 5700-6081, 6430-6702, 6738-6887, 6995-6999, and 7080-7297 1994-2004 Most units rebuilt to C44ACMs. Units 9997-9999 were renumbered to 6700-6702. Minimal units were wrecked and retired. 5554-5694 and 5700-6081 are classified as C44ACCTE by UP.
CSX Transportation 593 3-174, 201-599, 5101-5122 1994-2002 Units to be rebuilt to CM44AC/CM44AHs and renumbered to 7000 and 7200-7500 series. Several units wrecked and retired.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City 563 4500-4624, 8500-8580, 8600-8655, 9500-9683, 9700-9740, 9750-9784 and 9800-9840.[7] 1995-2004 9777, 9782, 9758, and 9751 used during filming of Unstoppable. Most units rebuilt to AC4400CWMs. renumbered 8100-8280 and CPKC 4500-4574 are ex-TFM/KCSM 2600-2674. 4575-4624 were renumbered from 2000-2049.
Southern Pacific 279 100-378 1995 All to Union Pacific 6145-6425.[8] Unit 145 and 224 destroyed in wreck in 1996.
BNSF 121 5600-5717, 5838-5840 1999-2004 40 units leased to Metrolink from 2015 to 2016. 5701 was wrecked and scrapped. 5838-5840 are warranty protection units.
Ferromex 75 4500-4574 1998-2000
CIT Group 60 1001-1059 2001-2004 1002 and 1006 sold to CMQ in 2017, and later returned in 2020s. 36 units sold to NS in 2023.
Ferrosur 38 4400-4437 2000-2004
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company 35 8801-8835[9] 1994 All to Union Pacific which became #6703 - #6737 by UP. 6707 was wrecked and retired.[10]
Cartier Railway 19 11-29 2001-2007
Quebec, North Shore and Labrador 12 415-426 2005-2006
Cerrejón 5 10010-10014 unknown
General Electric Corporation Leasing 11 2000, later renumbered 4400, 4000-4009 1993-1997 4000-4009 have been sold to UP as 7000-7009. 7007 has been rebuilt to C44ACM.
Ferrominera del Orinoco 2 1058-1059 2004
Norfolk Southern 36 3964-3999 2001-2004 (Acquired 2023) Ex-CEFX. The units will be rebuilt into AC44C6M.
Totals 3,018
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The plot of the movie Unstoppable required Denzel Washington and Chris Pine to climb aboard the lead locomotive of a runaway freight train. To film the movie, four Canadian Pacific AC4400CW locomotives (Nos. 9777, 9758, 9782, and 9751), were repainted as two fictional "Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad" locomotives (Nos. 777 (nicknamed "Triple 7") and 767). 9777[11] and 9782[12] were painted as 777, while 9758[13] and 9751[14] were painted as 767.

References

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  1. ^ McDonnell, Greg (2002). Field guide to modern diesel locomotives. Waukesha, Wisc.: Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 70–73. ISBN 0-89024-607-6. OCLC 50411517.
  2. ^ Potter, Jay (November 2006), "CSX's mountain climbers", Trains
  3. ^ GE Transportation (March 20, 2018). "GE Transportation's Modernization Program Hits New Milestones" (Press release). Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.
  4. ^ Koenig, Stephan M. (May 2, 2019). "GE Locomotive Modernization program expands under Wabtec". Trains. Kalmbach Publishing. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  5. ^ Koenig, Stephan M. (September 24, 2019). "First of the new CSX re-builds rolls out of the Wabtec plant in Erie". Trains. Kalmbach Publishing. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  6. ^ "Wabtec and CSX Extend Deal to Modernize over 200 Locomotives". www.wabteccorp.com. Wabtec. 13 February 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  7. ^ "(home)". CPR Diesel Roster. Archived from the original on 2022-07-29. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
  8. ^ "UP Diesel Roster, 1934-2009, Part 60". utahrails.net.
  9. ^ Strack, Don (December 2, 2014). "Chicago & North Western Railway; Roster of Diesel Locomotives, 1926-1995". Utah Rails.
  10. ^ "Union Pacific Railroad: Roster of Diesel and Turbine Locomotives, 1934-2009". Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "CP 9777". CPR Diesel Roster. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  12. ^ "CP 9782". CPR Diesel Roster. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  13. ^ "CP 9758". CPR Diesel Roster. Archived from the original on 2016-06-29. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  14. ^ "CP 9751". CPR Diesel Roster. Archived from the original on 2016-06-29. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
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