Further inheriting the concept, other western carriers such as Union Pacific (UP) took delivery of 40 units to supplement their existing C40-8W (and subsequent C41-8W units) for their Powder River coal drag service in 1994. Over the next several months, the two companies collaborated and with combined efforts, successfully developed and launched what eventually became the "Dash 9" locomotive model in mid to late 1993 (which further sparked more interest in patenting the AC-traction AC4400CW). The solution to these problems arose when CNW contacted GE in 1992, and asked the builder for an "enhanced" Dash 8 locomotive with an additional 10% traction power (4,400 instead of 4,000) to boost train speed while reducing wear and tear on their existing fleet on said coal trains or coal drag service.Ī BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) C44-9CW "Dash 9" (painted in their "Heritage 2" scheme), which became the standard locomotive for the railroad as a result of having over 1,500 units purchased. Despite having experimented with a boosted 4,125 horsepower output from their existing C40-8 fleet (and subsequent orders of later units), the demand for increased tonnage, tractive effort, and speed was apparent. In the early 1990's, the Chicago And North Western (CNW) experienced a slight struggle for horsepower in hauling their increasingly long Powder River coal trains. Later customers who purchased the Dash 9 were companies such as CN, Pilbara Ore, and BC Rail.Īs of late-2014, all of Norfolk Southern's C40-9W units have been re-rated to 4,400hp, making them officially known as C44-9W's. Many were built (close to about 3,500 to 4,000), and are still currently in service on most US and North American Class 1 railroads (while BNSF and Norfolk Southern have the two largest fleets of Dash 9 units).īNSF Railway (after the BN-ATSF merger in 1995-1996), Norfolk Southern, Santa Fe (ATSF prior to the BNSF merger) Southern Pacific (SP), Union Pacific (UP), and the Chicago and Northwestern (CNW) were among the primary railroad customers to purchase the Dash 9, which boosted GE's locomotive sales dominating over EMD during the 1990's. It is the successor to the C40-8 or Dash 8 (in general), as well as having an AC-traction counter-part being the externally-similar (and mechanically-similar) AC4400CW. Though, the ATSF only received 100 units before said merger, yet was continued under a new alias: BNSF Railway.
The GE (General Electric) C44-9W (C44-9CW, CW44-9, Dash 9-44CW, Dash 9-44W, or simply "Dash 9"), is a type of 16-cylinder, 4,400hp six-axle diesel locomotive built from 1993 to 2004.Īn ATSF (Santa Fe) Dash 9 in Erie, PA in 1994 being the first of the original "600-series" Dash 9 units which were part of a major order from GE consisting of over 400 to 500 units in a single unit order (which set a record for both companies having a massive order) and even lasted long into the BNSF merger.