GE B40-8 ~ CSX No. 5955
The General Electric B40-8 (Dash 8-40B) is a type of four-axle, 4,000hp diesel locomotive built from 1989 to 1994. It is practically the four-axled version of the Dash 8-40C. The B40-8 is fitted with a GE 7FDL16 diesel engine. As of 2019, many remain in service, some are either stored, donated, or sold to the railroads, and some are scrapped.
This model was the last major production 4-axle locomotive by GE; the very last unit was a submodel B40-8W, delivered as AT&SF No. 582. Originally intended for mainline freight, railroads gradually demoted this model to branch line duties, as larger 6-axle locomotives began dominating mainline service. The 6-axle GE.C40-8 surpassed the B40-8 in sales.
Trivia[]
The GE Genesis was originally considered part of the GE Dash 8 Series, being a modified B40-8; the Genesis developed into its own model series.
GE.B32-8 ~ BN#5497
1 Of 3 Experimental Units
CSX Transportation, Union Pacific, Cotton Belt (including the Southern Pacific), Conrail, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and New York, Susquehanna & Western were the original railroad customers to purchase the B40-8.
BNSF Railway is starting to sell its B40-8W fleet, 20 units have been sold so far. Units operate on the P&W, NERR, GWRS, and AOK.
CSX's current B40-8 fleet also consists of former NYSW B40-8's, which have since made CSX's B40-8 fleet larger than what it originally was before the purchase of Conrail. (With CSX only having about 15 of these units originally.)
Conrail's first fleet of B40-8 units had special banners applied to the front hoods to promote their high-speed intermodal service.
CSX recently downgraded several of their B40-8 units into "B20-8" (2000 hp) units as a result of maintenence costs and warranty issues.
In mid 2017, CSX retired all the B40-8 units, many being subsequently sold to Pan Am Railways and other railroads. From nik, a frequent visitor, CSX still owns some 6-axle Dash 8s , the C40 and some B40-8s, but most were sold to pan am, most of the remains of Dash 8s wether 4 or 6-axle are still around, but the C series Widecab Dash 8s are still CSX, but some C40-8Ws did go to Pan American Railways.
In June 2023, BNSF Railway has recently donated former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway B40-8W No. 537 to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America in Silvis, Illinois.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
CSX B40-8 Startup