Two BQ23-7 units meeting their fate next to a BNSF C30-7.
The General Electric BQ23-7 was a type of four-axle 2,250 hp diesel locomotive specially built for the Seaboard Coast Line railroad (later CSX) in the 1980s.
Only 10 were built, and all were scrapped due to the project being a failure.
History[]
SBD was experimenting on designs to house full crew on cabooseless trains, this resulted in the BQ23-7, the Q standing for Quarters. When in their tenure at CSX, they were operated as trailing units only. The Units were scrapped in 2001, none of these locomotives were preserved.
A trio of Q's idle
Trivia[]
- GE originally planned on modifying more of their Dash 7 units with having a "quarters" cab equipped, yet the success of the C40-8W and preceding models replaced the need for doing so.
- These units ran on traded in EMD Blomberg trucks.
- Because of how large most train crews were up until the 1980s in the US, BQ23-7s were equipped with 5 seats for crews like a caboose as opposed to having 2 on every other diesel locomotive.
- The BQ23-7 was often nicknamed the "ugly duckling" by most railfans and railroad employees.
- Several remaining BQ23-7 units (as seen in the image) were the only Family Lines/Seaboard System-painted units on CSX's roster before retirement.