Eastern Railroad Discussion > Why didnt The CSX Get Any C44-9W's

Why come the CSX didnt get any C40/44-9W's and the NS is buying
them by the truckload. And how does one of those electronic bells
sound on a NS C40-9W.

CSX has several hundred C40-8W's; more recently it has favored AC power over DC units. With nearly 500 AC4400CW's on the property and more on the way, that's what they've been buying while NS has bought DC units. NS's only AC units are the SD80MAC's it got from Conrail.

The electronic bells sound just like the electronic bells you hear at some road crossings. They are close to the "real thing," but it is quite apparent that they are electronic when you hear them.

I would have a feeling the AC4400CW purchases impacted the CSXT and the GE C44-9W's however they do roster 53 of them. The first three were built as "C44-8W" however CSXT designates them as "CW44-9," just as they do the other fifty.

CSX's Dash-9's though are externally the the same as a C40-8W, but they have Dash-9 inerds. This makes things a little confusing when you see one, because you think it is a Dash-8 unless you look at the numbers.

Kyle

CSX has 53 C44-9Ws, although they are in Dash 8 carbodies. CSX switched over to AC44s after they bought the Dash 9s. (Some people will argue that some, or all, of the CSX Dash 9s are actually C44-8Ws, but I do not aggree with this, and neither does CSX)
Brent

Actually, all 53 of the 9000-series should be classified as C44-8Ws. Externally, they ALL are dash-8s not dash-9s.

Are some of the parts of the carbodies of these 53 C44s not actually Dash-9 parts? I thought the radiator grill and some other parts differed a bit from those of a Dash-8

Troy

CSX 9000-9002 are built on the dash eight frame. Theystill have the 5-step pilots that all of the dash 8 series had. They were the testbeds for GE's DASH 9 line. (I'd imagine CSX got a good deal on them too!!!)I believe one of the main features they tested was EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection).

Also note CSXT 9003-9052; which are CW44-9's, have the six step pilot that became standard on the Dash 9 line.

Not up for debate. 3 CW44-8's (Which CSX calls CW44-9) plus 50 CW44-9

So if anything, CSX has no CW44-8 and all CW44-9

my .02
Paul
Eglin AFB FL

Don't forget about the thicker radiator wings as a DASH 9 spotting feature.

chessieman wrote:
>
> Don't forget about the thicker radiator wings as a DASH 9
> spotting feature.

I believe some RR's have split-cooled Dash 8's (ATSF and CR/LMS, IIRC) with this feature too...

CSX #9003-9052 have DASH 9 internals. The ONLY feature common on most -9 units that they lack is the Hi-ad trucks since CSX did not originally think they were worth the extra expense and the Hi-ad truck is AN OPTION on GE -9 units as are "steerable" trucks.

The bottom line... GE Transportation considers CSX #9003-9052 as C44-9Ws and that was what they were classified as AT DELIVERY BY GE!!! CSX #9000-9002 have the shorter -8 frame since they were originally to be the last three units of a CSX C40-8W order and numbered #7918-7920.

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about these units because some people (and some railfan magazines) think and say that CSX #9003-9052 are identical to #9000-9002. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!!!

One GE person a few years ago summed it up by saying that the Hi-ad trucks are a common feature of -9 units but they are not what makes the unit a -9. The -9 upgrades were primarily the split cooling, upgraded fuel injection, and advanced electronic slip controls - all of which the CSX C44s do have. Thus GE considers them as the first -9s... (The GE C44-9W promo booklet used to have a photo of one of the CSX C44-9Ws also...)

- BCM

Is computer screen control stands a feature of -9 technology? If so, these units are not equipped. They have analog stands like the -8 line has.

Repeating myself...
"The -9 upgrades were primarily the split cooling, upgraded fuel injection, and advanced electronic slip controls - all of which the CSX C44s do have."

I believe several NS -9s have the analog control stands as well - as the type of control stand was also an option on -9s...

Perhaps a better name for the CSX C44-9W fleet would be C44-9WS units ("S" for shorter frame). The SD50S as compared to the SD50 is a very similar comparison. Even though the SD50S had a SD40-2 frame, a SD40-2 air duct, and other SD40-2 features the internals were a higher hp prime mover and thus the units were called SD50s...

- BCM