Railroad History

Passenger and Commuter Rail

Railroading Today

Rolling Stock

Infrastructure and Terms

Museums and Tourism

Miscellaneous

About The Site

[?] Subscribe To American-Rails.com

The GE C40-8 and C40-8W

The GE C40-8 model and its variants, the C40-8W (which simply meant it included the wide, safety cab), C40-8M (built for Canadian National, Quebec North Shore & Labrador, and BC Rail), and C44-8W/C41-8W (higher horsepower models that were built for three different lines) began the company's present-day reign as the premier diesel locomotive builder. By the time General Electric had finished building the C40-8 nearly 1,500 units had been sold through the mid-1990s. This success continued through the rest of the 1990s with its upgraded "Dash 9" models, which sold even better at more than 3,500 units. Today, you can still find the C40-8 and its several variants listed above regularly operating on CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Canadian National, and BNSF Railway (the only two Class Is not to purchase the model included the Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific).

The GE C40-8 began production in November, 1987 as the more powerful successor to the earlier C39-8. This new model would also firmly plant GE as the present-day premier locomotive builder as it provided railroads with the high horsepower and reliability they were seeking with the resurgence of the rail industry occurring at that time (and which continued through the 1990s). The GE C40-8 featured the builder's four-cycle model 16FDL prime mover, which could produce 4,000 horsepower with a continuous tractive effort of 92,750 pounds at 25% adhesion (using GE's ever-reliable 752 traction motor). This was the same rating as the C39-8 although the C40-8 offered better starting effort, 106,790 pounds. The model was also one of the first to be equipped with the new high-adhesion (or HT-C) truck, which helped to improve wheel-to-rail contact.

Orders for the new GE C40-8 took off quickly in late 1987 with five Class Is ordering the standard design including the Chicago & North Western, Union Pacific, CSX, Conrail, and Norfolk Southern (additionally, foreign line E.F. Carajas of Brazil bought four). Interesting, NS was adamant at the time about purchasing locomotives with the standard cab design and did not purchase wide, safety cabs until they were mandated to do so by the FRA. Through 1992 GE sold some 585 C40-8s.

However, in 1990 General Electric unveiled a variant of the C40-8, the C40-8W, which featured the wide, safety cab. The carbody and exterior of this model has remained relatively the same with newer "Dash 9s" and through the Evolution Series featuring a sloped and beveled front nose, rectangular and thin windshields, the slight bulge behind the cab which housed the dynamic brakes, and finally the rear flared radiator "wing." When production had ended on the GE C40-8W in late 1994 it had sold nearly twice as well as its predecessor with some 900 units built.

It should also be noted that there were several variants of the model built aside from the popular C40-8W. The first was the C40-8M, which was identical to the original mechanically save for its full width cowl cab and carbody. Only used in Canada it was sold to BC Rail (which purchased 26), Canadian National (who bought 55), and the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway (who ordered 4). Additionally, there was the C41-8W design. Again, identical to the original model save for its extra 100+ horsepower, the locomotive was bought only by the Santa Fe (25) and UP (83). Finally, there was the C44-8W. This design would become extremely popular in the "Dash 9" series but here it was ordered only by CSX, which purchased 53 (again, the locomotive was identical, mechanically, except for the added horsepower).

While General Electric's locomotives are known for their reliability they have not tended to hold over the long run as EMD's designs such as the SD40-2. Still, given the relative young age of the C40-8 series most remain in service with the railroads (or their predecessors) that originally purchased them. For a total production roster of GE C40-8s please click here. Also, for technical data on the locomotive please click here. Lastly, for more information about the C40-8 and all of the builder's "Dash 8" models please refer to the chart below.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Diesel Locomotives Section

GE "Dash 8" Series

Model Type	Units Built	Date Built	Horsepower
B32-8	49	1984-1989	3,150
B32-8W	1 (Demonstrator)	1989	3,150
B36-8	1 (Demonstrator)	1982	3,600
B39-8	146	1984-1987	3,900
B40-8	150	1988-1989	4,000
B40-8W	84	1988-1990	4,000
C32-8	10	1984	3,200
C39-8	161	1983-1987	3,900
C40-8	585	1988-1992	4,000
C40-8W	900	1990-1994	4,000
C40-8M	84	1990-1994	4,000
C41-8W	154	1993-1994	4,135
C44-8W	53 (Built for CSX)	1993-1994	4,400

For more information on early General Electric diesel locomotives consider Mike Schafer’s Vintage Diesel Locomotives, which looks at virtually all of the classic builders and models from Alco PAs to early EMD Geeps. If you’re interested in classic GEs, or diesels in general, this book gives an excellent general history of both.

You may also want to consider the book Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the title implies the book looks at the history and development of the diesel locomotives, covering 200 pages, from its earliest beginnings to the newest designs and models operated today. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

Share Your Thoughts

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. Please note that while I strive to present the information as accurately as possible I am aware that there may be errors. If you have potential corrections the help is greatly appreciated.