GE Dash 8-40BW
Encyclopedia
The Dash 8-40BW, or B40-8W as some call it, is a four-axle road diesel locomotive
built by GE Transportation Systems
for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
(ATSF) in the early 1990s. ATSF was the only railroad to order it, and a B unit
(cabless booster unit) was almost made with it, but because the price would have been the same for B40-8Ws with cabs or without, they decided to order units with cabs only.
The locomotive model designation is interpreted as follows: B (B type truck arrangement, 2 axles per truck) 40 (4000 horsepower
) -8 (the generation when it was designed, in this case meaning the late 1980s) W (Widecab)
All of ATSF's B40-8Ws became part of BNSF Railway
, and many of them were repainted into BNSF's orange, yellow, and green "Heritage 2" paint scheme.
put 15 of the B40-8W's up for sale. These units were on Long Term lease and were returned to their leasor. These units are BNSF 560-583, the last batch of B40-8W's built for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
as ATSF 560-583. So far, Three have been sold, 561, 562, 583 were sold to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
in Massachusetts.
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
built by GE Transportation Systems
GE Transportation Systems
GE Transportation, formerly known as GE Rail, is a division of General Electric. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation industries. It is based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Locomotives are assembled at the Erie plant, while engine...
for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
(ATSF) in the early 1990s. ATSF was the only railroad to order it, and a B unit
B unit
A "B" unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive unit which does not have a driving cab, or crew compartment, and must therefore be controlled from another, coupled locomotive with a driving cab . The term booster unit is also used. The concept was largely confined to North America...
(cabless booster unit) was almost made with it, but because the price would have been the same for B40-8Ws with cabs or without, they decided to order units with cabs only.
The locomotive model designation is interpreted as follows: B (B type truck arrangement, 2 axles per truck) 40 (4000 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) -8 (the generation when it was designed, in this case meaning the late 1980s) W (Widecab)
All of ATSF's B40-8Ws became part of BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, and many of them were repainted into BNSF's orange, yellow, and green "Heritage 2" paint scheme.
Sell off by BNSF
In mid 2010, The BNSF RailwayBNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
put 15 of the B40-8W's up for sale. These units were on Long Term lease and were returned to their leasor. These units are BNSF 560-583, the last batch of B40-8W's built for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
as ATSF 560-583. So far, Three have been sold, 561, 562, 583 were sold to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
in Massachusetts.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
83 | 500-582 | |
| General Electric | 1 | 809 | wide cab prototype and testbed, rebuilt from B39-8E #808 |
Second Hand Owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Former ATSF/BNSF Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Providence and Worcester Railroad Providence and Worcester Railroad The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City... |
3 | Ex-BNSF 561, 562 and 582 |
| Nashville and Eastern Railroad Nashville and Eastern Railroad The Nashville and Eastern Railroad is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee.... |
4 | Ex-BNSF 568, 573, 574 and 579 |
| Arkansas - Oklahoma Railroad | 3 | Ex-BNSF 567, 578, and 581 |
| Great Western Railway of Saskatchewan | 2 | Ex-BNSF 575 and 563 |