GE C39-8

Technical Specifics

The GE C39-8 was developed by General Electric Transportation Systems as part of the company's Dash 8 series of freight locomotives, representing an important step in GE's effort to produce a new generation of more reliable and efficient road power during the mid-1980s. The locomotive entered production in 1983 and continued to be built through 1987, with a total of 161 units constructed. Only two North American railroads purchased the type: Conrail and Norfolk Southern Railway, making it a comparatively rare model even within its own era. Despite the technological ambitions behind the Dash 8 platform, the C39-8 developed a reputation among operating crews as a troublesome machine. Complaints centered on a rough ride quality, a tendency for the locomotive to overheat in service, recurring problems with the turbocharger, and difficulties with the fuel injection system. These reliability concerns likely contributed to the model's modest production run and its relatively short front-line service life on the railroads that purchased it. In later years, a portion of the Norfolk Southern fleet found a second life in South America. Fifteen units were sold to Peru's Ferrocarril Central Andino following changes in that railroad's ownership structure around 1999, and a number of these locomotives were subsequently rebuilt, including modifications to shorten their radiator sections to better suit operating conditions in the region. In North America, the class has been almost entirely retired from revenue service, with only isolated examples surviving in active use on smaller carriers.

Prototype Reference

Real-world information about this equipment type