GE Dash 8-40BW

The GE Dash 8-40BW, also commonly referred to as the B40-8W, was a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive produced by General Electric Transportation between 1990 and 1994. A total of 84 units were constructed, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was the sole purchaser of the type, making it one of the more exclusive locomotive classes of the Dash 8 era. The ATSF ordered the locomotives primarily for high-speed intermodal service, taking advantage of the model's power output and modern cab design to handle demanding freight assignments across its transcontinental routes. Interestingly, consideration was given at one point to ordering cabless B-unit boosters to accompany the class, but since General Electric quoted essentially the same price for units with or without cabs, the Santa Fe elected to order the entire fleet as cabbed locomotives. When the ATSF merged with Burlington Northern in 1995 to form BNSF Railway, the entire fleet of B40-8Ws was transferred to the new combined railroad. Under BNSF ownership, the locomotives continued in service but were gradually displaced from premium intermodal assignments as newer and more powerful motive power entered the roster. By the mid-2000s, the class had been reassigned to local and regional freight duties. Around 2010, BNSF made a portion of the fleet available for sale or lease transfer, and some units subsequently found their way to smaller regional carriers, including the Providence and Worcester Railroad in New England. The remaining locomotives in BNSF's possession were later sent through a rebuild and refreshment program at GE facilities to extend their useful service lives in local freight roles. The legacy of the B40-8W includes at least one example preserved for posterity. ATSF number 537 was donated by BNSF to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America museum in Silvis, Illinois, on June 14, 2023, making it the first of the type to be formally preserved. In October 2024, the locomotive was returned to its original ATSF Warbonnet paint scheme, providing a lasting visual reminder of the class's origins on one of America's most iconic railroads.

The Dash 8-40BW is powered by a General Electric FDL16 prime mover, a 16-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces 4,000 horsepower. The locomotive rides on a B-B wheel arrangement, meaning it employs two two-axle trucks, with each axle driven by a DC traction motor. This configuration provided a balance of tractive effort and high-speed capability well suited to the intermodal service for which the Santa Fe originally acquired the class. The model designation itself encodes the key design parameters: the B prefix indicates the two-axle truck arrangement, 40 represents the 4,000 horsepower rating, 8 denotes its place within GE's Dash 8 generation of locomotives developed in the late 1980s, and W signifies the wide-nose safety cab. The wide-nose cab was a defining visual and functional feature of the B40-8W, distinguishing it from the earlier, more spartan short-hood designs common on previous GE road units. The North American Safety Cab, as this style of cab was broadly known, offered crews improved protection in the event of a grade crossing collision and provided a more comfortable working environment. The Dash 8 platform itself introduced refined wheel slip control and improved adhesion management electronics compared to earlier GE designs, contributing to better fuel efficiency and reliability under heavy load conditions. These technological advances, combined with the locomotive's robust power output, made the B40-8W a capable and sought-after unit during the early 1990s intermodal boom.

—

Models by: Atlas · Broadway Limited · Walthers