Scale Trains HO Operator C44-9W Southern Pacific “Speed Lettering”

Description

Railroad Short Name: SP

General Electric wrestled the title of top domestic locomotive builder from EMD during the late 1980s with their Dash-8 series. GE once again positioned themselves to shakeup the locomotive world yet again less than a decade later. Entering the 1990s, GE completely revamped their locomotive lineup by utilizing customer feedback, learning from experience gained from previous locomotive series, and improvements in technology.

A single C44-9W demonstrator unit, numbered 8601, made its debut in 1993 (and later became C&NW 8601). While similar at first glance to predecessor models like the C40-8 and C40-8W, the Dash-9 series featured a few notable physical differences. Built on a slightly longer platform that allowed for a massive 5,000 gallon fuel tank, Dash-9s also featured thicker radiator “wings” at the rear of the carbody. This is usually the quickest way to differentiate them from previous models.

Thanks to its long production span and customer options, small detail differences could be noted between various customer orders. This includes changes with HVAC system vendors (the large “A/C” box behind the cab on the conductors side), engine cab profile, radiator lifting lugs, hood end, trucks, fuel tank, stepwells, operator’s cab, and even handrail profiles.

The C44-9W proved to be extremely popular over its production span with over 3,500 locomotives being sold new to ATSF, BC Rail, BNSF, CN, C&NW, NS (including 100 spartan cab equipped versions, nicknamed “Top Hats”), QNS&L, SP, and UP.

Locomotive Features:

• Fully-assembled
• Several different road numbers
• Operating front deck mounted LED ditch lights
• Printed number boards
• Directional LED headlights
• Tall snowplow with open doors
• 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
• GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
• Narrow profile end handrails
• Nose door with window
• GE safety cab with low headlight and sunshades
• Cab interior
• Motive Equipment Inc. (MEI) ME7000 HVAC Unit
• Finely molded grilles
• Early curved engine cab profile
• Leslie P3 Horn
• Early flanged exhaust stack housing
• Brake wheel
• Low-mounted rear sandfiller
• Early lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
• 5,000 gallon fuel tank
• Dual fuel fills per side with rear fill “blanked”
• Separate air tanks with upper mounting brackets
• Fuel tank mounted steel bell
• Semi-scale coupler buffers
• Body-mounted semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
• 5-pole skew wound motor with dual flywheels
• All-wheel drive and electrical pick-up
• Simplified printing and lettering legible under magnification
• Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Color matched to Tru-Color Paint colors whenever possible
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Pre-drilled for grab irons, coupler cut levers, MU hoses, trainline hoses, etc.
• Detail kit available separately (SXT81047)
• Minimum radius: 18”
• Recommended radius: 22”

DCC & sound ready locomotives also feature:

• Operate using DC
• DCC-ready with 21-pin connector