GE 44-ton switcher
Encyclopedia
The GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive
built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores. This locomotive's specific 44-short ton
weight was directly related to one of the efficiencies the new diesel locomotives offered compared to their steam counterparts: reduced labour intensity. In the 1940s, the steam to diesel transition was in its infancy in North America
, and railroad unions were trying to protect the locomotive fireman jobs that were redundant with diesel units. One measure taken to this end was a stipulation that locomotives weighing 90000 pounds (40,823.3 kg) or more required a fireman in addition to an engineer. The 44-ton locomotive was born to skirt this requirement. Other manufacturers also built 44-ton switchers of center-cab configuration. 348 examples of this locomotive were built for North American railroads. Many remain, in service and in museums.
. Most were built with a pair of Caterpillar Inc.
's D17000 V8 180 hp engines, but three other engines types were used. Nine were built with a pair of Hercules DFXD engines, and were sold to Chattanooga Traction (2) and Missouri Pacific Railroad
and its subsidiaries (7). Ten were built with a pair of the slightly more powerful Buda 6DH1742, rated at 200 hp each. The last four locomotives built had Caterpillar D342 engines, and were sold to Canadian National Railways (3) and the Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad
(1).
Twelve Drop Cab 45-Ton locomotives were bought by the Portuguese Railway (CP - Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) in 1949, with the Iberian broad gauge of 1668mm. Numbered 1101 to 1112, after some initial use as light road engines, they spent most of their lives as switchers at the southern region main stations. The series is withdrawn but one example is preserved at the National Railroad Museum (Fundação Museu Nacional Ferroviário Armando Ginestal Machado) at Entroncamento.
as the 79 class
, before two of them were sold to Commonwealth Railways
, becoming the DE class.
Canada
Sweden
Australia
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 General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores. This locomotive's specific 44-short ton
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
weight was directly related to one of the efficiencies the new diesel locomotives offered compared to their steam counterparts: reduced labour intensity. In the 1940s, the steam to diesel transition was in its infancy in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and railroad unions were trying to protect the locomotive fireman jobs that were redundant with diesel units. One measure taken to this end was a stipulation that locomotives weighing 90000 pounds (40,823.3 kg) or more required a fireman in addition to an engineer. The 44-ton locomotive was born to skirt this requirement. Other manufacturers also built 44-ton switchers of center-cab configuration. 348 examples of this locomotive were built for North American railroads. Many remain, in service and in museums.
Prime mover options
The locomotives were available with a choice of prime moversPrime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
. Most were built with a pair of Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
's D17000 V8 180 hp engines, but three other engines types were used. Nine were built with a pair of Hercules DFXD engines, and were sold to Chattanooga Traction (2) and Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
and its subsidiaries (7). Ten were built with a pair of the slightly more powerful Buda 6DH1742, rated at 200 hp each. The last four locomotives built had Caterpillar D342 engines, and were sold to Canadian National Railways (3) and the Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad
Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad
The Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad is a short line railroad located in Dansville, New York.The Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad first opened in the 1870s. It extended the entire length from Dansville to Mount Morris, New York....
(1).
Military version
During the Second World War GE produced a "Drop Cab" variant of the 44-ton locomotives for the US Armed Forces. These appeared similar to the standard 44-ton but had a lower cab for European clearances, and large boxes next to the cab, on the front right, and back left running boards, housing the air compressors (housed under the cab on standard versions). Most of these military variants were ballasted to an actual weight of 45 tons. A total of 91 Military 45-Ton Drop Cabs were built with 31 of those sold to the Indian Government. Additional narrow gauge drop cabs were built to a 47 ton rating for the military and export.Twelve Drop Cab 45-Ton locomotives were bought by the Portuguese Railway (CP - Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) in 1949, with the Iberian broad gauge of 1668mm. Numbered 1101 to 1112, after some initial use as light road engines, they spent most of their lives as switchers at the southern region main stations. The series is withdrawn but one example is preserved at the National Railroad Museum (Fundação Museu Nacional Ferroviário Armando Ginestal Machado) at Entroncamento.
Australia
Forty-seven locomotives were bought by the US Military, and four of them were exported to Australia. All saw service on the New South Wales Government RailwaysNew South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
as the 79 class
New South Wales 79 class locomotive
- Importation :In 1943, during World War II, four diesel-electric industrial shunting type locomotives were imported from the General Electric Company, Erie, U.S.A. by the Department of Supply under Lend-Lease conditions for use at the munitions factory, Dunheved. It seems that only one unit was...
, before two of them were sold to Commonwealth Railways
Commonwealth Railways
The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and...
, becoming the DE class.
Preserved Examples
United States- The Media:The Railway Museum of San Angelo in San Angelo, TX displays the GE 44 ton repainted and lettered in Santa Fe Tiger Strips as number 461 was formerly the U.S. Air Force Number 31879 out of Carswell Air Force Base. Build date Feb. 1953
- The Western Pacific Railroad MuseumWestern Pacific Railroad MuseumThe Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
at Portola, CaliforniaPortola, CaliforniaPortola is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2010 census, down from 2,227 at the 2000 census...
is the home of Quincy RailroadQuincy Railroad (CA)The Quincy Railroad is a 3.27-mile terminal railroad located at Quincy, California. The QRR interchanges with the Union Pacific at Quincy Junction in Plumas County, California, United States....
3 . No. 3 was leased by the Virginia and Truckee RailroadVirginia and Truckee RailroadThe Virginia and Truckee Railroad was built to serve the Comstock Lode mining communities of northwestern Nevada. At its height, the railroad's route ran from Reno south to Carson City, Nevada. In Carson City, the...
in Virginia City, NevadaVirginia City, NevadaVirginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
in 2002 when it's 2 steam locomotives went down for restoration. It was sent back when the railroad got another GE switcher. This 44 ton engine replaced steam power on this shortline railroad. The WPRM is also home to Quincy 4, an Alco S1 switcher that replaced QRR 3. The WPRM recently received a donation of 44 tonner Tidewater Southern 735. - The Lake Superior and Mississippi RailroadLake Superior and Mississippi RailroadThe Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad is the name for two different railroads in Minnesota.-Historic railroad:The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad was the first rail link between the Twin Cities and Duluth and came into existence in 1863 when financier Jay Cooke selected Duluth as the...
in Duluth, MN uses a loco formally used at the Lac de Flambeau paper mill. - The Florida Gulf Coast Railroad MuseumFlorida Gulf Coast Railroad MuseumThe Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Parrish, Florida.The museum operates a heritage railroad and offers tourist excursions along 6 miles of a former Seaboard Air Line Railway route in Manatee County....
in Parrish, FloridaParrish, FloridaParrish is an unincorporated community in Manatee County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of US 301 and State Road 62...
owns and operates former US Navy 65-00345, originally assigned to NAS Jacksonville. - The California State Railroad MuseumCalifornia State Railroad MuseumThe California State Railroad Museum is a museum in the state park system of California, USA, interpreting the role of the "iron horse" in connecting California to the rest of the nation. It is located in Old Sacramento at 111 I Street....
in Old Sacramento runs the Sacramento Southern RailroadSacramento Southern RailroadThe Sacramento Southern Railroad is a heritage railroad owned by the California State Railroad Museum which operates excursion trains on it.The railroad extends from the museum property located in Old Sacramento south along the east bank of the Sacramento River levee.The original Sacramento...
Number 1240, formerly the U.S. Air Force Number 1240 out of McClellan Air Force Base. - The Southeastern Railway MuseumSoutheastern Railway MuseumThe Southeastern Railway Museum is a railroad museum located in Duluth, Georgia in suburban Atlanta.The museum was founded in 1970 by the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It is recognized by the IRS as a 501 non-profit organization for historical and educational purposes...
at Duluth, GeorgiaDuluth, GeorgiaDuluth is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia and an increasingly more affluent and developed suburb of Atlanta. Unincorporated portions of Forsyth County also have Duluth as a mailing address, though this area is outside city limits...
has the former New York, Ontario and Western RailwayNew York, Ontario and Western RailwayThe New York, Ontario and Western Railway, more commonly known as the O&W or NYO&W, was a regional railroad with origins in 1868, lasting until March 29, 1957 when it was ordered liquidated by a US bankruptcy judge. The O&W holds the distinction of being the first major U.S...
#104(pictured), and Hartwell Railway #2 - The Western Railway Museum near Suisun, CA. is the home of Sacramento Northern 146.
- The Danbury Railway MuseumDanbury Railway MuseumThe Danbury Railway Museum is housed in the former Union Station on the east end of downtown Danbury, Connecticut, United States. It was established in the mid-1990s following the closure of the station by Metro-North Railroad, and primarily focuses on the history of railroading in southeastern...
in Danbury, CT has two of these locos one under restoration (ex New Haven Railroad) and one currently operational (ex Union Pacific) - The Heber Valley Railroad in Heber City, UT has one of these in operation giving daily tourist trips down Provo Canyon in Utah
- The Burlington Junction Railroad of Burlington, IA owns an ex-Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville RailroadFonda, Johnstown and Gloversville RailroadThe Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville Railroad was at one point a 132 mile steam engine and electric interurban railroad that connected its namesake towns in east central New York State to Schenectady, New York...
44 tonner that operates about once a month in West Burlington, IA - The Southern Michigan Railroad SocietySouthern Michigan Railroad SocietyThe Southern Michigan Railroad Society is a railway museum in Clinton, Michigan, United States. It has preserved of track and a variety of railroad equipment including the only GMDH-3 locomotive ever built. Trains are operated on a seasonal schedule....
in Clinton, MI operates former Western Maryland RailwayWestern Maryland RailwayThe Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
unit #75 on tourist trips between Clinton, Tecumseh, and Raisin Center along the former Jacksonburgh and Palmyra Railroad. - The Indiana Transportation MuseumIndiana Transportation MuseumThe Indiana Transportation Museum is a railroad museum located in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville, Indiana...
in Noblesville, IN owns former Nickel Plate Road 44T #91 - The Charlotte Southern in Charlotte, MI. operates the last 44 ton GE ever built. Ex-Danville & Mount Morris #1. List in the Diesel Spotters Guide (Kalmbach Publishing).
Canada
- Southern Prairie Railway in Ogema, Saskatchewan, CanadaOgema, SaskatchewanOgema is a town with a population of 320 located in south Central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately 115 kilometres south of Saskatchewan's capital city, Regina. Ogema is located midway between Weyburn and Assiniboia on Highway 13.-History:...
has purchased unit #15 from Conway Scenic RailwayConway Scenic RailroadThe Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railway in North Conway, New Hampshire. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was formerly part of the Conway Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and a line from North Conway through Crawford...
in New Hampshire and intends to use the 1945 44-tonner to offer tourist trips down the Red Coat Line in Southern Saskatchewan.
Sweden
- The two 44-tonners from the ironworks in HoforsHoforsHofors is a locality and the seat of Hofors Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 7,021 inhabitants in 2005.-Districts:*Born *Böle*Bönhusberget*Centrum*Göklund*Hammaren*Lillån*Muntebo*Rönningen*Silverdalen*Standarn...
and DomnarvetDomnarvetthumb|The ironworks around 1900Domnarvets Jernverk , is a steelworks in Borlänge, Sweden. Since 1978 Domnarvet is a part of SSAB. The works was founded in 1872-78 and was originally a part of Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag....
is preserved by a railway society in FalunFalunFalun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
, DalarnaDalarna', English exonym: Dalecarlia, is a historical province or landskap in central Sweden. Another English language form established in literature is the Dales. Places involving the element Dalecarlia exist in the United States....
.
Australia
- 7921 which was sold to the Commonwealth Railways as DE90 is preserved by the NSWRTM at Thrilmere and renumbered as 7921.
- DE91 which was 7922 with the NSWGR which was sold to the Commonwealth Railways is preserved at the NRM Port Adelaide in a weathered condition on static display in CR Maroon and Silver