ES40DC - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
A fairly new Norfolk Southern ES40DC pauses for a moment on a sunny, 2004 October day in Enola, PA. Photo credit Warren Calloway
The ES40DC is a DC powered, 4000HP Evolution Series locomotive created by General Electric, and is a variant of the more popular ES44DC. This locomotive type, a direct replacement for the C40-9 and C40-9W, was offered for meeting the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 2 diesel engine emissions standards. The ES40DC is identical to the ES44DC except for a software modification that reduces the maximum power output to 4,000 HP. The purpose of this computer change is to reduce fuel consumption and stress on the engine blocks, allowing less time in the shops and more time on the road.
Like its DASH 9 series counterpart, the DASH 9-40CW, the only purchaser of this 4,000 HP Evolution Series locomotive was Norfolk Southern. NS purchased 220 locomotives, and they were built from March of 2004 to February of 2008. After these were complete, the ES40DC was no longer considered an active locomotive type by General Electric, and has since been taken off of the catalog, meaning the ES40DC was likely a special order by NS.
As a whole, DC traction soon began to fall out of favor anyways for railroads, as railroads turned towards AC locomotives like the ES44AC and later ET44AC for their better ability to handle heavy trains at lower speeds. The A-1-A trucked, four motored, AC powered ES44C4 (and eventually the Tier 4 ET44C4) was later used to replace the ES44DC, and by extension, the ES40DC.
Norfolk Southern, much like their C40-9/C40-9W fleet, has since reprogrammed the computer controls to increase the locomotives to 4,400 HP. CSX, however, has made an "ES40DC" out of the 2005 batch of ES44DC locomotives made redundant by their ES44AC and ET44AC orders, likely for the same reasons Norfolk Southern did originally (reduce fuel consumption and mechanical stress on the aging engines).
PT-Specific Information
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | GE-GEVO-12 |
| Horsepower | 4000 (1) |
| Truck Type | GE High Adhesion (2) |
| Axles | 6 |
| Traction Motors | 6 |
| Minimum Weight | 410,000 lbs |
| Maximum Weight | 420,000 lbs |
| Model Base Speed | 75 MPH |
| Top Speed | 75 MPH |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Generator Max Current | 6676.3 Amps (3) ⚠ |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 1776 Amps |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 1370 Amps |
| Traction Motor Type | DC |
| Factor of Adhesion | 33.81% ⚠ |
| Transition Mode | Automatic, no selector |
| Transition Groups | 1 |
| Transition Shunts | 1 |
| Generator Transition | Yes |
| Traction Control | Electronic Traction Control |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Electrical Blowers |
| DB Max Current | 920 Amps |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 910 Amps |
| Blended Braking | No |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head-End Power (HEP) | No |
| HEP Power Consumption | N/A |
| HEP Standby/Run Mode | N/A |
| Load Ramp Speed | 3 Amps/Tick ⚠ |
| TM Overload Protection | Yes |
| Starter Mode | Automatic Start |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26-L |
| Compressor CFM | 236 (Wabco 3CDC @ 1050 RPM) (6) |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 35 Cu.Ft ⚠ |
Notes
⚠: Not Verified or Educated Guess
(1) Listed horsepower for traction is 3990, earlier it was listed at 3965.
(2) Could also be ordered with a Self-Steering truck, which would supposedly reduce wear on the wheels.
(3) Current listings are an approximation of the AC4400CW's GMG192 alternator. The Evolution series uses the 5GMG206A alternator instead.
(6) The GEVO-12 only runs at 1050 RPM under load and below 20 MPH, for normal operation CFM is rated at 205.965 @ 995 RPM.