Union Pacific C6044AC No. 7342 had finished its rebuilding and was operating on GE’s test track in Erie, Pa., on Jan. 11.
Stephan Koenig
OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific is the latest Class I railroad to begin rebuilding its older General Electric locomotive fleet with the builder. The railroad has selected 20 C6044ACs for the program with the rebuilds taking place at GE’s Erie, Pa., and Fort Worth, Texas, facilities. The biggest change on the locomotive will be the upgraded control system and wiring. The units will receive Consolidated Control Architecture, which integrates the control of various functions of the locomotive and runs the Evolution Series control system.
The first C6044AC to be upgraded was UP No. 7342, which was delivered to GE’s Erie facility in late 2017. While GE’s model designation for the rebuilt locomotives is AC400CWM, Union Pacific will use the model C44ACM.
To date, BNSF Railway, Canadian Pacific, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern have had older locomotives upgraded with Consolidated Control Architecture by the builder.
Boy, I hope they paint that puppy!! Love the U.P. yellow.
Should have put the bigger engine in whilst they were at it.
Interesting that the cab and nose remained the same. For the CP rebuilds (of AC4400s) the number boards were moved to above the cab windows, and the nose door moved over to the engineer’s side.
As far as the bigger engine, the lower horsepower seems to match the tractive effort for typical freight service pretty well. And when not on the ruling grade, it still allows fast running at maximum track speed.