Norfolk Southern No. 4000 is a AC44C6M locomotive converted from No. 8799 a D9-40C unit built by GE in 1995. To recognize its conversion, the unit sports a new blue and light gray paint scheme.
Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Nos. 4000 and 4001 pose outside the paint shop in Chattanooga, Tenn., for their first portrait together. The locomotives wear a new, special paint scheme to designate the units as prototypes for the DC to AC conversion program. The locomotives were originally built by GE in 1995 as standard-cab D9-40Cs, NS Nos. 8799 and 8879, respectively. During their rebuilds in 2015, they were converted to AC traction, received wide cabs, and were re-designated as AC44C6Ms. The engines will enter into revenue service across the NS system.
Earlier in December, the railroad released a photograph with only the No. 4000 and quickly withdrew it from social media and photo sharing websites.
— From Norfolk Southern press information
MIKE GILLESPIE : I wondered about the green as well. I am still surprised, after almost 30 years, NS doesn't paint it's locos green and black (think BN) to represent the merging of N&W black with Southern green.
Hey, I really like that paint scheme. Darn good looking!
Looks Great! Much Better than the current black paint scheme!!!
Looks like Delaware & Hudson locomotives
As an NS engineer I can attest this is a rebuild program that will be much appreciated. It will be a far improvement over the Dash 9-40C units they are being rebuilt from. Hopefully, the program will be successful enough that all remaining Dash 9-40C and early Dash 9-40CW units will receive the same treatment.
These units really look great new. Wonder how they will look w/ a coat of dirt on them.
While the new NS motors look nice, I can't help but wonder why they didn't use maroon or sylvan green instead of blue – or maybe one of each?
most comments here deal with colors and variations of classic liverys, I am interested I how ns, is in house upgrading it's fleet, conversion from dc to ac, like taking a 55 chevy and updating the drivetrain, to modern specs. congradulations ns, good job
Awesome change for NS; agree with others that color beats basic black. If UP/BNSF/CP/KCS/ can keep their color fleet gleaming, NS should be likewise as able. May the "Sonic bonnet" be the new face of Norfolk Southern!
The mane behind the cab is pretty cool and was an idea presented on the Indiana Railroads website a couple years back by an individual who's name escapes me. I hope he received credit! The mane needs to be on all NS locomotives!
It looks a lot better than CP red!
The special colours Norfolk Southern adopted to special locomotives are welcomed changes from "funeral" black. For other locomotives, Tuscan red with gold stripes and lettering would be ideal. Their business cab units can retain their Raymond Loewy paint scheme with Tuscan red in place of black.
I know it's all about what's under the skin, but that new livery is quite a departure from NS black & white!
Hope to see them come through Bluffton,IN. sometime. Hope I have my camera with me when and if they do! I think they look sharp!
After the first photo of 4000 emerged, it was jokingly nicknamed the "Sonic-Bonnet" by us railfans in the Midwest Heads Up group, due to the scheme's resemblance to Sonic The Hedgehog of Sega Genesis video game fame. The nickname was liked enough that that's what we are now referring to it as. And now that there's two, 4001 is now jokingly being called the "Tails-Bonnet" in deference to Sonic's sidekick Tails.
What an improvement over "Basic Black"! The Heritage units brought some welcome color to NS rails. If I recall history correctly, the Basic Black scheme originated in the days of steam, so dirty N+W locomotives wouldn't need to be washed so often. When N+W merged with Southern, that concept wiped out the nice green color on the Southern locomotives. Perhaps NS is finally entering the 21st century.
Certainly looks like a D&H tribute scheme.
Classy paint scheme from a classy Railroad.
Build a "brand-new" AC Locomotive without the extra Tier-4 cost. Pretty nifty. Hope to see one around Crewe someday. It would neat to be able to buy scale models of all of NS's different paint schemes, kind of like what NASCAR has.
Really, I do like Norfolk Southern's paint variety. Nevertheless I think they jumped-the-shark with these.
The cab is actually the same width as the"standard cab" only the nose is wider. The cab is the same as the cabs on hundreds of GE locomotives, so no clearance problems!
D&H Lightning Stripe. ….
I see as well as the "wide cab" it received a wide nose. How much wider is the cab, and will that pose any clearance restrictions?
Norfolk Southern can take an old worn out engine rebuild it and make it look better than anything on the rails
Warren Blakeney from Pennsylvania
Looking at the paint job you could add the Lehigh and Hudson Railway logo to unit for heritage fleet.