Canadian National DC to AC fleet expands

CN DC to AC

train on track — CN SD75IACC No. 8300 leads a manifest train up Byron Hill in southeast Wisconsin, on Aug. 5, 2024. Three photos, Chris Guss

Canadian National is receiving its next DC-to-AC rebuilds this summer. The first conversions already on CN’s roster are 50 former Canadian National C44-9Ws converted to AC-traction AC44C6Ms by Wabtec in its Ft. Worth, Texas, facility in 2022 and 2023.

The latest group of rebuilds on order include additional AC44C6Ms and EMD SD75IACCs from Progress Rail. The Wabtec group is part of an order for 60 rebuilds, utilizing former BNSF C44-9Ws sourced from Wabtec’s inventory of second-hand locomotives. CN planned to use some of these C44-9Ws last year in trail-only service, having several renumbered to CN 1800-class locomotives before canceling its plans to use them before rebuilding. This order will be numbered CN 3350-3409 behind the first batch of AC44C6Ms.

The EMD SD75IACCs are a long-awaited group of DC to AC rebuilds using CN SD75Is as core locomotives. The 50-unit order will be numbered CN 8300-8349. This makes Canadian National only the second Class I railroad to order DC-to-AC rebuilds from both Wabtec and Progress Rail. Norfolk Southern, a longtime user of GE/Wabtec rebuilding, was the first to buy rebuilds from Progress, converting its standard cab SD70s to SD70ACCs back in 2018.

Canadian National’s class SD75IACC, CN No. 8300, was released from Progress Rail’s Muncie, Ind., shop in July and routed to Progress Rail’s former EMD facility in McCook, Ill., for emissions testing. Delivery of the order to Canadian National should commence shortly.

All new DC-to-AC traction locomotives are scheduled to be used in system service wherever AC locomotives are used today. A small group of AC44C6Ms appear to be destined for captive service on in upper Minnesota for ore service. CN No. 3323 has been converted to straight air and has been testing in 2024.

CNs DC to AC locomotive fleet: