NS 4387 is a class GE AC44C6M and  is pictured in North Fork, West Virginia, USA.  This was taken along the NS Pocahontas District on the Norfolk Southern. Photo Copyright: Casey Naton uploaded to Railroad Gallery on 11/19/2022. This photograph of NS 4387 was taken on Saturday, November 06, 2021. All Rights Reserved.
× imgNS 4387 Norfolk Southern GE AC44C6M - in North Fork, West...

Elkhorn Grade

By: Casey Naton


Description

Elkhorn Grade - An NS westbound manifest splits the cut at North Fork, WV during the tail end of fall. This train is battling the challenging Elkhorn Grade between Bluefield and Iaeger.


Railroad

Norfolk Southern

Class

GE AC44C6M

Road Number

NS 4387

Line/Subdivision

NS Pocahontas District

Location

North Fork, West Virginia, USA

Date Taken

November 06, 2021

Date Uploaded

November 19, 2022

Views

215

Favorites

0

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Description

Elkhorn Grade - An NS westbound manifest splits the cut at North Fork, WV during the tail end of fall. This train is battling the challenging Elkhorn Grade between Bluefield and Iaeger.


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About the Author

Profile Photo of Author
— Casey Naton

Roots blown 645 > everything else

About the Locomotive Class

GE AC44C6M

The GE AC44C6M is a refurbished Dash 9 locomotive from GE Transportation Systems that has 4,400 horsepower (3,300 kW) of AC-traction. Since September 2015, GE (now Wabtec), American Motive Power, Inc., and Norfolk Southern Railway's Juniata and Roanoke Shops have been doing AC44C6M rebuilds. The AC44C6M replaces the Dash 9's DC traction motors with alternating current GE 5GEB13B7 traction motors while keeping the 16-cylinder 7FDL-16 prime mover that was previously used in the core locomotive. The rebuilds still contain the original Dash 9 units' underframe, engine, and radiator compartments, but they have new wide-nosed cabins, a new front hood section, and a new inverter cabinet. The cost of converting a vintage Dash 9 locomotive into an AC44C6M is only 50–60% of purchasing a brand new Tier-4 Compliant locomotive. In comparison to an un-rebuilt Dash 9, the AC44C6M is found to have an improvement of 17% in fuel efficiency, 30% improvement in reliability, and a 55% improvement in haulage capability according to Wabtec.

Photo Blurb

NS 4387 is a class GE AC44C6M and is pictured in North Fork, West Virginia, USA. This was taken along the NS Pocahontas District on the Norfolk Southern. Photo Copyright: Casey Naton uploaded to Railroad Gallery on 11/19/2022. This photograph of NS 4387 was taken on Saturday, November 06, 2021. All Rights Reserved.


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