CSX

CSXT purchased more AC4400CWs than any other railroad, spanning almost the entire production period. Originally delivered in the “Bright Future (YN2)” scheme, many of these units have been repainted into the “Dark Future (YN3)” paint scheme.

 

CSX FEATURES:

• Front ditch lights
• Prime air dryer
• Low number boards
• Equipped with a CSX standard ‘tow-chain’
• Capacitor box behind inverter cabinet

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #136 In service replacement engine compartment doors: “CCSX” conductor’s side; “CSXX” engineer’s side, Hi-adhesion trucks
• #557 As-delivered YN3; PTC skate parts included for later-era modeling; steerable trucks; double, jogged inverter cabinet handrail
• #591 As-delivered YN3; PTC skate parts included for later-era modeling; steerable trucks; double, jogged inverter cabinet handrail

 

Union Pacific

Former Southern Pacific #298 suffered fire damage in late 2006 and was sent to GE for repairs. General Electric and Union Pacific disagreed on whether or not repainting the unit from grey to yellow was covered under the warranty, resulting in the locomotive wearing the “Grey Ghost” livery for a short period. The dispute was resolved and the unit repainted in yellow before the end of that year.

UP FEATURES:

• GE - Hi-Adhesion trucks with late outside strut configuration
• Prime air dryers
• Central air intake in foreward position
• Single vertical inverter cabinet handrail
• Early body features

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #6344 Former SP unit, high number boards, Nathan P-3 horn, alternating flash ditch lights (effect in DCC), SP-style spare knuckle boxes on rear pilot
• #6715 Former CNW OLS units, low number boards, flag repaint, PTC antenna, white nose grabs, extended range dynamic brakes
• #6732 Former CNW OLS units, low number boards, non-flag repaint, PTC antenna, grey nose grabs, extended range dynamic brakes

 

Denver & Rio Grande Western

Endeavoring to increase the efficiency of its unit coal trains over Tennessee Pass, the Grande turned to GE for some AC traction power. The “400s” turned in many reliable miles of service and allowed for unit reductions and cost savings for the road.*

*Alternative history. Unfortunately, the Rio Grande ceased to exist as an independent corporate entity in 1996- but these units give an exciting look at what could have been.

 

DRGW FEATURES:

• Nathan P-3 horn
• High number boards
• Early body features
• Unevenly spaced rear grab irons
• Central air intake in forward position
• Early no-notch bolted on fuel tank
• Extended radiator hatch on engineer’s side
• Prime air dryer
• Vertical handrail behind invertor cabinet
• GE Hi-Adhesion trucks
• Modified outside struts on opposite sides of trucks
• Alternating flashing front ditch lights (Effect in DCC)

 

Southern Pacific

Built between April and Nov of 1995, SP placed an order for 279 AC4400CW’s from General Electric. Not only was this SP’s first dive into AC technology but it was their largest single locomotive order (and last) in history. GE set up a maintenance shop in Denver CO to support these units. They featured Harris Locotrol II equipment for use in DPU service; although they were used for dedicated power on Colorado coal trains, they could also be found roaming the system wherever they were needed.

 

SP FEATURES:

• Nathan P-3 horn
• High number boards
• Early body features
• Unevenly spaced rear grab irons
• Central air intake in forward position
• Early no-notch bolted on fuel tank
• Extended radiator hatch on engineer’s side
• Prime air dryer
• Vertical handrail behind invertor cabinet
• GE Hi-Adhesion trucks
• Modified outside struts on opposite sides of trucks
• Alternating flashing front ditch lights (Effect in DCC)

 

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

• #107 Unique spare knuckle box on rear pilot
• #146 Daylight herald printed on inverter cabinet, unique spare knuckle box on rear pilot
• #212 Unique spare knuckle box on rear pilot

 

 

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

Introduced by GE in 1993 and built until 2004, when it was replaced by the Evolution Series Tier II compliant model, the AC4400CW is a staple of modern railroading. 2,834 examples were built with many still plying the rails in their as-delivered configurations or as rebuilt variations. Many Class 1, regional, and foreign railroads purchased the AC4400CWs. Ownership spanned the North American Continent and with their long lives, have seen numerous paint scheme variations and ownership changes through the years. The AC4400CW went through a large number of changes during its production. Some are easily noticeable; early units being delivered with GE’s Hi-Adhesion Trucks, while later units that had the option for newly developed GE Steerable Truck. Other details are smaller and takes a careful eye to see; the addition of a door stop, how the step wells are reinforced, or the number and positioning of panels and doors.

Athearn has captured all these details thorough research and precision tooling to reproduce dozens of variations. The newly tooled Genesis AC4400CW takes its reign as the new flagship model for Athearn.

 

AC4400CW SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

• DCC-ready features Quick Plug plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
• Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
• Accurately –painted and –printed paint schemes
• LED lighting adjusted to lifelike settings
• Illuminated number boards
• Illuminated ground lighting above front truck (where applicable)
• Illuminated front and rear walkway lights
• Illuminated marker lights (where applicable)
• Etched, see-through walkway steps
• Animated roller bearing caps
• Coupler cut levers
• Flexible rubber MU hoses for durability
• Flexible rubber trainline hose
• See-through cab windows
• Full cab interior
• Walkway tread
• Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
• Windshield wipers
• Lift rings
• Wire grab irons
• Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, & breather pipes
• Sander lines
• Brass horns correct to the prototype
• McHenry scale knuckle couplers - Kadee compatible
• Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
• All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
• All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
• Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
• Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
• Packaging securely holds model for safe storage
• Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”

 

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE

• Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
• Dual cube speakers for optimal sound quality
• Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
• Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
• All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
• Precision slow speed control
• Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
• Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
• CV chart included in the box

 

LEGENDARY LIVERIES

What are Legendary Liveries? An Athearn exclusive, they are the ultimate answer to “What if?” Featuring some of the most popular railroad paint schemes of all time, these models are perfect for collecting, protofreelancing, or just plain fun! Whether company proposed paint schemes, canceled locomotive orders, or alternate takes on history, Legendary Liveries are fun and unique additions to any roster. Enjoy these items, and answer the ultimate railroad question of: “What if?”

 

 

Order Due Date: June 30, 2026

Anticipated Delivery Date: October 2027

 

Looking for more Athearn GE (General Electric) AC4400CW Diesel Locomotives? Click here!

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