Faced with increasing traffic levels but an aging fleet of General Electric Dash 9s due for overhauls, Norfolk Southern boldly embarked on a program to rebuild its Dash 9 fleet from the ground up to modern standards. The process involved upgrading the propulsion systems from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), effectively converting a Dash 9-40C or Dash 9-44CW to a AC4400CW with up to a 55% increase in pulling power compared to DC traction for just 50-60 percent of the cost of a totally new locomotive. In addition to a brand new hood and inverter cabinet ahead of the engine compartment, the original cab was also replaced by an all-new wide-nosed GE “safety cab” with the latest controls and air brake hardware. Designated AC44C6Ms, the first units were released in August 2015 in a number of special paint schemes. Today, nearly 950 units have been rebuilt either by GE/Wabtec or at NS’ Juniata Locomotive Shop.
Available now from ScaleTrains is its first release of GE AC44C6M diesels for HO scale. As is customary of their “Rivet Counter” series, this all-new model bristles with class-leading detail throughout, especially under the side sills. Each model is detailed and decorated precisely to replicate each road number for a specific era. The unit numbers chosen for this review are NS 4000 and NS 4047. At first glance, the two samples that we received may seem identical beyond the paint, but ScaleTrains has taken pains to replicate details specific for each road number. Visual disparities between the 4000 and 4047 replicated in model form include different air horn clusters, cab mirror arrangements, lift ring styles and placement, disparate styles of right-side radiator wing access doors, stamped versus concave brake wheels, different handrail stanchion styles, and more.
On all three of our models, the pad-printed lettering and color separations were flawless even under close inspection. In particular, the crisp markings on the vertical fuel gauge and on the builder’s plate on the NS 4000 were particularly sharp in execution. Hidden behind the smoked glass of the side windows of the cab is a painted interior with crew seats, front consoles, rear cab wall, and even an in-cab camera. Consistent with Rivet Counter series locomotives manufactured since 2023, these units feature wheel faces painted in a rusty brown, enhancing their realistic appearance…
