GE ES44AC

The General Electric ES44AC (or simply, "GEVO") is a energy-efficient, 4,400 hp locomotive which was first introduced into full production in 2005, with the first ES44AC prototype built in November 2002. The ES44AC is the direct successor of the AC4400CW, which could not be produced domestically after 2004. Like EMD, GE had to essentially design a new locomotive to comply with EPA Tier 2 standards. Unlike EMD, GE had to give its new locomotive a new power source; the 7FDL16 prime mover was replaced with a more efficient prime mover, the GEVO12. 
The ES44AC is selling very well, far surpassing EMD's output. The ES44AC has a few other variants. The ES44C4, introduced in 2009, has seen the most orders from BNSF. This type of ES44AC is a standard model, rather with the outer two axles of each truck being powered and the middle axle of each truck being a trailing axle. Another variant is the ES44AH, ordered by CSX, (classified as CW44AHs by the CSX, similar to their designation for the heavier AC4400CW predecessor) and as of late 2014, the Union Pacific (UP calls them C45AHs.) These units are weighted to 432,000 lbs compared to the usual 415,000 lbs. CSX's version utilizes GE's Radial Steering trucks. The Union Pacific has continued a tradition with their ES44AC locomotives as they have done with the AC4400CWs, in which they have been ordered with "Controlled Tractive Effort" for DPU service. Which brings the final designation to "C45ACCTE." The -45 in this case, does not indicate horsepower, rather it distinguishes these newer units from older AC4400CWs.
The ES44AC in Late 2011 was reworked to meet EPA Tier 3 standards which went into existance Jan 1st, 2012. There are no visable changes. However in August 2012, GE released its Tier 4 ES44AC prototype, this locomotive looks very different from a Tier 2/3 ES44AC. Tier 4 regulations started on Jan 1st , 2015. This Tier is the final and most stringent of the standards. Several Tier 4 ES44AC's are testing on the UP, BNSF, and CN. Tier 4 ES44AC's retain most features of previous ES44AC's, but they have raised "humps" in the middle, as well as a larger, more sloped radiator in back with two cooling fans. These require more space in the car body for Exhaust Gas Re-circulation equipment. It has been confirmed that production units will not have the "humps" in their carbodies. GE currently rosters around 30 Tier 4 ES44AC demo units (GECX #2015, 2020-2024, up until 2043). 
In 2013, GE built an LNG (liquefied natural gas)-powered ES44AC, GECX #3000. This unit is equipped with a NextFuel LNG conversion kit, and is currently used as one of two units in BNSF's GE LNG test set (the other unit is BNSF 5815, an older ES44AC also equipped with the NextFuel kit). 3000 and 5815 are separated by a BNSF LNG fuel tender  
2015: GE's locomotive plants are packed, with a backlog of two-three years. GE has Tier 4C units and production Tier 4 units under construction. The Tier 4 Credit units, are the same as Tier 3 units under the hood, they have to be labeled as Tier 4C as part of the new regulations. GE earned credits by incorporating features into is EVO line that brought emissions under Tier 3 levels.  
2016: Orders for more Evolution Locomotives continue to roll in. BNSF, UP, CSX, CN and NS are accepting locomotives this year. The NS order is notable since it is their first order since Mid-2014. It is 47 ET44AC's (3600-3646) and 3 ES44AC's (8166-8168). All units from the 2016 order have been completed.  
2017: Orders have been slowing somewhat into this year however there are still plenty of new units rolling off the line. NS took delivery of 34 ET44AC's and 16 Tier 3-credit units. BNSF is still taking on ET44C4's and Tier 3-credit units. Two of the GE Demonstrators have been acquired by the Navajo Transitional Energy Co. #2026 and #2027 were rebuilt by GE and received a lower middle hood section like the phase I ET44AC's. They will replace the GE E60's currently used.( Canadian Pacific currently has no ET44ACs in their roster).
2023: Canadian National took delivery of 10 ET44AC's numbered 3286-3295. They were all delivered by January and February 2023. Then during the summer of 2023, BNSF took order of 50 new GEVO's (25 T4 and 25 T4C) on the next half of the year. The first BNSF ET44ACH, numbered 3650, was built in May 2023. They keep building them up until they get to BNSF 3674, which makes 25 T4's total. Then in August to September 2023, BNSF recently built 25 new ES44ACH (T4C) locomotives numbered 3282-3306, which was right after they built the last pair of ES44C4 and ET44C4 locomotives in 2020.
2024: BNSF Railway bought 25 more ES44ACH and 25 more ET44ACH locomotives for an expansion. The ES44ACH numbers are 3307-3331, and the ET44ACH numbers are 3625-3649. These were ordered in late 2023 and expected to be fully delivered by mid 2024.
== Notable ES44ACs ==
* CP #8876 (Vancouver Olympics)
* CP #8864 (Vancouver Olympics)
* CP #8939 (Lord Strathcona's Horse)
* CSXT #1776 (Spirit of our Armed Forces)
* CSXT #911 (Spirit of our First Responders)
* CSXT #1827 (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad heritage unit)
* CSXT #1836 (Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac heritage unit)
* CSXT #1850 (Louisville & Nashville heritage unit)
* CSXT #1852 (Western Maryland heritage unit)
* CSXT #1853 (New York Central heritage unit)
* CSXT #1869 (Chesapeake & Ohio heritage unit)
* CSXT #1871 (Atlantic Coast Line heritage unit)
* CSXT #1875 (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie heritage unit)
* CSXT #1877 (Chicago and Eastern Illinois heritage unit)
* CSXT #1897 (Monon heritage unit)
* CSXT #1899 (Pere Marquette heritage unit)
* CSXT #1967 (Seaboard Coast Line heritage unit)
* CSXT #1972 (Family Lines heritage unit)
* CSXT #1973 (Chessie System heritage unit)
* CSXT #1976 (Conrail heritage unit)
* CSXT #1982 (Seaboard System heritage unit)
* CSXT #3194 (Spirit of our Law Enforcement)
* IAIS #513 (Rock Island Heritage Unit)
* IAIS #516 (30th Anniversary Unit, also known as the McGevo, as its colors resemble that of fast food giant McDonald’s)
* KCS 4859 (Safety Starts Here)
* NS #8025 (Monongahela Heritage Unit)
* NS #8098 (Conrail Heritage Unit)
* NS #8099 (Southern Heritage Unit)
* NS #8100 (Nickel Plate Road Heritage Unit)
* NS #8101 (Central of Georgia Heritage Unit)
* NS #8102 (Pennsylvania RR Heritage Unit)
* NS #8103 (Norfolk and Western Heritage Unit)
* NS #8104 (Lehigh Valley Heritage Unit)
* NS #8105 (Interstate Heritage Unit)
* NS #8114 (Original Norfolk Southern Heritage Unit)
* UP #2010 (Boy Scouts of America)
* UP #7400 (Pink Ribbon, Susan G. Komen for the cure)
* UP #7964 (5,000th GEVO)
==Gallery==
BNSF 5744.JPG|BNSF ES44AC #5744
G3121.jpg|KCS ES44AC #4775
49512683961 2a69f32c65.jpg|KCS ET44AC #5014
Fxe 4653(21-7-2007).jpeg|Ferromex ES44AC #4653
Unnamed (9).jpg|Norfolk Southern ES44AC #8144
996-86414v1 20170926.jpg|KCS ES44AC #4705
Ferromex-es44ac-4619-joseph-c-hinson-photography.jpg|Ferromex ES44AC #4619
2503.1474478839.jpg|Union Pacific ES44AC #7703
736de7e6cf57eacd64e3ea1b3711e38f.jpg|Union Pacific ES44AC #8001
KCS ES44AC|KCS ES44AC #4814 and KCS ET44AC #5007 in Shreveport, Louisiana
996ECF56-98C6-4DFB-A685-D0DC558264D9.jpeg|Norfolk Southern ES44AC #8130
File:ES44AC nickel plate.jpg|Norfolk Southern ES44AC #8100 (Nickel Plate Road Heritage Unit)
File:NS ES44AC 8141 WB at Norristown Transportation Center.jpeg|Norfolk Southern ES44AC #8141
File:911png.png|CSX ES44AC #911 (Spirit of our First Responders)
File:Campbellville ON GE-ES44AC CP-8863 2011-08-23.JPG|CP ES44AC #8863
File:CP 8822 GE ES44AC.jpg|CP ES44AC #8822
File:14044260581 6b8297712a b.jpg|Norfolk Southern Original Heritage Unit
File:CSX Boxcar ES44AC.jpg|CSX ES44AC "Boxcar Logo"
File:F7D6C0A5-1631-4D5E-8007-B13FA7570422.jpeg|CPKC ES44AC #4793
File:PRR 8102 at Lewistown, PA.jpg
Ac58f8008e0c7a05b3748009599f8abc.jpg Cpr2816andCpkc9375.jpeg
Cpr2816andCpkc9375.jpeg
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