General Electric’s 44-ton switcher was one of the most successful small diesel locomotives built in North America. Produced between 1940 and 1956, 386 examples were constructed for railroads, industries, military customers and export markets. Designed specifically to comply with union agreements that required a fireman on locomotives above a specified weight, the 44-tonner could be operated by a single crew member, making it an economical choice for light switching and branch line duties.
The design used two small diesel engines rather than a single larger prime mover. Most examples were fitted with a pair of Caterpillar D17000 V8 engines, although Hercules DFXD and Buda 6DH1742 engines were also used during production. The final locomotives were equipped with Caterpillar D342 engines. Depending on the engine type, power ranged from around 350 to 410 horsepower. Four traction motors provided power to all axles, giving the compact B-B locomotive a top speed of approximately 35 mph.
During the Second World War, General Electric also produced a distinctive “drop cab” version with a lower-profile cab for military service and export customers. Many of these locomotives later found their way into industrial and railway service around the world after the war.
Aroostook Valley
Dark Green with black trucks.
| No. | Built | Serial No. | Notes | Photographs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1945 | |||
| 11 | 1945 | |||
| 12 | 1949 | 30246 | RRPA |
Maine Central
Between December 1941 and May 1945, Maine Central made no diesel purchases other than its first 44-tonners. No. 11 cost $32,900 and entered service at Augusta. Before long, Augusta, Lewiston Lower and Livermore Falls were diesel-only servicing points. The class proved exactly what the 44-tonner was meant to be: simple, economical and dependable.
No. 16 remained in service longer than the other Maine Central 44-tonners and was used as the Bangor shop switcher until at least 1981.
| No. | Built | Serial No. | Livery | Notes | Photographs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Sep 1941 | 13095 | Delivered in Black with Red Stripes. Maine Central Pine Green by May 1965. | Sold Apr 1974. | RRPA |
| 12 | Aug 1942 | 15036 | Still black with red stripes when withdrawn. | Sold Nov 1975. | RRPA |
| 13 | May 1945 | 27973 | Still black with red stripes in Aug 1973. | Sold Apr 1974 | RRPA |
| 14 | May 1945 | 29974 | Retired Dec 1977 | RRPA | |
| 15 | May 1945 | 29975 | Sold. One time based on the Conway Scenic Railroad | ||
| 16 | May 1946 | 28488 | Still black with red stripes when withdrawn. | Eastport regular. Acquired by Aroostook Valley Railroad (AVL), Maine in December 1986 for parts. | RRPA |
| 17 | May 1947 | 28348 | Still black with red stripes when withdrawn. | Sold Apr 1974 | RRPA |
Modelling
Bachmann’s Spectrum GE 44-tonner represents a Phase IV locomotive, featuring radiator shutters at each end, round headlight housings and small rectangular air intakes along the hood tops. The model includes all-wheel drive and electrical pickup, a can motor, dual-mode DCC decoder and constant LED lighting. The prototype dimensions closely match published drawings, and the model is capable of negotiating curves as tight as 6 in radius. Although its top speed is considerably higher than the prototype’s 35 mph, it offers smooth slow-speed performance and good pulling power for industrial switching duties.
Boston & Maine No. 118 by Bachmann 81857 (Trovestar)
Sources
- Kreie, Doug. “Bachmann Spectrum 44-tonner in N Scale Operates on DC and DCC Layouts.” Model Railroader, vol. 77, no. 3, March 2010, pp. 76–77.
- Hayden, Bob. Model Railroader Cyclopedia Volume 2 Diesel Locomotives. Kalmbach Books, 1980, pp. 32-33.
- Melvin, George F. Maine Central in Color Volume 3. Morning Sun Books, 2008, p.8.
- Robertson, E. B. Maine Central Diesel Locomotives. Edwin B. Robertson, 1978, pp. 8-11.
Epilogue
The 44-tonners were never glamorous, but they were exactly what Maine Central needed in the 1940s: small, reliable, and cheap to run. They turned Augusta, Lewiston Lower, and Livermore Falls into diesel-only points years before the main line followed, and they proved that light power could transform everyday work.
From their original black-and-red scheme to later Pine Green liveries chart the railroad’s own changes, while Aroostook Valley’s acquisition of No. 16 kept the story going into the 1980s. For the historian, they are a footnote; for the modeller, they offer a rare chance to capture the plain but purposeful side of New England railroading.