description GE 44-Ton Switcher Overview
The GE 44-Ton Switcher is a light diesel-electric locomotive introduced by General Electric in 1940 for switching and short-distance railroad duties. Its name refers to an operating weight at or below 44 short tons, a threshold that allowed some railroads to avoid fireman requirements under contemporary US labor rules. The type served industrial lines, short lines, and larger railroads, and is now familiar in railroad preservation and historical study.
help GE 44-Ton Switcher FAQ
Why is the GE 44-Ton Switcher called a 44-ton locomotive?
The name refers to an operating weight at or below 44 short tons. Staying below the 90,000-pound, or 45-short-ton, threshold helped railroads avoid the labor rule requiring a fireman on heavier locomotives. [GE 44 Tonner Restoration Project](https://44tonner.org/history)
When was the GE 44-Ton Switcher built?
General Electric produced the model from 1940 through 1956. Historical records commonly cite 386 locomotives built, with many using twin Caterpillar D17000 engines. [GE 44 Tonner Restoration Project](https://44tonner.org/history)
What railroad work was the GE 44-Ton Switcher designed for?
It was a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive intended for switching cars in yards and for industrial or short-distance railroad duties. Its compact size made it useful where a larger road locomotive would have been unnecessary. [Steam locomotive manual](https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/222550/manuals/GE%2044%20Tonner%20SP%20manual.pdf?t=1470316886)
How did the GE 44-Ton Switcher differ from the GE 45-Ton Switcher?
The key distinction was weight, because the 44-ton model stayed below the 90,000-pound labor-rule threshold while a 45-ton locomotive crossed it. Both were General Electric diesel switchers built during the 1940 to 1956 production era. [GE 44 Tonner Restoration Project](https://44tonner.org/history)
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