description GE Dash 8-40BW Overview
The GE Dash 8-40BW is a 4,000-horsepower diesel-electric freight locomotive built by General Electric in the late 1980s. It is a B40-8W variant with a wide-nose safety cab, a design intended to improve crew protection compared with older narrow-nose locomotives. The model was produced for North American railroads and is associated with the transition from conventional locomotive cabs to wider safety-cab designs.
help GE Dash 8-40BW FAQ
What does GE Dash 8-40BW mean?
The 40 refers to the locomotive’s 4,000-horsepower rating, while B indicates a four-axle B-B truck arrangement. The W identifies the wide-nose safety cab used on this model. [GE Dash 8-40BW overview](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/ge-dash-8-40bw-b40-8w)
Why does the Dash 8-40BW have a wide nose?
The wide North American safety cab was designed to improve crew protection compared with older narrow-nose locomotive cabs. It also gives the locomotive its distinctive full-width front profile.
Which railroad originally ordered the GE Dash 8-40BW?
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, usually called ATSF or Santa Fe, was the model’s original customer. Santa Fe units later passed into the BNSF Railway fleet. [Railroad history](https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/ge-dash-8-40bw-b40-8w)
Was the GE Dash 8-40BW used as a passenger locomotive?
It was built as a diesel-electric freight locomotive, with GE’s 4,000-horsepower rating aimed at heavy mainline work. Its four-axle B-B layout also distinguished it from six-axle Dash 8 freight models. [GE Dash 8-40BW specifications](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_Dash_8-40BW)
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