Rivet Counter HO Scale GE DASH-9, Undecorated
With railroad, road number, and era specific details, our Rivet Counter series DASH-9 is the definitive model of this popular GE locomotive. In our continuing effort to push the boundaries of realism in model railroading, the Rivet Counter DASH-9 features operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights.
Run:
5
Announced:
Sep 30, 2021
Arrived:
Dec 22, 2022
See below for your price
In stock
SKU
parent-857
Road Number-Specific ScaleTrains
BNSF- Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- Series BNSF 960-1123, built August 1996 through January 1997
- No truck ground lights (prototype not equipped)
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front pilot face mounted ditch lights**
- LED-illuminated high-mount cab number boards*
- Short snowplow without open doors and grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with front anticlimber
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Wide-profile end handrails
- Front nose headlight
- Nose door with window
- Two-piece nose top grab irons
- Standard electrical cabinet access doors
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with “gull-wing” roof profile and three (3) side windows
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s desktop controls
- Tinted cab side windows
- Medium-height mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Large Sinclair “ice skate” communication antenna, and four small Sinclair “ice skate” antennas
- Electrical cabinet with drop grab irons on rear
- Prime Manufacturing PM5191 HVAC unit
- Continuous reinforcement rib under dynamic brake intake grilles
- Late angled engine cab profile with raised “dot” treadplate on centerline
- Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K3LAR2 horn mounted on engine cab
- Late non-flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Early radiator door grille pattern (all the same height)
- Standard brake wheel
- Low-mounted rear sand fill
- Early lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Late Hi-Ad trucks with cantilever struts on right front and left rear sideframes, with flange lubricator sticks
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- No speed recorder
- Dual Graham-White (Salem) 824-100 Centrifugal Air Filters
- No air dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams
- Single fuel fills per side
- Round and vertical analog fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted steel bell
- Separate air tanks with lower mounting brackets, connector pipe, and connector pipe cover
- Early, square handbrake chain bracket
- Spare coupler knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Many factory-applied details, including: wire grab irons, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
Canadian National (Illinois Central)- Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- Series Canadian National (IC) 2697-2726, built June through October 2004
- Operating LED ground lights on both sides of locomotive*
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front and rear deck-mounted ditch lights with visors and integral red marker lights**
- LED-illuminated high-mount number boards*
- Short snowplow without open doors, and with grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with see-through grating, and ribbed anticlimbers, front and rear
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Narrow profile end handrails
- Front nose headlight
- Nose door without window
- Two-piece nose top grab irons
- Standard electrical cabinet access doors
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with Canadian “teardrop” front windshields, and late sub-base louvers and access panels
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s AAR control stand
- Medium-height mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Large Sinclair “ice skate” communication antenna and small Sinclair “ice skate” End of Train (EOT) telemetry antenna
- Electrical cabinet with drop grab irons on rear
- No walkway HVAC unit installed
- Continuous reinforcement rib under dynamic brake intake grilles, with emergency stretcher compartment adjacent
- Late dynamic brake exhaust
- Late angled engine cab profile with raised “dot” treadplate on centerline
- Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K3LAR2 horn mounted on engine cab
- Late non-flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Late radiator door grilles (alternating heights)
- Standard brake wheel
- Tall latched access door on long hood end
- High-mounted rear sand fill
- Late lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Late Hi-Ad trucks with cantilever struts on right front and left rear sideframes, and flange lubricator sticks
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- Speed recorder on left side second axle
- Dual Graham-White (Prime) 975-075 Air Filters
- Graham-White 994-500 Series Air Dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams, and external retention tank on left side
- Single fuel filler per side
- Digital fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted steel bell
- Separate air tanks with lower mounting brackets, connector pipe, and connector pipe cover
- Late handbrake chain brackets with dual pulleys
- Spare coupler knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, spare knuckles, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
Chicago & NorthWestern- Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- Series Chicago & North Western 8601-8730, built November 1993 through May 1994
- Operating LED ground lights on both sides of locomotive*
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front pilot face mounted ditch lights**
- LED-illuminated low-mount cab number boards*
- Tall snowplow with open doors and grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with front anticlimber
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Narrow profile end handrails
- Front nose headlight
- Nose door with window
- One-piece nose top grab irons
- Standard electrical cabinet access doors
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with three (3) side windows
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s desktop controls
- Tinted cab side windows
- Tall mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Large Sinclair “ice skate” communication antenna, small Sinclair “ice skate” End of Train (EOT) telemetry antenna and small “cone” antenna
- Electrical cabinet with drop grab irons on rear
- “Blanked” Prime PM5191 HVAC housing
- Alternating reinforcement ribs under dynamic brake intake grilles
- Early dynamic brake exhaust
- Early curved engine cab profile
- Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K5HAR24 horn mounted on engine cab
- Early flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Early radiator door grille pattern (all the same height)
- Standard brake wheel
- Tall latched access door on long hood end (if applicable)
- Low-mounted rear sand fill
- Early lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Early Hi-Ad trucks with reinforcement bulge, and non-cantilevered struts on all four sideframes
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- Speed recorder on left and right side, second axle
- Dual Graham-White (Salem) 824-100 Centrifugal Air Filters
- No air dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams
- Dual fuel fills per side
- Round and vertical analog fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted steel bell
- Separate air tanks with lower mounting brackets, connector pipe, and connector pipe cover
- Early, square handbrake chain bracket
- CNW-style spare coupler knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, spare knuckles, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
Norfolk Southern- Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- NS 9535-9744, built December 2000 through December 2001
- LSL (Locomotive Speed Limiter) indicator lights on cab sides (non-operating)
- No ground lights (prototype not equipped)
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front and rear deck-mounted alternating ditch lights**
- LED-illuminated high-mount number boards*
- Tall snowplow with open doors and grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with front and rear anticlimber
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Wide profile end handrails
- Front high (cab) mounted headlight
- Nose door with window
- Two-piece nose top grab irons
- Electrical cabinet access doors with barrel bolt safety latches
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with three (3) side windows
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s AAR-style control stand
- Tinted cab side windows
- Medium mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Retrofitted with JEM Communications PTC antenna farm with Sinclair antennas
- Electrical cabinet with barrel bolt safety latches, step on rear, and spare knuckle basket
- Dayton-Phoenix GE Side-Mount Model 2806220 HVAC unit
- Dynamic brake intake panels
- Continuous reinforcement rib under dynamic brake intake grilles
- Late dynamic brake exhaust
- Late angled engine cab profile with raised “dot” treadplate on centerline
- Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K5LAR24 horn mounted on engine cab
- Late non-flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Late radiator door grilles (alternating heights)
- Standard brake wheel
- Low-mounted rear sand fill
- Late lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Late Hi-Ad trucks with cantilever struts on all four sideframes, and flange lubricator sticks
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- No speed recorder
- Dual Graham-White (Prime) 975-075 Air Filters
- Graham-White 994-500 Series Air Dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with angled weld seam and clean out on left side
- Single fuel filler per side
- Round and vertical analog fuel gauges, and digital fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted electronic bell
- Separate air tanks with lower mounting brackets, connector pipe, and connector pipe cover
- Late, triangular handbrake chain bracket
- Spare coupler knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, spare knuckles, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
Southern Pacific- Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- Series SP 8100-8200, built May through December 1994
- No ground lights (prototype not equipped)
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front deck-mounted alternating ditch lights**
- LED-illuminated high-mount number boards*
- Tall snowplow with open doors and grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with front anticlimber
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Narrow profile end handrails
- Front nose headlight
- Nose door with window
- Two-piece nose top grab irons
- Standard electrical cabinet access doors
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with three (3) side windows
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s desktop controls
- Tinted cab side windows
- Medium mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Large Sinclair “ice skate” communication antenna and small Sinclair “ice skate” End of Train (EOT) telemetry antenna
- Electrical cabinet with drop grab irons on rear
- Prime Manufacturing PM5191 HVAC unit
- Dynamic brake intake panels
- Alternating reinforcement ribs under dynamic brake intake grilles
- Early dynamic brake exhaust
- Early curved engine cab profile
- Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime P3 (P24R1 configuration) horn mounted on engine cab
- Early flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Early radiator door grille pattern (all the same height)
- Standard brake wheel
- Low-mounted rear sand fill
- Early lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Late Hi-Ad trucks with non-cantilevered struts on all four sideframes
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- Speed recorder on left side, second axle
- Dual Graham-White (Prime) 975-075 Air Filters
- Graham-White 975-100 “Twin Tower” Air Filter Dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams
- Dual fuel fills per side
- Round and vertical analog fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted steel bell
- Separate air tanks with upper mounting brackets
- Early, square handbrake chain bracket
- SP-style coupler knuckle boxes on rear pilot face
- Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, spare knuckles, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
Union Pacific - Undecorated
- Unpainted and unassembled
- Modeling skills and prototype knowledge required
- Step-by-step assembly instructions NOT included
- Series UP 9700-9739, built July through August 1994
- Operating LED ground lights on both sides of locomotive*
- Operating LED front, rear, and side walkway lights*
- Operating LED front pilot face mounted ditch lights**
- LED-illuminated low-mount number boards*
- Tall snowplow with open doors and grab irons
- Semi-scale coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- 5-step stepwells with see-through steps
- Walkway with front anticlimber
- GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
- Narrow profile end handrails
- Front nose headlight
- Nose door with window
- Two-piece nose top grab irons
- Standard electrical cabinet access doors
- Battery cabinet access door with latch
- GE safety cab with three (3) side windows
- Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s work station, and engineer’s desktop controls
- Tinted cab side windows
- Medium mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
- Large Sinclair “ice skate” communication antenna, small Sinclair “ice skate” End of Train (EOT) telemetry antenna, and dual “Teardrop” antennas.
- Electrical cabinet with drop grab irons on rear
- Prime Manufacturing PM5191 HVAC unit
- Alternating reinforcement ribs under dynamic brake intake grilles
- Early dynamic brake exhaust
- Early curved engine cab profile with tri-fold power assembly access doors
- Lost-wax brass cast Leslie RS-3L horn mounted on engine cab
- Early flanged exhaust stack housing
- “Bathtub” exhaust silencer
- 26 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
- Early radiator door grille pattern (all the same height)
- Standard brake wheel
- Low-mounted rear sand fill
- Early lifting lugs on ends of radiator wings
- Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
- Late Hi-Ad trucks with non-cantilevered struts on all four sideframes
- Rotating axle bearing caps
- Speed recorder on left side, second axle
- Dual Graham-White (Prime) 975-075 Air Filters
- Graham-White 975-100 “Twin Tower” Air Filter Dryer
- 5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams
- Single fuel fills per side
- Round and vertical analog fuel gauges, and digital fuel gauges
- Fuel tank mounted steel bell
- Separate air tanks with upper mounting brackets
- Early, square handbrake chain bracket
- Spare coupler knuckle holders on rear pilot face
- Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, spare knuckles, trainline hoses with silver gladhands, 3-hose MU clusters with silver gladhands, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, mirrors, sunshades, and more
- Motor with 5-pole, skew-wound armature
- Dual flywheels
- All-wheel drive
- All-wheel electrical pick-up
- Directional LED headlights
- Printing and lettering legible under magnification
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Packaging safely stores model
- Minimum Radius: 18”
- Recommended Radius: 22”
DCC & sound equipped locomotives also feature:
- ESU-LokSound 5 DCC and Sound decoder with “Full Throttle”
- Two (2) cube-type speakers
- Accurate FDL-16 prime mover and auxiliary sounds, horn, bell, and more
- ESU-designed PowerPack with two (2) super capacitors***
- Operates on both DC and DCC layouts
DCC & sound ready locomotives also feature:
- Operate on DC layouts
- DCC ready with 21-pin connector
* Lighting features operate when using an ESU decoder with appropriate programming while operating using DCC
** In DC operation, both front ditch lights illuminate; rear ditch lights (if equipped) do not illuminate
*** Compatible with appropriately programmed ESU decoders while operating using DCC
General Electric wrestled the title of top domestic locomotive builder from EMD during the late 1980s with their Dash-8 series. GE once again positioned themselves to shakeup the locomotive world yet again less than a decade later. Entering the 1990s, GE completely revamped their locomotive lineup by utilizing customer feedback, learning from experience gained from previous locomotive series, and improvements in technology.
A single C44-9W demonstrator unit, numbered 8601, made its debut in 1993 (and later became C&NW 8601). While similar at first glance to predecessor models like the C40-8 and C40-8W, the Dash-9 series featured a few notable physical differences. Built on a slightly longer platform that allowed for a massive 5,000 gallon fuel tank, Dash-9s also featured thicker radiator “wings” at the rear of the carbody. This is usually the quickest way to differentiate them from previous models.
Thanks to its long production span and customer options, small detail differences could be noted between various customer orders. This includes changes with HVAC system vendors (the large “A/C” box behind the cab on the conductors side), engine cab profile, radiator lifting lugs, hood end, trucks, fuel tank, stepwells, operator’s cab, and even handrail profiles.
The C44-9W proved to be extremely popular over its production span with over 3,500 locomotives being sold new to ATSF, BC Rail, BNSF, CN, C&NW, NS (including 100 spartan cab equipped versions, nicknamed “Top Hats”), QNS&L, SP, and UP.
NS was an important customer with over 1,000 Dash-9s on the roster. They preferred customized models in the form of 100 spartan-cab equipped, 4,000hp C40-9s (nicknamed “Top Hats”) and numerous examples of safety cab-equipped versions rated at 4,000hp, and designated as C40-9Ws. All C40-9/Ws would eventually be uprated to 4,400hp with their designations changed accordingly.
Over the years, the Dash-9s could be found in a variety of assignments. Santa Fe’s C44-9Ws were delivered in the famed red and silver “Superfleet” scheme and could be found hurtling across the southwest with hot piggyback trailer and container trains in tow.
Southern Pacific’s units were some of the first new six-axle power on the beleaguered railroad’s roster in more than a decade. They were pressed into a variety of assignments ranging from hot intermodal trains to coal and iron ore drags.
Chicago & North Western’s units made their debut in flashy “lightning stripe” livery and handled numerous assignments during their brief tenure before being absorbed by Union Pacific
The Dash-9 series remained in production until the early 2000s when it was superseded by GE’s “Evolution Series” ES40/44-series models. Age has begun to catch up with the earliest C44-9W and related models so some railroads are storing and/or rebuilding these veteran units. NS’s oldest units, the spartan-cab C40-9s, are being rebuilt with the latest GE safety cab for increased crew comfort and safety plus AC-traction for increased performance.
Originally built in the early 1990s, some of BNSF’s former Santa Fe fleet are also in the process of being rebuilt with AC-traction to extend their service lives and improve their performance.
Built over a long timeframe, and proving to be a solid, upgradeable platform, the C44-9W family of locomotives including rebuilds is sure to remain a fixture on today’s railroads for the foreseeable future.
Warranty Registration
Downloadable Documentation
