Rivet Counter HO Scale Wabtec AC44C6M, Norfolk Southern/Heritage/Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia/NS #4851

The Rivet Counter™ series GE AC44C6M is the definitive HO Scale model of Norfolk Southern’s rebuilt six-axle alternating current traction locomotive. Our model combines smooth operating performance with unparalleled railroad, road number, and era-specific™ details and industry-leading LED lighting features.

On December 4, 2024, Norfolk Southern unveiled locomotive 4851, painted in the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway’s diesel scheme, at the Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a social media poll where over 3,400 voters chose TAG to join the heritage fleet. The AC44C6M, honoring the short line that ran from 1891 to 1971 between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Gadsden, Alabama, entered freight service shortly after, marking the first new heritage unit since 2012.

Run: 2

Announced: Nov 1, 2025

Estimated Time of Arrival: July 2026

DCC & Sound Equipped Retail: $424.99 DC/DCC Ready Retail: $287.49

See below for your price

In stock

SKU

2-RCHOAC44C6M-4

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Grouped product items
Item Number	Road Number	Control & Sound Options	Our Price	Availability	ETA Date	Quantity
SXT42482	4851	DCC & Sound Equipped	$339.99	Preorder	July 2026
SXT42483	4851	DC/DCC Ready	$229.99	Preorder	July 2026

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

PRODUCT DETAILS

Road Number Specific ScaleTrains

All-new model
Era: 2024 to present
Series 4761 to 4860; ex-9560 to 9744, built 2000 to 2001
Road number 4851; ex-NS 9583
- Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway (TAG) Heritage Scheme
Fully-assembled
Operating LED-illuminated ground lights on both sides of locomotive*
Operating LED-illuminated front and rear deck-mounted alternating ditch lights**
Operating LED-illuminated front, rear, and side walkway lights*
Printed cab-mounted number boards with separately controlled LED-illumination*
Directional LED-illuminated headlights
LSL (Locomotive Speed Limiter) indicator lights on cab sides (non-operating)
Tall and narrow plow with no doors, filleted coupler opening, and two (2) grab irons
Rear pilot with no reinforcement plate
Semi-scale GE type coupler buffer equipped with durable metal semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers, painted a dingy gray/brown color to represent the color of couplers in service
Front Inside loop uncoupling levers with up down brackets and rear inside loop down brackets
5-step stepwells with see-through steps
Walkway with front and rear anticlimbers
GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
Wide profile end handrails
Front high (cab) mounted headlight
Nose door with window; security padlock with hasp
Two-piece nose top grab irons
Battery cabinet access door with latch
GE safety cab with four (4) side windows
Right side cab under floor access doors: dual large louver panels per door
Left side cab under floor access doors: bolted panel forward of the HVAC unit
Cab interior with detailed back wall and front dash, high-back seats, conductor’s workstation, and engineer’s AAR-style control stand
In-cab grade crossing camera
Tinted cab side windows
Tall mirror mounted in front of sliding cab side windows on both sides; additional small mirror on right side
JEM Communications PTC antenna farm with Sinclair antennas
Cab HVAC vent panels with 13 louvers and circular latches
Inverter Cabinet with Bolted and hinged access door, top two X panels same size, three lower X panels with 4 - 6 - 4 Bolt Pattern
Continuous reinforcement rib under dynamic brake intake grilles
High-capacity dynamic brake exhaust (3-port)
Rearward right-side air intake grille
Left side auxiliary cab: 3 short doors with latches on the #2 door and wide auxiliary cab filter box door
Right side auxiliary cab: four (4) doors with latches on #1 and #4 doors
Late wide width inertial cabinet with no spacer between the engine cab. Short rectangular vent and wide X-panel on the right side and rectangular vent on the left side. Partial length horizontal access panel on the left side with a small adjacent X-panel
Late angled engine cab profile with raised “dot” treadplate on centerline
No lift rings on engine cab power assembly door
Three door latches per side on the exhaust cab doors
Lost-wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K5LAR24 horn with shower caps mounted on engine cab
Late non-flanged exhaust stack housing
“Bathtub” exhaust silencer
22 individually-applied etched metal see-through radiator intake and exhaust grilles on sides and top of radiator compartment
Right side late radiator door grilles in alternating heights
No right side radiator wing access door
Electronic Handbrake with panel to the rear of the brake wheel
Flat stamped
Left rear hood door grille arrangement: tall, short, tall grilles
Low-mounted rear sand fill
Late angled lifting “tabs” on ends of radiator wings
No forward radiator lifting lugs
Left side long rail all stanchions, early type
Right side long rail, all stanchions are early type
Accurately profiled frame with separately-applied plumbing and traction motor cabling
GE Hi-Ad trucks with reinforcement plate over center axle on right front and left rear side frames and separately applied brake cylinders, single bracket air plumbing, and rotating bearing caps
Wheel faces painted a dingy gray/brown color to represent the color of wheelsets in service
No speed recorder
Dual Graham-White (Salem) 824-100 centrifugal air filters
Graham-White 994-500 series air dryer
5,000-gallon fuel tank with vertical weld seams on the right side with a single angled seam on the left with late-style air reservoir drain notch
Fuel tank mounted electronic bell
Separate air tanks with upper mounting brackets
Curved 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
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” Functions
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

PRODUCT VIDEOS

PROTOTYPE HISTORY

On December 4, 2024, Norfolk Southern unveiled its newest heritage locomotive, number 4851, at the Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The AC44C6M, rebuilt from a C40-9W, was painted in the dark blue, yellow, and black colors of the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway, known as the “Tag Route.” The public debut took place at the neighboring Railroaders Memorial Museum, where attendees viewed the freshly painted locomotive. It entered freight service shortly after the event.

The decision to honor the TAG came from a social media poll conducted by Norfolk Southern in October 2024. Over 3,400 people voted on Facebook, choosing between four railroads: Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia, Atlantic & East Carolina, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and Delaware & Hudson. TAG and D&H were the top contenders, with TAG ultimately selected. The TAG operated from 1891 to 1971, running less than 100 miles between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Gadsden, Alabama. It transported coal, steel, and other goods until its acquisition by Southern Railway in 1971. Norfolk Southern noted its historical role as a vital link in the region.

The only surviving TAG diesel, a high-hood GP38 numbered 80, operates at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga. Named “The John A. Chambliss” after a TAG vice president, it was the railroad’s final diesel purchase. Restored to its original number and paint scheme in 2017, it remains active in museum service. The new heritage unit, 4851, does not carry a historic name but reflects the TAG’s color scheme, adapted to fit the modern AC44C6M design.

Norfolk Southern has a history of heritage locomotives. In 2012, as part of its 30th anniversary, the company painted 20 new GE ES44AC and EMD SD70ACe locomotives in the schemes of predecessor railroads. Unveiled at an event in Spencer, North Carolina, these units honored lines like the Pennsylvania Railroad and Nickel Plate Road. Since then, no new heritage locomotives had been added until 4851, though some existing units were rebuilt or repainted over the years. The TAG design was applied at Juniata Shops, where workers tailored the historic colors to the locomotive’s contemporary frame.

Following its debut, 4851 was sent to Chattanooga for a special appearance at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum on January 25 and 26, 2025. The event, dubbed “Heritage Meets History,” showcased the new heritage unit alongside the original TAG GP38, number 80. The two locomotives, both in TAG colors, were displayed together, highlighting their shared legacy. The museum operated its Missionary Ridge Local train with number 80 pulling hourly trips, while 4851 remained on static display for photographs. A temporary exhibit in a baggage car featured TAG artifacts, including timetables and photographs, offering visitors a glimpse into the railroad’s past. The event drew rail enthusiasts and locals to celebrate the connection between the modern 4851 and the historic short line it honors. After the weekend, 4851 returned to regular freight service with Norfolk Southern.

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Rivet Counter HO Scale Wabtec AC44C6M, Norfolk Southern/Heritage/Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia/NS #4851

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