Fox Valley Models 10018 N Scale ES44AH “Safety Train” CSX 3099 DCC LokSound

In 2002, GE introduced the “Evolution Series” of locomotives. Better known as GEVO or ES44, this series has become the best-selling line of diesel locomotives of all time with production nearing 8,000 units.

The FVM model uses numerous variations of cabs, dynamic brakes, doors, grilles, trucks, etc. to get as close as possible to prototype units. FVM locomotives are now available as DCC with sound and DCC Ready versions.

In 2002, GE released the first GEVO, a new series of locomotives that would replace the AC4400CW and Dash 9-44CW. The first two models were the ES44DC and ES44AC. The ES44C4 followed a few years later.

The new models were designed to meet the stricter diesel locomotive emissions standards imposed by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The EPA “Tier” emissions standards are a series, or Tiers, of allowable emissions levels based upon a locomotive’s date of manufacture. In 2005, Tier 2 took effect followed by Tier 3 in 2010 and Tier 4 took in 2015.

GE developed a new diesel engine, the 12-cylinder GEVO 12, to meet the new emission standards. Both the bore and stroke were increased to produce the same 4,400 horsepower as the older 7FDL16 16-cylinder engine.

The new prime mover drives an alternator producing AC current that is rectified to DC current. On the ES44DC, this powers the traction motors. On the ES44AC and ES44C4, the DC current is “chopped” back into AC to power the traction motors. The two models share a common 73’ 2” frame and external appearance.

The external appearance is similar to the AC4400CW. In fact, the cab on early ES44s is almost identical. In 2009, GE changed the cab and nose, moving the nose door from the left side to the right side and replacing the curve seams with more square seams.

Unlike their predecessors, both the AC and DC versions of the ES44 have the large box behind the cab. The biggest visual difference is the larger “wing” structure over the radiator cab. The thicker radiators and related equipment in the radiator cab work to cool the exhaust, which reduces emissions.

Customer options and design changes have resulted in seven different dynamic brake configurations. The grilles on the sides of the radiator cab have also gone through seven configurations. The most recent units have changed the latches on the engine cab doors to match the ET44 units.

Although EPA Tier 4 standards went into effect in 2015, the ES44-series continue to be built. This is due to the Tier 4 Credits, a complicated system that allows GE to continue to build and various railroads to buy the ES44 based on the number of Tier 4 units built.

After 2 testbed units and 35 pre-production units, over 7,600 additional ES44s have been built. All of the major railroads including BNSF, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific have fleets with 100s of units. Florida East Coast, Ferromex, Iowa Interstate, and Kansas City Southern also operate ES44s. In addition, 131 were built as lease units for Citirail.

The ES44 has become the best-selling diesel locomotive of all time.

FEATURES:

• Rerun paint scheme – now with sound
• Era: 2014 to 2018
• Series 3065-3174
• CSX “Spirit of West Springfield”, Safety Train
• Fully-assembled
• Operating LED-illuminated front deck-mounted ditch lights
• Printed and LED-illuminated number boards
• Factory-applied detail parts: wire grab irons, 3-hose MU clusters, uncoupling levers, windshield wipers, sunshades, brake wheel, and more
• Tall snowplow with open doors
• Operating knuckle couplers – Micro-Trains® compatible
• Body mounted coupler box – accepts Micro-Trains® 1015/1016 type couplers without modification
• Walkway with front anticlimber
• GE “nub” pattern walkway tread
• Narrow profile end handrails
• Nose door with window
• Front LED-illuminated headlight with lenses on low short hood
• GE safety cab with four (4) side windows
• Detailed cab interior with floor, rear wall, seats, and desktop
• Cab roof octagonal antenna dome with medium rectangle antenna dome
• Capacitor box on left side walkway
• Lost wax brass cast Nathan AirChime K5HL horn mounted on engine cab roof
• ES44 style exhaust stack
• Low-mounted rear sandfiller
• LED-illuminated high mounted vertical rear headlight
• GE Steerable trucks
• Air tanks with lower mounting brackets
• Fuel tank mounted steel bell
• 5,000 gallon fuel tank
• Single fuel fills per side
• 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 55 and 80 rail
• Packaging safely stores model
• Minimum Radius: 9 ¾”
• Recommended Radius: 11”
• DCC & sound equipped locomotives also feature:
• ESU-LokSound 5 Micro DCC & sound decoder with “Full Throttle”
• Cube-type speaker
• Accurate FDL-16 prime mover and auxiliary sounds, horn, bell, and more
• Operates on both DC and DCC layouts