ScaleTrains N C44-9W - Next Run (October 2025 Announcement) - NEW Canadian 4 Cab

[James Costello]

From the ScaleTrains 3rd October 2025 newsletter:

This month, we’re also announcing our latest run of Rivet Counter N Scale GE DASH 9 Diesel Locomotives. For the first time in N Scale, this run features Canadian National DASH 9-44CWL locomotives with their 4 window cab and North America Map scheme. In addition, this marks the first time we’re offering Genesee & Wyoming units in N Scale. This run features a wide variety of paint schemes, and you won’t want to miss out.

HISTORY

The GE DASH 9 Series (built from 1991 to 2004) replaced the earlier DASH 8 series and featured numerous electronic improvements that enhanced overall performance and reliability. With these enhancements, the DASH 9 series was well-liked by the railroads and, as a result, quickly became one of the most common locomotive types in the United States. Most are still in service today.

THE MODELS
The Rivet Counter series DASH 9 continues to set new standards for railroad, road number and era-specific features, factory-applied detail parts, lighting effects, and sound in N Scale. All Rivet Counter series N Scale locomotives are available DC/DCC ready with Nano E24 connector or factory equipped with ESU LokSound™ 5 Nano decoder and a cube-type speaker.

HypoTypical​ Roadnames and Paint Schemes:

• Alabama & Gulf Coast/Black Replacement HVAC
• Alabama & Gulf Coast
• Alabama & Gulf Coast/Honoring Veterans
• Genesee & Wyoming/Heritage Unit #1899

WHY HYPOTYPICAL?
Our Genesee & Wyoming units feature small details that may not exactly match the prototype. In most cases, the antenna package is not identical. Additionally, the prototype Genesee & Wyoming Heritage Unit, #1899, features LED cluster headlights, as opposed to our single LED lights. Because of these slight detail differences, these models – while mostly accurate to the prototypes – must be labeled as HypoTypical.

Standard Roadnames and Paint Schemes:

• BNSF/Heritage II
• BNSF/Heritage III
• Canadian National/4 Window Cab/North America Map/As Delivered/DASH 9-44CWL
• Kansas City Southern/ex-BNSF Heritage II Patched/Exhaust Burn Marks
• Kansas City Southern/ex-BNSF Heritage II Patched/Red Replacement HVAC
• Kansas City Southern/ex-BNSF Heritage II Patched/Faded Yellow Replacement HVAC
• Norfolk Southern/Thoroughbred/Dashed Sill Stripe/DASH 9-40CW
• Norfolk Southern/Thoroughbred/Solid Sill Stripe/DASH 9-40CW
• Norfolk Southern/Operation Lifesaver/Dashed Sill Stripe/DASH 9-40CW
• Norfolk Southern/Operation Lifesaver/Solid Sill Stripe/DASH 9-40CW
• Southern Pacific/As Delivered/Red Cab Window Grabs
• Southern Pacific/As Delivered/Gray Cab Window Grabs
• Southern Pacific/Chicago & NorthWestern Replacement HVAC
• Southern Pacific/Union Pacific Replacement HVAC
• Southern Pacific/Union Pacific Replacement HVAC/Replacement Engine Cab

Preorders for these exciting new roadnames and paint schemes are due by Monday, October 27, for delivery next summer. Click the button below to preorder now.

https://www.scaletrains.com/n-scale/n-scale-locomotives/rivet-counter-n-scale-ge-dash-9-44cw.html

[Scottl]

CN 4-window cabs 

[nscaler711]

And here I was hoping i could finally get a 4 window BNSF H2 scheme for 4723.... 

[robertjohndavis]

I’m in for a CN. Would love a few others but keeping my powder dry for a second run of GP30’s. Soon, I hope. PC and CR, please. No complaints about ATSF as delivered, either. - Rob

[kscessandriver]

I’m excited to see G&W units. Not the G&W road I’d really like to see, but I’ll probably grab them anyway.

[Mark5]

Great to see the Dash 9s getting love - they are the SD40-2s of the "modern" era.

[lock4244]

That's about the only way to get me to buy a -9.

As far as I can tell, this is the first Canadian unit ST has done (meaning something uniquely Canadian like the cabs). If they ever did a proper GMD SD40-2 they'd absolutely clean up... especially CP Rail.

[Scottl]

They did the porkchop window cabs on the dash 9s too.  ST is showing CN a lot of love.

[lock4244]

They did the porkchop window cabs on the dash 9s too.  ST is showing CN a lot of love.

Definitely a CN only feature, and one that is being removed as they are rebuilt unfortunately.

[tehachapifan]

The "porkchop" window sure makes for a much more handsome loco than does the standard window. Seems like it would provide much better visibility too.

[lock4244]

The "porkchop" window sure makes for a much more handsome loco than does the standard window. Seems like it would provide much better visibility too.

That was the purpose of the porkchop (teardrop to me), a carry over from the safety cab of the 70's, which was to allow the engineer / conductor to better see crew on the front steps and the ground around the front of the locomotive. It served no other purpose as far as I know. The later ES44DC order(s) and the 8000 series SD70M-2 were the first units delivered to CN lacking the teardrop, and with them, another chapter in CN power being just a little different (often very different) than most ended.

[turbowhiz]

Super excited to see 4 window cab -9’s! Now we just need them in BC Rail (only 4 units as I recall). I thinking it’s the rock lights holding those up…

The teardrop run also had CN Unique walkways too. The teardrop windows are also found on the BC Rail -9’s too. So very close to covering all the BC-Rail -9 goodness!

[lock4244]

Super excited to see 4 window cab -9’s! Now we just need them in BC Rail (only 4 units as I recall). I thinking it’s the rock lights holding those up…

The teardrop run also had CN Unique walkways too. The teardrop windows are also found on the BC Rail -9’s too. So very close to covering all the BC-Rail -9 goodness!

Would that be the open grating walkways mid-unit?

BCOL C44-9WL #4641-4644, was always a treat to catch one leading on the Kingston Sub.

[lock4244]

My trio of CN C44-9WL's arrived the other day. Very nice, highly detailed locomotives that (so far) run smoothly. In terms of pulling power, the trio will slip on a train that a pair of Rapido C40-8M's won't break a sweat on. Not unexpected given my experience with their SD40-2's, however they do have a convenient space in the fuel tank that serves no obvious purpose beyond being filled with weight 

Heck, a trio of Atlas GP40-2W's outpull them... both cursed with a cavern inside the fuel tank, yet the -9's are considerably larger and therefore you'd think carry more weight for traction.

[dandopinski]

I've got one on the way. I was surprised that they did this model, seeing as only 25 were built. They look ugly, the teardrop window version looks much better. When I was in Calgary I asked the Scaletrains Rep if a SD40-2W was in the works (why not? they only had 122 of them) The answer was no.