GE Dash 8-32BWH

what is it?

The GE Dash 8-32BWH, also known as the P32-8BWH, B32-8WH, or P32-8, is a diesel-electric locomotive used by Amtrak in passenger train service, based on the GE Dash 8 Series of freight train locomotives. Built in 1991, they were the first locomotives purchased to replace the EMD F40PH. Amtrak originally used the Dash 8's on mainline trains but later used them largely for switching in yards, only being used on mainline trains when newer GE Genesis locomotives were unavailable. As of 2023, 16 of the original 20 remain in service with Amtrak, including two owned by Caltrans for use on Amtrak California services.

who runs it

AmtrakAmtrak California

base stats

• speed 166 km/htop speed
• power 2.4 MWpower output
• weight 125 tin working order
• built 20made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

• 🎂First built 36 years ago, in 1990.
• 🏎️Top speed is 1.3× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• ⏱️At full speed it would cover Amsterdam–Utrecht (≈ 40 km) in 14 minutes.
• 🚗2.4 MW is about 28 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
• 🐘Weighs about as much as 21 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 📏20.1 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🧓Still in service after 35 years.

diesel locomotive: A diesel engine on board drives the wheels, usually through a generator (diesel-electric).

spec sheet

built

1990–1991

in service from

1991

status

in service

number built

20

kind

Diesel-electric

traction

diesel

origin

🇺🇸 United States

builders

GE Transportation, General Electric

operators

Amtrak, Amtrak California

top speed

166 km/h

power

2.4 MW

gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge

wheel arrangement

Bo'Bo'

length

20.1 m

weight

125 t

nicknames

Pepsi Cans

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.