The GE 80-ton switcher is a

diesel-electric locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ...

model built by

GE Transportation Systems GE Transportation is a division of Wabtec. It was known as GE Rail and owned by General Electric until sold to Wabtec on February 25, 2019. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generati ...

. It is classified as a B-B type locomotive. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties around

railhead In the UK, railheading refers to the practice of travelling further than necessary to reach a rail service, typically by car. The phenomenon is common among commuters seeking a more convenient journey. Reasons for railheading include, but are ...

s and

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...

Military version

The military purchased 80-tonners between 1952 and 1953 for use switching railheads around Continental U.S. (CONUS) military facilities. In the 1990s Rail Equipment Division at

Tooele Army Depot Tooele Army Depot (TEAD) is a United States Army Joint Munitions Command post in Tooele County, Utah. It serves as a storage site for war reserve and training ammunition. The depot stores, issues, receives, renovates, modifies, maintains and dem ...

rebuilt most 80-tonners to have Cummins turbo-charged 6-cylinder engines. The rebuild included a small cosmetic change resulting in end radiator screens and dual headlights. This rebuild gave all Army and some Air Force 80-tonners a much longer lifespan. Less than 27 Army and 5 Air Force 80-tonners are still in service present day. Navy 80-tonners did not undergo this rebuild. Many Navy engines were rebuilt by contracts with locomotive rehab companies.

Heritage Railways

At least five 80-tonners have been known to be in tourist service. These locomotives resided on the

Virginia & Truckee Railroad The Virginia and Truckee Railroad is a privately owned heritage railroad, headquartered in Virginia City, Nevada. Its private and publicly owned route is long. When first constructed in the 19th century, it was a commercial freight railroad ...

. The D-1 was acquired in 2003 and was the mainstay of the fleet while the railroad's two steam locomotives were undergoing rebuild. The Valley Railroad in

Essex, Connecticut Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,733 at the 2020 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton. History The Great Attack Essex is one of the few A ...

owns five 80-tonners, 0900, 0901, 0902, 0903, and 7145, for use on the Essex Clipper Dinner Train, as well as for yard switching and work train service. Former US Army 1654 is in regular service at the Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum as their No. 54, along with

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

No. 6. An 80-ton G.E. switcher #7285, built in 1943, is still in operation at th
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
in Campo, California in San Diego County on the San Diego & Arizona Railway. The

Nevada Southern Railway California Eastern Railway, is a defunct short-line railroad that operated from 1902 - 1911. The railroad ran from Goffs, California, to Ivanpah. It was first a private line operated by a mining company, that was acquired by the Atchison, Top ...

located in Boulder City, Nevada, has one of the GE 80 tonners that was used at the Nevada Atomic Test site north of Las Vegas in the 1950s on the Jackass and Western Railroad for the nuclear engine development and testing program. US Navy 65-00310 is privately owned and is used on a recreational railroad at the Denton FarmPark in

Denton, North Carolina Denton is a town in Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,636 at the 2010 census. Geography Denton is located in southern Davidson County at (35.632752, -80.111603). It is southeast of Lexington, the county seat. ...

. Image:Sims RichmondVA 2007.jpg, Original 80-Ton with "chopped cab". Image:USAX 1663 Fort Eustis WGrimes 2007.JPG, GE 80-Ton moving cars at the Fort Eustis Railhead. 80-ton switcher B-B locomotives Diesel-electric locomotives of the United States Standard gauge locomotives of the United States {{Diesel-loco-stub