GE B23-7

The GE B23-7 is a diesel locomotive model that was first offered by GE in late 1977. Featuring a smaller 12 cylinder version of the FDL engine, it is the successor to GE's U23B produced from early 1968 to mid 1977, but at 62 ft 2 in (18.95 m) long is exactly 2 ft 0 in (0.61 m). longer. It competed with the very successful EMD GP38-2. General Electric also produced a variant, the BQ23-7,^[1][2] No. 5130-5139, for the Seaboard Coast Line. A total of 536 B23-7's were built for 9 U.S. customers and 2 Mexican customers.

GE B23-7
BNSF 4258 switching the intermodal yards at Commerce, California, February 15, 2005.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder GE Transportation Systems GE de Brazil Model B23-7 Build date SEP 1977 – DEC 1984 Total produced U.S. - 412 units; Mexico - 124 units.
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in), Brazil Length 62 ft 2 in (18.95 m) Prime mover GE FDL-12 Engine type V12 diesel Cylinders 12
Performance figures Power output 2,250 hp (1,680 kW)
Career Nicknames B-boat

A B23-7A is a 12-cylinder B23-7 with horsepower boosted to 250 per cylinder or 3,000 horsepower. In 1980 the Missouri Pacific ordered three B23-7A's (#'s 4667-4669, later UP #'s 257-259) and tested them system-wide. The result was the GE model B30-7A, B30-7 with a 12-cylinder FDL prime mover. They were not renumbered into the B30-7A series on the MP because they lacked Sentry Wheel Slip and had different engine governors.

13 B23-7's were built by GE of Brazil in Dec.1979 for United South Eastern Railways(FUS) no.522-524 and National Railways of Mexico(NdeM) no.9130-9139. 17 B23-7s were built from GE kits in Mexico as Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México no.10047-10052 and no.12001-12011.

Southern Railway's 54 units had Southern's "standard" high-short-hoods.

Preservation

Ohio Central #4092, a B23-S7 "Super Seven," is owned by the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio. It was rebuilt from former Western Pacific U23B #2252.^[3]

Original owners

Owner	Quantity	Numbers	Notes
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway	69	6350-6418	6405-6418 last B23-7s built Transferred to BNSF
Conrail	141	1900-2023, 2800-2816	2800-2816 first B23-7s built Three sold to Metro-North, others split between CSX & NS.
Ferrocaril Unidos del Sureste	3	522- 524
Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Family Lines)	15	5115-5129	Transferred to CSX
Missouri Pacific Railroad	85	2289-2358, 4670-4684	2289-2358 renumbered to 4600-4669 Transferred To Union Pacific
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	122	1-01-1-08, 9130-9180, 10001-10052, 12000-12011
Providence and Worcester	1	2201	Transferred to Railroad Museum of New England for parts
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (Family Lines)	29	5100-5114, 5130-5139 (BQ23-7), 5140-5153
Southern Railway	54	3970-4023	High Hoods. Transferred to NS
Southern Pacific Railroad	15	5100-5114
Texas Utilities	2	3306–3307