Great Northern S Gauge MTH S Gauge SW-8 Switcher Diesel Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0

With the 1950 introduction of the SW8 and SW9, EMD cataloged end-cab switchers in three convenient sizes: small (the 6 cylinder, 600 hp SW1), medium (the 8 cylinder, 800 hp SW8) and large (the 12 cylinder, 1200 hp SW9). 

All three engines shared the same 44' frame. While the SW1 was distinguished by its shorter hood and large "porches" on each end, its more powerful siblings looked nearly the same, except for the single exhaust stack on the SW8 and dual stacks on the SW9. Contrary to popular belief, the "SW" in the model names did not stand for switcher. "S" stood for six hundred, the horsepower rating of the initial model, and "W" stood for welded frame, in contrast with the cast steel frames of earlier Electro-Motive switchers.

Weighing nine tons less than the SW9, the SW8 proved suitable for places where its larger brother couldn't go, especially on industrial properties and short lines. By the end of production in 1954, 309 SW8s had been sold to 48 U.S. class 1 railroads, short lines and industrial firms. An additional 65 engines were built by GM Diesel Canada for 10 Canadian operators.

The largest single purchase of SW8s, however - 41 locomotives - was by the US Army during the Korean War. The Korean National Railroad (KNR), built largely by the invading Japanese in WWII, fortunately used the same track gauge and knuckle couplers as American railroads. Thus the SW8s, the first diesels on the KNR, proved invaluable in transporting men and materiel from the staging areas at Pusan harbor toward the front lines and bringing wounded soldiers back to Pusan hospitals. Most of the locomotives were repatirated after the war and later served on stateside military bases. Two of the ex-Army units are still operating today at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, Alabama.

• Intricately Detailed, Durable ABS Body
• Intricately Detailed Truck Sides, Pilots and Fuel Tank
• Metal Chassis
• Metal Handrails and Horn
• (2) Handpainted Engineer Cab Figures
• Authentic Paint Scheme
• Metal Wheels, Axles and Gears
• Supplied With Optional Drop-in Code 110 Scale Wheel Sets
• (2) Operating S-Gauge Couplers
• (2) Kadee-Compatible S Scale Couplers
• S Scale Kadee-Compatible Coupler Mounting Pads
• Prototypical Rule 17 Lighting
• Directionally Controlled Constant Voltage LED Headlight
• Illuminated LED Number Boards
• Lighted LED Marker Lights
• Precision Flywheel-Equipped Motor
• Onboard DCC/DCS Decoder
• Locomotive Speed Control In Scale MPH Increments
• 1:64 Scale Proportions
• Proto-Sound 3.0 With The Digital Command System Featuring Freight Yard Proto-Effects
• Unit Measures: 9 1/4" X 1 15/16" X 2 3/4"
• Operates On 20" Radius Curves Diesel DCC Features
• F0 Head/Tail light
• F1 Bell 
• F2 Horn 
• F3 Start-up/Shut-down 
• F4 PFA 
• F5 Lights (except head/tail)
• F6 Master Volume 
• F7 Front Coupler 
• F8 Rear Coupler 
• F9 Forward Signal 
• F10 Reverse Signal 
• F11 Grade Crossing 
• F12 Clickety Clack (On/Off) 
• F13 Idle Sequence 4 
• F14 Idle Sequence 3 
• F15 Idle Sequence 2 
• F16 Idle Sequence 1 
• F17 Extended Start-up 
• F18 Extended Shut-down 
• F19 Rev Up 
• F20 Rev Down 
• F21 One Shot Doppler 
• F22 Coupler Slack 
• F23 Coupler Close 
• F24 Single Horn Blast 
• F25 Engine Sounds
• F26 Brake Sounds
• F27 Cab Chatter
• F28 Feature Reset