Welcome! Today's instructable is about Norfolk Southern's own Dash-9 and AC44C6M locomotives and how they are different. All pics are from my railfanning expirience.

Dash-9's and AC44's may look alike, but you have to know what is what. I know I do, so I will now show you how you can tell they are different. See pics above for the D-9 and AC44 types.

Step 1: Distinguishing 1

When you see a train, you notice the number on the sides of the locomotive, but when filming a train on your railfanning day, you see small lettering under or beside the number. That is your type. If you look at the pics, there is small lettering by the number on both the Dash-9 & AC44.

Step 2: Distinguishing 2

From my knowledge & the roster, AC44C6M's are the 4000 series and Dash-9's are the 9000 series, but from the roster it starts on 9246.

http://www.nsdash9.com/roster.html

Step 3: Distinguishing 3

Not really that much of a difference, but AC44C6M locomotives have the "horsehead" paint scheme and Dash-9 locomotives have the "white stripe" paint scheme. Some of the Dash-9 locomotives have the horsehead paint scheme. Most locomotives of NS have the horsehead paint scheme, but some types (ex. SD9M locomotives) have the white stripe scheme.