When Conrail purchased the 4,000hp B40-8's in 1988, they were the most powerful diesel locomotives on the roster. They often ran in three-unit lashups in intermodal duty, with older B36-7's mixed in. As time passed and newer locomotives entered service, the B40-8's were relegated to general freight duties.
Location: Easton, PA
Photo Date: ?-98
Photographer: Robert Palmer     Added: June 15, 1998

To save construction costs and reduce construction time, GE introduced an angular design with the B40-8's instead of the rounded corners and roofs that were a hallmark of GE units since their U-series.
Location: Wyomissing, PA
Photo Date: 11-96
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

It's rare to get such elevated shots of locomotives. The grime of constant service is evident on the roof of CR 5064.
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Photo Date: 5-17-98
Photographer: Bill Waller     Added: June 23, 1999

By the late 1990's, the B40-8's no longer dominated intermodal service as they did in the late 1980's. Usually RoadRailer intermodals were pulled by a lone GP40-2, but on this day in January 1997 a lone B40-8, CR 5067, is easily handling the train as it glides through Wyomissing Junction with only 1 foot of slack for every 100 cars.
Location: Wyomissing, PA
Photo Date: 1-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

The Labor Management decoration on the nose is barely visible.
Location: Elkhart, IN
Photo Date: ?-93
Photographer: Jim Matuska     Added: August 21, 2021

CR 5068 is the trailing unit on a westbound mixed freight heading into Reading Yard. By 1997, the blue paint was fading badly. The black on the nose hood is grime. Conrail never painted the nose hoods of these units with the black safety paint that other classes received.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 2-2-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

CR 5071 is part of a large freight powered by several locomotives doing some pick-ups and set-offs in the yard on a hazy summer day in 1994.
Location: Harrisburg, PA (Harrisburg Yard)
Photo Date: 8-94
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: January 18, 2022

I was able to get a shot of CR 5071 from the rear as it slowly passed by me.
Location: Harrisburg, PA (Harrisburg Yard)
Photo Date: 8-94
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: January 18, 2022

Like most days, MAIL-3 (Kearny, NJ - East St. Louis, MO) is coming through the Reading area during the late-morning.
Location: Wyomissing, PA
Photo Date: 2-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

Only four B40-8's were repainted into the Quality scheme: 5071, 5077 (pictured here), 5080, and 5086. The remaining 26 units retained their factory-applied GE paint jobs. When CR 5071 was repainted into the Quality scheme, it had the rear shock on each truck removed. That didn't happen on the other three repainted units.
Location: Hershey, PA
Photo Date: 9-25-98
Photographer: Kevin DeGroff     Added: July 8, 2002

By the end of 1988, this unit had its "Working Together" labor logo applied like all other units; however, in this photo the decal is missing and Conrail had repainted the unit's nose. Kevin DeGroff did some poking around the FRA database and discovered that on September 26, 1997, 5081 was leading UGK-37. While traveling south on the Kalamazoo Branch, the train struck a tractor trailer at Stears Road at 3pm. The entire front of 5081 was damaged to the total of $7,000. The driver of the truck was injured and admitted to a local hospital. The FRA concluded that the accident was a result of the truck failing to yield the right of way. The pilot on 5081 also has a yellow stripe along its edge indicating that it was cleared for operating in third rail territories. Probably due to time and the accident, the yellow was faded and mostly worn off by October 1998.
Location: Steubenville, OH
Photo Date: 10-98
Photographer: Jeff Wires     Added: December 13, 1998

It's an overcast day in early April 1996 as CR 5082 leads a westbound freight. An old timer railfan once told me to shoot everything no matter the weather because you might never see it again. I took that advice to heart and often shot on days other "fair weather" railfans would have avoided. Now that Conrail is gone, I'm glad I took his advice. Of course, capturing a sleeping conductor is also a good reason for a photo. (I'm kidding, of course!)
Location: Wyomissing, PA
Photo Date: 4-14-96
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

CR 5083 is paired with a Conrail SD50. We believe the unit was CR 6830.
Location: La Crosse, IN
Photo Date: ?-93
Photographer: Jim Matuska     Added: August 21, 2021

The GE-applied paint never held up well on these units. CR 5083 has seen its fair share of abuse and close calls, such as the fuel tank damage. Its leading westbound MAIL-3 (Kearny, NJ - East St. Louis, MO) at 10:30am.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 2-7-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

The Harrisburg East dispatcher is holding eastbound CR 5084 B40-8 and CR 6133 C40-8W for a "rest stop" at the old Schuambach's Diner at CP Belt. Being old school dispatchers from a time when railroaders were like family, they often let crews leave the train parked at the signals so everyone on board could get down for a bite of good homecooking and a break from the cramped cab. The problem could be getting the crews back on the train in a timely manner.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 8-96
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: October 6, 2001

CR 5085 leads NSSE (NS/Haggerstown, MD - Selkirk, NY).
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 1-96
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: April 7, 2022

CR 5085 is coupled with CR 5088 (below) on this westbound train through CP Belt.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 2-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: May 8, 1998

CR 5086 and CR 6715 look like they have never been through the washer, even though CR 5086 was one of four B40-8's to be repainted in the Quality scheme. The headlight and number boards look like that assembly was painted black, when it was just caked-on grime.
Location: South Bend, IN
Photo Date: ?-93
Photographer: Jim Matuska     Added: August 21, 2021

Only four B40-8's were repainted into the Quality scheme: CR 5071, CR 5077, CR 5080, and CR 5086 (pictured here). The remaining 26 units retained their factory-applied GE paint jobs. Comparing my shot of 5086 to Jim Matuska's shot four years prior, it lookes like 5086 hit the washers within those three or four years.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 1-20-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: November 2, 2001

As soon as I spotted CR 5088, I knew something was amiss. Then I saw it. The well-painted black fuel tank against a traditional weathered car body, complete with oil leaks. The 3,900-gallon fuel tank honestly looks like a new one, having been replaced somewhere along the line.
Location: Reading, PA (CP Belt)
Photo Date: 2-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: November 2, 2001

Due to online maintenance, a battered CR 5089 (the last B40-8 Conrail purchased) leads westbound ALHB (Allentown, PA - Harrisburg, PA) under train orders up the eastbound track. At Sheridan, PA, it eventually switched back over to its proper track for the rest of its journey to Harrisburg, PA.
Location: Wyomissing, PA
Photo Date: 1-8-97
Photographer: Robert Waller     Added: November 2, 2001