Development of the H-engine was announced in 1994 as a railway locomotive specific engine - the design was influenced by the transition to AC traction motors, which had increased adhesion and tractive effort characteristics, allowing an increase in usable power to be usefully converted traction - thus the new design was to have 6000 horsepower available for traction - a 6000 hp locomotive design would allow one to replace two of the very common 3000 hp SD40-2 locomotives.