After ILW produced the class R1 & R2 motors for the Chicago electrification, the Portland Shops licensed the R1 drivetrain for a newer version of the class K series. The class K8 motors that started rolling off the line in 2025 are internally a souped up copy of the R1 – similar tractive effort, but capable of 9400 continuous HP (with an hour rating of roughly 11000 HP.)

These units are, like classes L & R1, geared for 200KPH (these speeds are only allowed on the B&Q between Bangor & Augusta, Maine, the PV&T between Rochester & Barrington, New Hampshire, the D&H between Attica & Cheektowaga, New York, and the OSW between Fort Erie & Courtright, Ontario; in practice, trains never run over 160KPH on any of this trackage.)

The first two K8s were put into service hauling intermodal freight bwtween St John, NB and Chicago, IL. Subsequent motors are primarily assigned to intermodal traffic everywhere, up to and including the KCSM’s electric district from Cuidad de México to Querétaro.