In late 2022, 50 M3 & K7 motors were ordered for the China Tunnel Railway project (to replace the diesels that currently power the coast-to-Chicago trains west of Owego. The Portland shops didn’t have the capacity to produce all of them quickly, so subcontracted with ILW to build 12 of the K7 order instead.

The K8 has a carbody much like ILW’s streamlined eco-series locomotives, but otherwise has no notable differences from the Portland K7s.