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TheC30-7 is a 6-axlediesel-electric locomotive built byGE Transportation Systems between September 1976 and May 1986 as an updatedU30C with a 16-cylinder 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) FDL-series diesel engine.[1] 1,137 were built for North American railroads.
GE's successor to the C30-7 was theC36-7, early versions of which were quite similar to the C30-7.[1]
A variant of the C30-7, 50 GE C30-7As were purchased byConrail in mid-1984. Externally similar to the GE C30-7 model, six tall hood doors per side (in place of eight) showed it had a 12-cylinder (rather than 16-cylinder) prime mover. Both engines produced 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) but the C30-7A's smaller engine used less fuel. The C30-7A units were built between May and June 1984.[1]
Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia purchased twelve former Conrail C30-7A locomotives in 2001 and used their traction components in the rebuilding of442 class locomotives as the GL class. These entered service in Australia from 2003.[2]
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 157 | 8010-8166 | Remaining units went to BNSF after the BN-ATSF merger in 1996. Most were returned to GE prior to merger and subsequently acquired byConrail, Helm Leasing, andUnion Pacific. All sold in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Many have found their way to the ALL (America Latina Logistica) Railroad in Brazil. |
| Burlington Northern Railroad | 242 | 5000-5141, 5500-5599 | BN 5500 was the first locomotive with this model, and was built in September 1976. Remaining units went to BNSF after the BN-ATSF merger in 1996. All sold in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Many have found their way to the ALL (America Latina Logistica) Railroad in Brazil. |
| Conrail | 60 | 6550-6609 | 6550-6599 were model C30-7A. 12 exported to Australia and later rebuilt into NSW GL Class locomotives. Others exported to Estonia and rebuilt for use on Eesti Raudtee. |
| Ferrocarril del Pacífico | 26 | 434-459 | |
| Louisville and Nashville Railroad | 44 | 7000-7015, 7032–7051, 7062-7069 | Delivered in Family Lines paint. |
| Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 305 | 6700-6799, 9600–9656, 11001-11148 | 11040-11090, 11129-11148 built from kits in Mexico |
| UBTZ | 2 | DASH7-1, DASH7-2 | Delivered with export model cabs attached to standard C30-7 bodies |
| Norfolk and Western Railway | 80 | 8003-8082 | |
| Seaboard Coast Line Railroad | 51 | 7016-7031, 7052–7061, 7070-7094 | Delivered in Family Lines paint |
| Union Pacific Railroad | 140 | 2415–2539, 2960–2974 |
In 2003 19 C30-7As were rebuilt and exported toEstonia as C30-7Ais to be used by EVR (Eesti Raudtee) which at that time was privately owned. The locos were numbered as part of Class 1500 (1558–1576) and were second-hand from Conrail/CSX/NS (USA).
In 2018,Operail (formerlyEVR Cargo) announced it had completed its first conversion of the series with #1564.International Railway Journal reported, "Only the frames and bogies of the original locomotive were retained and the C30-M features a new centrally-positioned driver’s cab and a 1.55MW Caterpillar 3512C HD diesel engine." The converted unit has a 1524mm track gauge and weighs 138 tonnes. Operail's redesign makes the units suitable for shunting and line haul. The redesigned units are planned for internal use and export sales.[3]
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Media related toGE C30-7 locomotives at Wikimedia Commons