GE C30-7

{{Infobox locomotive

| name = GE C30-7

| powertype = Diesel-electric

| gauge = {{track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
{{track gauge|1520mm|lk=on}}, Estonia

| builder = GE Transportation Systems

| buildmodel = C30-7

| image = UP 2482 (C30-7) at Granger, WY in December 1984 (27291009492).jpg

| caption = UP 2482 at Granger, Wyoming in 1984

| aarwheels = C-C

| uicclass = Co'Co

| fueltype = Diesel

| primemover = GE 7FDL-16, 7FDL-12

| enginetype = V16 (V12 on C30-7A)

| generator = Auxiliary Generator: GY 27 Alternator: GY27

| tractionmotors = 6x GE 752

| builddate = 1976–1986

| cylindercount = 16 (12 on C30-7A)

| cylindersize =

| transmission = Diesel-electric

| multipleworking = AAR

| locobrakes = Dynamic brake, Westinghouse

| trainbrakes = Westinghouse

| coupling = Knuckles coupler

| maxspeed = {{Convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}

| poweroutput = {{convert|3000|hp|abbr=on|lk=on}}

| t/e starting = {{convert|91,600|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}

| t/e continuous = {{convert|91,500|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} @ 9.5 mph

| totalproduction = 1,137 (including 50 C30-7As)

| locale = North America, Estonia, Brazil, Iran, Peru

}}

The C30-7 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems between September 1976 and May 1986 as an updated U30C with a 16-cylinder {{convert|3000|hp}} FDL-series diesel engine.{{Cite book|last=McDonnell|first=Greg|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50411517|title=Field guide to modern diesel locomotives|date=2002|publisher=Kalmbach Publishing|isbn=0-89024-607-6|location=Waukesha, Wisc.|pages=44–47|oclc=50411517}} 1,137 were built for North American railroads.

GE's successor to the C30-7 was the C36-7, early versions of which were quite similar to the C30-7.

Variants

=C30-7A=

A variant of the C30-7, 50 GE C30-7As were purchased by Conrail 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 {{convert|3000|hp}} but the C30-7A's smaller engine used less fuel. The C30-7A units were built between May and June 1984.

Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia purchased twelve former Conrail C30-7A locomotives in 2001 and used their traction components in the rebuilding of 442 class locomotives as the GL class. These entered service in Australia from 2003.{{cite book| first=Leon| last=Oberg| title=Locomotives of Australia| year=1962| publisher=Rosenberg Publishing| isbn=978-1-877058-54-7| page=367}}

Original owners

Image:Mongolian Railways GE C30-7 Locomotive.jpg

class="wikitable"

! bgcolor=c0c090 | Railroad

! bgcolor=c0c090 | Quantity

! bgcolor=c0c090 | Road numbers

! bgcolor=c0c090 | 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 by Conrail, Helm Leasing, and Union 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

|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

Use in Estonia

File:Tapa train station.jpg in 2005.]]

In 2003 19 C30-7As were rebuilt and exported to Estonia 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 (formerly EVR 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.{{Cite news| url=https://www.railjournal.com/locomotives/operail-rebuilds-ge-locomotives/| title=Estonia's Operail rebuilds US diesel locomotives| date=2018-10-19| work=International Railway Journal| access-date=2018-10-23| language=en-US}}

Preservation

L&N 7067 is preserved and owned by the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation.{{cite web |date=May 25, 2021 |title=Kentucky Steam Heritage Adds L&N C30-7 to Collection |url=https://dieselera.com/kentucky-steam-heritage-adds-ln-c30-7-to-collection/}} This unit was previously painted for Marshall University and numbered 1837.
Brazil's only surviving C30-7A, Rumo Logistca #7202, was restored in time for use on Rumo Logistica's annual Christmas on Rails train in December 2018.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-18 |title=Brazilian group restores C30-7A in time for holiday train {{!}} Trains Magazine |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/18-brazilian-group-restores-c30-7a-in-time-for-holiday-train/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Trains |language=en-US}} This locomotive is one of seven C30-7As built for Brazil.

References

{{cite web| url=http://www.zone.ee/msts/real.htm| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224052303/http://www.zone.ee/msts/real.htm| archivedate=2008-02-24| title=(untitled)}}
{{cite journal| journal=Extra 2200 South}}{{full citation needed|date=February 2017}}
Diesel Era Volume 3 Number 3 May/June 1992 General Electric C30-7 by Warren Calloway pages 13–34.