Last revised: August 27, 2024
By: Adam Burns
The C30-7 was the original "Dash 7" model, introduced in September, 1976 when Burlington Northern #5500 rolled out of GE's plant in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The model succeeded the earlier U30C, General Electric's most successful design up until that time selling 606 examples. The C30-7 nearly doubled that total and put GE on the map as a serious competitor to Electro-Motive.
As Greg McDonnell notes in his book, "Locomotives: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference, Second Edition," GE timed the C30-7's release perfectly with a national coal boom, particularly for the Burlington Northern which began moving large amounts out of Wyoming's Powder River Basin.
Today, you can still find examples of the C30-7 operating around the country in active revenue but only on regionals and short lines.
Additionally, while the design is still somewhat young there is one already preserved; Louisville & Nashville #7087 parades as New Hope & Ivyland #7087 in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
The C30-7 continued improvements to GE's high-horsepower, six-motored line. It boasted an upgraded electrical system and tractive effort. In addition, the company was able to improve fuel efficiency by 16% during production.
The C30-7's primary differences from its predecessor included:
The C30-7 came equipped with GE's standard 4-cycle model FDL16 prime mover utilizing the company's very reliable 752 model traction motors.
The introduction of the "Dash 7" line brought with it new model designations and meanings behind the numbers and letters. In regards to the C30-7:
Meant for use in heavy freight/drag service the design offered tractive efforts of 105,000 pounds of starting effort and 96,900 pounds of continuous effort at 8.8 mph.
In regards to carbody styling, this actually changed very little from the Universal line and the C30-7 was actually the exact same length as the U30C (67 feet, 3 inches).
Again, the only noticeable difference from the two models was the flared radiator on the model, a feature that would become a trademark of virtually all future GE models that began with the late U-boat models.
Of note, General Electric also manufactured a variant of the locomotive, the C30-7A. As with the four axle B30-7A the only difference was the smaller prime mover, a 12-cylinder FDL that offered the same 3,000 horsepower but was more fuel efficient.
C30-7
Entered Production | 9/1976 (Burlington Northern #5500) |
Years Produced | 9/1976 - 5/1986 |
GE Class | C30-7 |
Engine | 7FDL16 (16 cylinder) |
Engine Builder | General Electric |
Horsepower | 3000 |
RPM | 1050 |
Length | 67' 3" |
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab) | 15' 4 1/2" |
Width | 9' 1" |
Weight | 359,000 - 420,000 Lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 3,000 Gallons |
Air Compressor | 3CDC (Westinghouse) |
Air Brake Schedule | 26L (Westinghouse) |
Trucks | C-C |
Truck Type | Floating Bolster FB3 (GE) |
Truck Wheelbase | 13' 7" |
Wheel Size | 40" |
Traction Motors | 752 (6), GE |
Traction Alternator | GTA11AC, GE |
Auxiliary Generator | GY27, GE |
MU (Multiple-Unit) | Yes |
Dynamic Brakes | Yes |
Gear Ratio | 83:20 |
Tractive Effort/Starting | 105,000 Lbs |
Tractive Effort/Continuous | 96,900 Lbs at 8.8 mph |
Top Speed | 70 mph |
C30-7A
Entered Production | 5/1984 (Conrail #6550) |
Years Produced | 5/1984 - 6/1984 |
GE Class | C30-7A |
Engine | 7FDL12 (12 cylinder) |
Engine Builder | General Electric |
Horsepower | 3000 |
RPM | 1050 |
Length | 67' 3" |
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab) | 15' 4 1/2" |
Width | 9' 1" |
Weight | 390,000 Lbs |
Fuel Capacity | 3,000 Gallons |
Air Compressor | 3CDC (Westinghouse) |
Air Brake Schedule | 26L (Westinghouse) |
Trucks | C-C |
Truck Type | Floating Bolster FB3 (GE) |
Truck Wheelbase | 13' 7" |
Wheel Size | 40" |
Traction Motors | 752 (6), GE |
Traction Alternator | GTA11AC, GE |
Auxiliary Generator | GY27, GE |
MU (Multiple-Unit) | Yes |
Dynamic Brakes | Yes |
Gear Ratio | 83:20 |
Tractive Effort/Starting | 105,000 Lbs |
Tractive Effort/Continuous | 96,900 Lbs at 8.8 mph |
Top Speed | 70 mph |
(Total Built = 1,078)
Owner | Road Number | Serial Number | Order Number | Completion Date | Quantity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Union Pacific | 2960-2974 | 41558-41572 | 1846 | 7/1977-9/1977 | 15 |
Santa Fe | 8010-8019 | 41663-41672 | 1853 | 12/1977 | 10 |
Santa Fe | 8020-8057 | 41687-41724 | 1866 | 3/1978-6/1978 | 38 |
Union Pacific | 2415-2429 | 41782-41796 | 1861 | 6/1978-7/1978 | 15 |
Santa Fe | 8058-8063 | 42080-42085 | 1885 | 10/1978 | 6 |
Burlington Northern | 5001-5007 | 42201-42207 | 1801 | 6/1979 | 7 |
Burlington Northern | 5500-5509 | 41400 | 1839 | 9/1976-12/1976 | 10 |
Burlington Northern | 5510-5529 | 41533-41552 | 1843 | 4/1977-7/1977 | 20 |
Burlington Northern | 5530-5544 | 41594-41608 | 1847 | 11/1977-12/1977 | 15 |
Conrail | 6600-6609 | 41626-41635 | 1849 | 11/1977 | 10 |
Burlington Northern | 5545-5566 | 41957-41978 | 1863 | 9/1978-10/1978 | 22 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 6700 | 42208 | 1871 | 12/1978 | 1 |
Norfolk & Western | 8003-8037 | 42018-42052 | 1862 | 12/1978 | 35 |
Union Pacific | 2430-2459 | 42093-42122 | 1894 | 12/1978-1/1979 | 30 |
Burlington Northern | 5567-5581 | 42168-42182 | 1891 | 1/1979-2/1979 | 15 |
Burlington Northern | 5582-5599 | 42183-42200 | 1801 | 6/1979 | 18 |
Louisville & Nashville (Family Lines System) | 7000-7015 | 42289-42304 | 1884 | 2/1979-3/1979 | 16 |
Norfolk & Western | 8038-8082 | 42330-42374 | 1802 | 10/1979 | 45 |
Santa Fe | 8064-8098 | 42375-42409 | 1892 | 4/1979-5/1979 | 35 |
Seaboard Coast Line (Family Lines System) | 7016-7024 | 42437-42445 | 1896 | 3/1979 | 9 |
Seaboard Coast Line (Family Lines System) | 7025-7031 | 42446-42452 | 1803 | 8/1979 | 7 |
Louisville & Nashville (Family Lines System) | 7032-7051 | 42453-42472 | 1822 | 9/1979 | 20 |
Santa Fe | 8099-8122 | 42500-42523 | 1825 | 5/1980-6/1980 | 24 |
Burlington Northern | 5008-5009 | 42571-42572 | 1811 | 9/1979 | 2 |
Burlington Northern | 5000 | 42573 | 1811 | 10/1979 | 1 |
Burlington Northern | 5010-5046 | 42574-42610 | 1811 | 9/1979-11/1979 | 37 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 6701-6729 | 42651-42679 | 1878 | 11/1979 | 29 |
Union Pacific | 2460-2499 | 42700-42739 | 1823 | 1/1980-2/1980 | 40 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 6730-6759 | 42740-42769 | 1877 | 12/1979 | 30 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 6760-6784 | 42814-42838 | 1879 | 1/1980 | 25 |
Burlington Northern | 5047-5075 | 42839-42867 | 1824 | 3/1980-7/1980 | 29 |
Burlington Northern | 5076-5111 | 42868-42903 | 1826 | 4/1980-6/1980 | 36 |
Burlington Northern | 5112-5126 | 42904-42918 | 1831 | 7/1980 | 15 |
Seaboard Coast Line (Family Lines System) | 7052-7059 | 43011-43018 | 1827 | 3/1980-6/1980 | 8 |
Seaboard Coast Line (Family Lines System) | 7060-7061 | 43019-43020 | 1888/1894 | 6/1980 | 2 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 6785-6799 | 43038-43052 | 1832 | 7/1980 | 15 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 9600-9605 | 43053-43058 | 1832 | 7/1980-8/1980 | 6 |
Louisville & Nashville (Family Lines System) | 7062-7069 | 43059-43066 | 1834 | 8/1980 | 8 |
Union Pacific | 2500-2539 | 43067-43106 | 1862 | 8/1980-10/1980 | 40 |
Burlington Northern | 5127-5141 | 43162-43176 | 1864/1874 | 3/1981-6/1981 | 15 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 9606-9646 | 43201-43242 | 1863 | 8/1980-1/1981 | 41 |
Santa Fe | 8123-8152 | 43550-43579 | 1872 | 5/1981-7/1981 | 30 |
Ferrocarril del Pacífico | 434-455 | 43600-43621 | 1873 | 7/1981-8/1981 | 22 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11001-11004 | 43622-43625 | 1873 | 1/1982 | 4 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 9647-9652 | 43626-43631 | 1875 | 4/1981-5/1981 | 6 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11005-11028 | 43650-43673 | 1876 | 1/1982-2/1982 | 24 |
Seaboard Coast Line (Family Lines System) | 7070-7094 | 43680-43704 | 1888/1894 | 10/1981-11/1981 | 25 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11029-11039 | 43820-43830 | 1878 | 2/1982-3/1982 | 11 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11040-11068 | 43894-43922 | 1879 | 6/1982-10/1982 | 29 |
Santa Fe | 8153-8166 | 44067-44080 | 1897 | 12/1982-1/1983 | 14 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11069-11090 | 44179-44200 | 1823 | 6/1984-10/1984 | 22 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11099-11128 | 44201-44230 | 1823 | 11/1984-1/1985 | 30 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11091-11098 | 44231-44238 | 1826 | 11/1984-1/1985 | 8 |
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México | 11129-11148 | 44509-44528 | 1832 | 3/1983-7/1986 | 20 |
Ferrocarril del Pacífico | 456-459 | 44960-44963 | 1844 | 5/1986 | 4 |
(Total Built = 50)
Owner | Road Number | Serial Number | Order Number | Completion Date | Quantity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conrail | 6550-6599 | 44539-44588 | 1841 | 5/1984-6/1984 | 50 |
The locomotive was requested by Conrail, who received its sixty units between May and June 1984 (numbered 6550-6609). Orders for the C30-7 began in September, 1976 when the Burlington Northern requested a small batch and sales took off from that point.
Roads like the Union Pacific, BN, and Santa Fe all purchased 140 or more examples and Mexican system Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México bought a whopping 301 units.
By the time production was completed in mid-1984 on the C30-7, GE had sold some 1,128 units to UP, BN, AT&SF, Conrail (the road also purchased 10 standard examples of the design), Louisville & Nashville, Norfolk & Western, and Seaboard Coast Line.
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