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GE's "B30-7" and "B30-7A": A 3,000 HP Model In The Dash 7 Line

Last revised: August 22, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The B30-7 was one of two high-horsepower, four-axle models General Electric offered in its "Dash 7" line and a direct successor to GE's earlier U30B.

The B30-7 was intended for high-speed freight service but didn't enjoy sales as strong as the earlier B23-7.  Nevertheless, the model did sell some 399 units when production had ended in the fall of 1983.

GE gave little fanfare to its newest models and the B30-7 was no different.  The Frisco was the first to receive the variant in December, 1977 when units #863-870 rolled out of Erie.

As GE became an increasingly successful builder, railroads were evermore willing to test and purchase its models.  This was largely thanks to the company standing behind its products and willing to make improvements whenever necessary.

The B30-7 was somewhat unique in that GE ultimately produced three spinoffs; the B30-7A, B30-7A1 and cabless B30-7A(B).  The common theme among all three was the use of a 12-cylinder, 7FDL12 prime mover in place of the standard 16-cylinder, 7FDL16 engine.

The updated power plant's major advantage was the ability to still offer 3,000 horsepower while providing fewer moving parts (lower maintenance) and utilizing less fuel. 

Today, Southern Pacific #7863 is preserved in its original colors and number by the Denver & Rio Grande Historical Foundation.

Photos

A former Chessie System/Chesapeake & Ohio B30-7 is looking a bit rough, seen here during the early CSX era at Rocky Mount, North Carolina in May, 1993. GE's factory paint for the Chessie livery did not hold up well. Warren Calloway photo.

History

The B30-7 appeared quite similar to late era U-boat models, like the U30B and U33B.  Aside from its increased length of two feet, perhaps the easiest way to distinguish it is the slightly wider hood from just ahead of the exhaust stack to the rear radiator, which housed the relocated oil cooler.  

This "notch" is easily identifiable and most prevalent when viewing the locomotive from front-to-back rather than at the side.

The introduction of the "Dash 7" line brought with it new model designations.  In regards to the B30-7:

• "B" referred to a four-axle (B-B) locomotive.

• "30" designated the horsepower rating of 3,000.

• "7" indicated the "Dash 7" line was introduced in 1976.

As always, the B30-7 came equipped with the company's 4-cycle model 7FDL16 prime mover utilizing the company's latest traction motor, the model 752AF.

Burlington Northern B30-7A(B) #4016 is seen here, circa 1983. Mike Bledsoe photo. American-Rails.com collection.

The locomotive and its more powerful cousin, the B36-7, were designed for high speed freight service in low-grade corridors where high tractive efforts were unnecessary.

As Brian Solomon notes in his book, "GE And EMD Locomotives," Southern Pacific and subsidiary St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) used their B30-7s to pull priority intermodal freights known as the "Blue Streak" and "Memphis Blue Streak."

Upon request from Missouri Pacific, General Electric also manufactured a variant, the B30-7A. This locomotive was externally identical to the B23-7 but featured an uprated 12-cylinder, 7FDL prime mover that could also produce 3,000 horsepower.

This improvement enabled greater fuel savings and lower maintenance costs. The MP had three of their final B23-7s uprated to 3,000 horsepower (#4667-4669) and was so happy with the results the company purchased 54 examples of the B30-7A. 

Southern Pacific B30-7 #7842, a quartet of EMD's, and another GE unit lead a freight near Corsicana, Texas, circa 1982. Mike Bledsoe photo. American-Rails.com collection.

The success of this experiment saw other roads purchase versions of the B30-7A; the B30-7A1 and the B30-7A(B).  The former was acquired by the Southern Railway and included 22 units while the latter was a cabless variant purchased by Burlington Northern that totaled 120 examples.

The B30-7A1 is also notable for featuring a high, short hood (standard practice for the Southern at the time) and having the equipment blower moved from the rear of the locomotive (near the radiator) to just behind the cab as Louis Marre and Jerry Pinkepank note in their book "The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide, The: A Comprehensive Reference Manual To Locomotives Since 1972."

Data Sheets and Specifications

B30-7

B30-7A, B30-7A1, B30-7A(B)

Production Rosters

B30-7

B30-7A

B30-7A1

B30-7A(B)

Sources

• Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.

• Marre, Louis A. and Pinkepank, Jerry A. Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide, The: A Comprehensive Reference Manual To Locomotives Since 1972.  Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1989.

• McDonnell, Greg. Locomotives: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference, 2nd Edition. Buffalo: Boston Mills Press/Firefly Books, 2015.

• Solomon, Brian. American Diesel Locomotive, The. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 2000.

• Solomon, Brian.  GE and EMD Locomotives:  The Illustrated History.  Minneapolis:  Voyageur Press, 2014.

• Solomon, Brian. GE Locomotives: 110 Years Of General Electric Motive Power. St. Paul: MBI Publishing, 2003.

Union Pacific B30-7A #220 (ex-Missouri Pacific #4820) in service. No date or location provided. American-Rails.com collection.

When General Electric ended production on the B30-7 in October, 1983 the company had sold 398 examples in the following configurations:

• B30-7 = 199 Units


• B30-7A = 57 Units


• B30-7A1 = 22 Units


• B30-7A(B) = 120 Units

The railroads to purchase the B30-7 series included the C&O/Chessie System, Frisco, Louisville & Nashville, Cotton Belt/SP, Seaboard Coast Line, Southern Railway, and Southern Pacific.