WC 715, a GP30 on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI

The EMD GP30 was a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle B-B diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between November 1963 and January 1966. 948 examples were built for railroads in the United States and Canada (2 only), including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad.

It was the first so-called "second generation" EMD diesel locomotive, and was produced in response to increased competition by new entrant GE's U25B in 1961 and ALCO's Century Series, which were released roughly at the same time as the GP30.

The GP30 is easily recognizable due to its high profile and stepped cab roof, unique among American locomotives. A number are still in service today in original or rebuilt form.

Development

The GP30 was conceived out of the necessity of matching new competitor GE's U25B. The U25B offered 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) while EMD's GP20 was only rated at 2,000 hp (1,500 kW). It also featured a sealed, airtight long hood with a single inertial air intake for electrical cooling, with a pressurised cooling system which kept dust out of the engine and equipment area. Finally, the entire design was optimised for ease of access and maintenance. The U25B demonstrators were receiving much praise—and orders—from the railroads that tested them. Meanwhile, ALCO had been producing the 2,400 hp (1,800 kW) RS-27 since 1959, though it had not sold well.

EMD's engine department managed to get an extra 250 horsepower out of the V16 567 engine; the new engine was designated the 567D3. 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) wasn't quite equivalent to the GE and ALCO offerings, but EMD hoped the railroads' familiarity with EMD equipment would improve their chances.

The locomotive in which it would be fitted was improved along the lines of the U25B; sealed long hood, central air intake, and engineered for easier maintenance access. The frame and trucks of the GP20 were carried across; the extra equipment for the centralized air system required more space behind the cab, and since the locomotive was not going to be lengthened, extra space was achieved vertically by raising the height of the locomotive, giving room for the central air system, turbocharger and electrical cabinet all behind the cab.

This extra height behind the cab meant that the body style used for previous GP units was not suitable. Since EMD needed the new locomotive to be visibly modern and updated, they turned to the GM Automotive Styling Center at Troy, Michigan for help. The automobile stylists created the GP30's trademark 'hump' and cab roof profile. The hump-like bulge started at the front of the cab and enveloped the air intakes for the central air system and the dynamic brake blister. Units ordered without dynamic brakes were the same shape, but lacked the intakes to cool the dynamic brake resistor grids.

For the first time on an EMD hood unit, a low short hood was the default. A high short hood could be ordered, but only holdouts Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway received such units.

EMD originally planned to name the locomotive the GP22, and the first demonstrators were put out under that number, but EMD's marketing department decided to leapfrog GE's numbering to make the new locomotive seem more advanced. Marketing literature claimed 30 distinct improvements from the GP20 and that this was the reason for the number.

Sales and in service

The GP30 successfully countered the GE threat and kept EMD in the dominant position in the North American diesel market. While losing a little horsepower to the GE and ALCO competition, the solidity and reliability of the GP30—and the familiarity of railroad mechanical departments with EMD products—ultimately won many more orders for EMD. 948 were sold, in comparison to 478 U25Bs. In addition, the GP30 was only sold until the end of 1963, while the U25B was available until 1966.

Most major railroads ordered GP30s, and many smaller ones did too. The largest orders were from the UP (152), SR (120), ATSF (85), and the B&O (77). The sole purchaser of B units (by the mid 1960s generally an outdated concept) was the UP, who kept the practice of running its locomotives in matched sets much longer than others. Eight of those 40 B units were fitted with steam generators for heating passenger trains, the only GP30s to receive them.

Some units for the GM&O, MILW and SOO were built from ALCO trade-ins and ride on AAR type B trucks instead of the standard Blomberg Bs.

An indisputable tribute to the quality of the GP30 design is the fact that a good number are still in service as of 2005, which is a service lifespan of over 40 years and well in excess of the design life of 25-30 years for the average diesel locomotive. Furthermore, when life-expired, some railroads chose to give them major rebuilds instead of scrapping them.

Rebuilds

The Burlington Northern Railroad was the most extensive rebuilder of GP30s. Finding a need for modernised units of lower horsepower, it sent GP30s—both its own and purchased from others—to be rebuilt. Some (70 units) were sent to EMD to be rebuilt with EMD 645-series engines, new generators, and Dash-2 modular electronic control systems; they are rated at 2,300 hp (1,720 kW), and are designated GP39E. Others (65 units) were sent to Morrison Knudsen (now MotivePower Industries) for similar work; these are rated at 3,000 hp (2,250 kW) and are designated GP39M. These units are still in service on local and smaller lines throughout the BNSF system.

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, meanwhile, performed a similar upgrade in its own Cleburne, Texas shops, stripping the locomotives down to bare metal and rebuilding with new equipment. EMD 645 engines rated at 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) replaced the old; the generators and traction motors were also upgraded; control and electrical equipment was replaced. The trucks were upgraded with Hyatt roller bearings and new brake systems. Rooftop air conditioners were added, and new horns. The locomotives were repainted into the blue and yellow Warbonnet scheme, and designated GP30u (for upgraded). 78 of these survived until the BNSF merger, and most are still in use on secondary service.

Preservation

According to John Komanesky's Preserved Diesels site, 17 GP30s have been preserved by a variety of museums, societies and tourist railways. This is in addition to a number still in operational use. A number of these preserved locomotives are in operational condition.

Specifications

Original owners

References

• Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Books, Waukesha, WI. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
• Hayden, Bob (Ed.) (1980). Model Railroader Cyclopedia-Volume 2: Diesel Locomotives. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-89024-547-9.
• Goodman, Eric. ATSF GP30u Project (http://www.qstation.org/EricGoodman/ericgoodman_gp30u.html). Retrieved on February 1, 2005.
• Trainpix.com. BNSF Motive Power Roster (http://archive.trainpix.com/bnsf/ROSTER.HTM). Retrieved on February 1, 2005.
• Strack, Don. Union Pacific’s EMD GP30s (http://utahrails.net/webpubs/up-gp30s.php). Retrieved on February 2, 2005.
• Komanesky, John. Preserved EMD Locomotives: All except Cab Units and Switchers (http://www.thedieselshop.us/PRSVDemdOthers.HTML). Retrieved on February 2, 2005.