GE "C30-7" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History

Last revised: January 1, 2025

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.

Photos

Burlington Northern C30-7 #5003 was photographed here by Warren Calloway in Denver during July of 1991.

Overview

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:

Larger rare flared radiators.

A slightly wider hood from just ahead of the exhaust stack to the radiator cab, which housed the relocated oil cooler. This "notch" is the easiest way to identify the "Dash 7" line over the earlier U-boat.

Santa Fe C30-7 #8035 leads an eastbound over the Canyon Diablo Bridge (Arizona), circa 1983. Mike Bledsoe photo. American-Rails.com collection.

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:

"C" referred to a six-axle (C-C) locomotive.

"30" designated the horsepower rating (in this case 3,000 horsepower was available at the traction motors).

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

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.

Santa Fe C30-7 #8116 in service at San Bernardino, California on January 2, 1981. American-Rails.com collection.

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.

Data Sheets

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

Production Rosters

C30-7

(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

C30-7A

(Total Built = 50)

Owner	Road Number	Serial Number	Order Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Conrail	6550-6599	44539-44588	1841	5/1984-6/1984	50

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.

Burlington Northern C30-7 #5039 and SD40-2 #7275, along with a pair of Katy SD40-2's, lead empties westbound along Highway 95 in Sparks, Texas, circa 1983. This joint coal service between the two roads operated from BN's North Yard in Denver to Katy's Ney Yard in Fort Worth. The coal was then sent to Lower Colorado River Authority's coal-fired power plant in Fayetteville, Texas. On the return trip to Denver, two BN units were used to save on horsepower hours. Mike Bledsoe photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Reception

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.