The GP30 was a big seller in the US but only two were sold (to CP) in Canada. Does anyone know if these two were perhaps the tailend of someone else's order, or did CP really only want just two for some specific purpose? They were probably built in the US.. can't see the London plant retooling for a model that would only sell two.
My bro. and I had the pleasure of seeing the inside of one back in 1979 in Sherbrooke, QC. Back then it was ok to climb up onto a locomotive and start talking to the crew. We had a nice chat with the engineer and brakeman before they finally had to leave.
The turbocharged 567 engined units were not very popular in Canada; CP only had those GP30s and a small batch of GP35s, while CN only had 2 GP35s. Unfortunately I am also not sure of the reason for this either.
One (5000, nee 8200) has survived and is currently stored at the Alberta Railway Museum in northeast Edmonton, where I volunteer. I will have a look at the builder's plate next time I'm out there but I believe they were both built in London. They (and CP's GP35s) are unusual for a GMD-built unit in that the class light are the one aspect style La Grange used, with movable green and red lenses as opposed to the iconic GMD type with 3 aspects, which was normally mounted above the windshield and numberboards instead of on the nose like La Grange usually did.
I don't believe much retooling would have been needed, as GMD London was an assembly plant, most parts including the diesel engine were always built elsewhere.
Unfortunately 5000 is not a high priority project, due to our limited funding and volunteer hours (like most railway museums). She serves as our "gate guard", at the head of the lineup at the end of our track. In Action Red (no Multimark) which has faded closer to pink over time and missing some parts she has sat quietly for years now, awaiting a restoration project that unfortunately may never come.
Click this for a link to a photo.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
I think the big difference between the US and Canada with respect to the sales quantities of the GP30/GP35 is timing. In 1964 virtually all the road diesels that replaced steam in Canada were less than 15 years old, many under 10 years, so there was no interest in new power. In the US they were replacing the pioneer production diesels like 20 year old FTs with much cruder technology, so sales potential was much better. The early 1960s was a challenging time for Canadian locomotive manufacturers.
The GP30s were built in London.
Interesting stuff... CN was wise (or maybe just fortuitous) in purchasing only two GP35s as these engines stressed their 567 prime mover to the max and were apparently not well liked by the motive power department. Diddo for the 16 GP40s they bought in 1966-67.
The GP30 had a unique styling.
Can anyone explain that overhead sheet metal-ductwork-tunnel, what it was, what it did, and why was that feature not found on later models?
To our friends in Canada, can anyone explain what a roofline winterization hatch is, what it does, and how it does it? It appears to be a cover over some roof fans -- is it a cold weather adaptation much like those radiator covers you see on highway trucks in winder?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Paul Milenkovic The GP30 had a unique styling. Can anyone explain that overhead sheet metal-ductwork-tunnel, what it was, what it did, and why was that feature not found on later models? To our friends in Canada, can anyone explain what a roofline winterization hatch is, what it does, and how it does it? It appears to be a cover over some roof fans -- is it a cold weather adaptation much like those radiator covers you see on highway trucks in winter?
To our friends in Canada, can anyone explain what a roofline winterization hatch is, what it does, and how it does it? It appears to be a cover over some roof fans -- is it a cold weather adaptation much like those radiator covers you see on highway trucks in winter?
The sheet metal on the GP30 covered the electrical cabinet that literally was taller than the engine hood. It was 1961's GM styling answer to hiding a hump on the hood.
EMD managed to make the GP35 cabinet smaller. I was lucky enough to see an early EMD technical brochure where they proudly showed the reduction in size in the electrical cabinet compared to that on the GP30 and it didn't take much to put two and two together...
They didn't make the GP35 cabinet any simpler, quite the reverse...
Winterisation hatches usually cover one radiator fan and have a sliding cover that is open in summer to allow the fan to operate normally. In winter this cover is moved shut and the hot exhaust air from the radiator fan is directed by the winterisation hatch into the carbody just forward of the radiator to warm the engine compartment at the rear end.
M636C
a little off topic, but the other CP GP30 is in Fremont NE as a elevators goat.
Neat! Do you know how long it's been there, or if it had any other owners post-CP?
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