The EMD GP30 is a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between July 1961 and November 1963. [2] A total of 948 units were built for railroads in the United States and Canada (2 only), including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad .

CR 2188 was the first GP30 in the Penn Central series. A typical stenciled PC GP30, a former NYC 6118, sits with NJ Transit equipment in New Jersey. Notice the blue cover plate on the lower portion of the nose. Note the spelled out "CONRAIL" on the long hood and nose, but no steel-wheel logo and still in PC black.

In the late 1950's the horsepower race was very heated and with the introduction of the 2500hp U25B from General Electric in 1960, EMD was caught short. It took 2 years to play catch-up and the result was the GP30. Conrail units came from two …

Feb 8, 2025 · Built by EMD in 1963 for the Pennsylvania RR, this loco was one of the last to be repainted in Conrail blue by former PRR employees at the Juniata Shops. Photo Date: 7/16/2007 Upload Date: 6/8/2018 5:33:05 AM

CR units on the wye at CSX Walbridge Yard. GP30 2229, U23B 2750 and a third unit.

Michael DeSoi's Primarily Philadelphia Area Conrail Photos Conrail in and Around Philadelphia Conrail on the Northeast Corridor EMD GP30 CR 2168 is the helper on a westbound at Frankford Junction, Philadelphia, PA. 5/17/1979

The roster below is comprehensive for Conrail's GP30 between April 1976 and the last unit's retirement in the early-1990's, and contains all predecessor units of the locomotive class that Conrail inherited.

GP30 2182 running long hood forward on the Northeast corridor. GP30's were rare enough on the B&A, but to catch one in the lead....THIS IS IT! BOEL passes the summit with GP15-1 1688 as second unit. Going, gone... A quartet of trade ins are dead in tow behind the road power on this westbound. Three GP 30's and a 35 are headed to the boneyard.

Advertised by EMD as a combination “high speed and heavy drag” locomotive, the GP30 immediately took over from first generation diesels as premier mainline freight power. Although bumped to lesser service by more powerful engines later in life, many served over four decades, considerably longer than the expected service life of a diesel.

Everything I have ever painted Conrail Blue was with Scalecoat. I have older and partially used bottles of Scalecoat Conrail Blue but the results are usually not as good. Tru Color is very available to me at Yankee Dabbler 4 miles away so I got 2 bottles. It went on extremely well - a perfect paint job. But it was too light blue for me.