B30‐7A - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
A Missouri Pacific B30-7A sits in a Kansas City, MO yard in April of 1985. Photo credit Edward M. DeRouin from the Chuck Zeiler collection.
The B30-7A is an uprated revision of the catalogued but unbuilt B28-7 from the 1976 New Series catalog, with a power uprate from 2750 to 3000 horsepower. Originally offered as a more fuel efficient B30-7, the B30-7A boasted a large number of iterative upgrades GE was using to bring the Series 7 up to spec with the recently announced EMD 50 Series. Electrically boasting the GTA-24 and SENTRY creep control, the B30-7A was intended to be a direct competitor to EMD's GP49 as well as a direct replacement to the B30-7.
GE originally approached Missouri Pacific, who were midway through an order of B23-7's in 1980, and asked to turn three into production demonstrators. The FDL12 could, theoretically, produce far more than 2250 horsepower, and GE themselves had catalogued a higher horsepower B28-7 with 2750 HP since 1976. MP accepted the offer, and the final three units in said order arrived as otherwise unmodified B23-7's but with 3000 horsepower. The trio were seemingly successful in both the eyes of GE and MP, as GE catalogued the B30-7A with a handful of other upgrades they had been tabling (such as SENTRY and the GTA-24) and MP began ordering more.
They would be the only factory standard B30-7A's produced. The next customer to step up was longtime V12 customer, Southern, who requested a carbody change on their B30-7A's to move the equipment blower out of the radiator compartment and into its own separate part of the hood, at the same location as the 6 axle Series 7's. This necessitated the extension of the frame by around a foot, producing an entirely unique construction. Despite the frame and equipment differences, they were otherwise identical electrically and mechanically to MP's. Contrary to popular belief, they were not referred to as B30-7A1's, rather as B30-7A's.
Southern B30-7A 3517 leads a train with a sister U23B trailing behind. Photo credit Warren Calloway
The next and final customer of the B30-7A was also its most numerous. Burlington Northern approached GE in 1982 with an offer to purchase 53 B30-7A's with one very specific and famous order modification: the units were to be built without any control gear or cabs. GE accepted and produced the order, with BN returning for another order of 67 in 1983, with this order coming with GE's brand new optional electrically blown dynamic brake gear. The first order was later upgraded with the electrically blown dynamic brake equipment around 1985. Originally purchased to be cheaper to operate equivalents to some of BN's most numerous road power models in overland service (the SD40-2), all 120 units were assigned to overland trains between Chicago and Seattle, although some made it into other services in and around Colorado. As with the Southern units, they were simply referred to as B30-7A's, despite their obvious lack of cabs.
Burlington Northern B30-7A 4057 is being prepped for maintenance work with a covered stack and engine compartment doors open. Of note is the large box holding the electrically blown dynamic brake equipment; not dissimilar to the design used by MLW on their M line. Photo credit Chuck Zeiler.
The B30-7A was replaced in GE's catalog by the B32-8 in late 1984, which went unsold (three demos were built for BN- they did not get sold). 196 total B30-7A's were built, with the fleet dispersing out across the world after the mid 2000's. Many went to South America, some went to Mexico, a few went to shortline operators in the US and Canada, and today only two remain in the US on the Natchez Railway (one from MP and one from BN).
PT-Specific Information
| General Info | - |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | GE-7FDL12G |
| Horsepower | 3000 |
| Truck Type | GE FB-2 (1) |
| Axles | 4 |
| Traction Motors | 4 |
| Minimum Weight | 253,000 lbs |
| Maximum Weight | 280,000 lbs (3) |
| Model Base Speed | 70 MPH |
| Top Speed | 70, 79, or 88 MPH |
| Electrical System | - |
|---|---|
| Generator Max Current | 5400 Amps ⚠ |
| Max Traction Motor (TM) Current | 1600 Amps |
| Max Continuous TM Current | 1195 Amps |
| Traction Motor Type | DC |
| Factor of Adhesion | 29% ⚠ |
| Transition Mode | Automatic, no selector |
| Transition Groups | 1 |
| Transition Shunts | 1 |
| Generator Transition | Yes |
| Traction Control | APR + Sand (2) |
| Dynamic Braking (DB) Mode (if used) | Mechanical Blowers (3) |
| DB Max Current | 740 Amps ⚠ |
| DB Max Continuous Current | 740 Amps |
| Blended Braking | No |
| Miscellaneous | - |
|---|---|
| Head-End Power (HEP) | No |
| HEP Power Consumption | N/A |
| HEP Standby/Run Mode | N/A |
| Load Ramp Speed | 3 Amps/Tick |
| TM Overload Protection | Yes |
| Starter Mode | Manual Primer, Manual Start |
| Air Brake Schedule | 26-L |
| Compressor CFM | 236.25 (Wabco 3CDCBL @ 1050 RPM) |
| Main Reservoir Volume | 32.4 Cu.Ft |
Notes
⚠: Not Verified or Educated Guess
(1): Some B30-7A's that were shipped to South America went with AAR Type B's. None were built with Type B's and it was not an option from the factory, although the bolsters are the same.
(2): SENTRY wheelslip control is a creep control system that functions largely identical to Super Series. Please replace this with a correct one when PT2 has the functionality thank u - bougwarde
(3): Electrically blown dynamics were offered as an upgrade kit from GE. Ratings are the same; the point of the electrically blown dynamics was to reduce wear on the engine.