From: x90ochs2@gw.wmich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: CSX GP30 sighted
Date: 5 Jan 93 03:10:13 EST
Distribution: usa
Organization: Western Michigan University

In article <1993Jan4.224402.27806@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>, ehr@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Ernest H. Robl) writes:
> In article <1993Jan4.202410.10030@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, jrblack@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James R Black) writes:
>>      The last 2 trips down to Southern West Virginia I've made in the last
>> couple of months, I've come away with a strange sighting.  It seems there
>> is a GP-30 doing pusher service on the Allegheny section of CSX between
>> Hinton - Ronceverte - Clifton Forge.  The first time I saw the unit, it was
>> painted entirely light grey with no markings.  When I saw it last week, they
>> had painted a blue CSX on the side.  Anyone like to comment?
> 
> 
> Was it working with another unit?  If so, are you sure it wasn't 
> one of the GP30s that was converted to a road slug?  (cab, traction
> motors, but no prime mover -- with the traction motors getting 
> power from the other unit)
> 
> The way to tell:  (1) Doors on body blanked out; (2) extra jumper
> cables between it and adjoining unit.
> 

Actually, there are GP30's running around (not road slugs trapped in the
bodies of GP30s either!)
They go from 4200-4266 with a 4226 being empty (it was just scrapped recently)
They are originally from the C&O 3000 series and B&O 6900 series.
Most of these are in Chessie, some are in CSX, and a couple even wear the
new paint scheme, but a couple are still in B&O paint, including
4236 which has the blue with a dome on the front and rear, with the old
sunburst showing through, plus the old number showing on the cab (6914) and
the old letter style on the long hood under the paint.
The other unit is 4253, which the B&O Historical Society (I think that's the
correct organization) restored it to it's original paint scheme (well, almost)
They repainted the nose, giving it a sunburst, redid the lettering on the
long hood, to reflect the original style of lettering, and put the small style
of number on the cab the was originally on them as delivered.
The reason these GP30's are still around was they were rebuilt in the 80's
and are actually called GP30m's and only deliver 2000 HP instead of the normal
2250 HP. All the original unrebuilt GP30's became roadslug fodder.
(note also that some of the roadslugs that look like GP30's came from ex
ICG, ex GM&O GP30s)

The road slugs look pretty much like the original engine, including all the
cowling going from the dynamic brake blister forward. They retain their
cabs, and the dynamic brakes. They have no hood doors, except 2 small ones
at the rear of the unit. They also have no radiator fans at the rear, as 
well as no intake screens under the fans. The rear of the units have no
numberboards or headlights, since they are made to be coupled with a 
"mother" GP40 and can't run without one. They also serve as fuel tenders,
with a regular road unit fuel tank which the mother unit can draw from.
They also have been ballasted to weigh the same as they did when they were
originally GP30's (or GP35's which also became roadslugs)

hope this helps!
(I'll even include my old GP30 signature I used to put in...)

Fred Ochs

x90ochs2@gw.wmich.edu   (VAX)
ochs@sol.cs.wmich.edu (UNIX)

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A GP30 with some imagination ;^)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad