GE P30CH

GE P30CH
Amtrak #712 in Southern Pacific service on the Peninsula Commute in 1978.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder GE Transportation Systems Model P30CH Build date 1975–76 Total produced 25
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co′Co′ Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Trucks GE 3-axle floating bolster Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 29° (199.70 ft or 60.87 m) Wheelbase Locomotive: 46 ft (14.02 m) Truck: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) Length 72 ft 4 in (22.05 m) Width 10 ft 8.8 in (3.27 m) Height 15 ft 4+1⁄2 in (4.69 m) Axle load 64,333 lb (29,181 kg) Adhesive weight 100% Loco weight 386,000 lb (175,087 kg) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 3,600 US gal (14,000 L; 3,000 imp gal) Lubricant cap. 380 US gal (1,400 L; 320 imp gal) Water cap. 385 US gal (1,460 L; 321 imp gal) Sandbox cap. 56 cu ft (1.59 m3) Prime mover GE 7FDL16 RPM range 450-1050 Engine type V16 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Displacement 175.2 liters (10,690 cu in) Alternator GTA11 Traction motors 6x GE 752 DC traction motors Cylinders 16 Cylinder size 10.95 liters (668 cu in) Transmission 75:28 gearing MU working Yes Train heating Locomotive-supplied head-end power rated at 750 kW Loco brake Pneumatic (26L) & Dynamic Train brakes Pneumatic
Performance figures Maximum speed 103 mph (166 km/h) Power output 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) Tractive effort 58,980 lbf (262 kN) @ 14.7 mph (23.7 km/h)
Career Operators Amtrak, some leased to SP Nicknames Pooch Last run 1991 Disposition All scrapped
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The GE P30CH was one of the first brand-new diesel-electric locomotives built for Amtrak by General Electric during Amtrak's early years. The design was based on the GE U30C, but had a cowl carbody like its EMD competitors. Amtrak operated them between 1975 and 1992.

History

Amtrak ordered 25 P30CHs in 1974, following up on its order of 40 EMD SDP40Fs in 1973. The designation "P30CH" stood for the following: "P" for passenger service, "30" for the 3,000 horsepower V16 GE 7FDL diesel engine, "C" for C-C wheel arrangement, and "H" for head-end power. This designation led to the units being nicknamed "Pooch".

The P30CH was the first Amtrak diesel locomotive built from the factory to offer HEP (head end power) in the form of 2 Detroit Diesel generator sets, each rated at 375 kW for a combined total of 750 kW.

The six-axle P30CHs, which cost Amtrak $480,000 each, were plagued with mechanical problems and were never very popular with crews or Amtrak management. In the mid-1970s Amtrak moved away from six-axle designs in favor of four-axle units; four-axle locomotives could better handle routes with numerous curves. Ultimately the four-axle EMD F40PHs quickly began to supersede the P30CHs soon after their introduction by Amtrak.

Amtrak leased fifteen to the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1978 for use on the Peninsula Commute between San Francisco and San Jose, California. Caltrans leased several P30CHs for its abortive Oxnard–Los Angeles "CalTrain" commuter service.

Two units were wrecked prior to official retirement. In 1977, P30CH #713 was involved in a collision with some log trucks. In 1979 P30CH #715 was involved in a collision with an Illinois Central freight train.

In the later years of their Amtrak careers, the locomotives were used regularly into the mid-1980s on the Sunset Limited and Auto Train routes. With the introduction of the Genesis series and the Dash 8-32BWH series, the P30CHs had their final runs in late 1991; (with one being sold off for use in safety tests) and all have been presumed scrapped.

Original owners

GE produced 25 P30CHs, all of which were delivered to Amtrak:

Original Owner	Road Numbers	Quantity	Builder Numbers	Notes
Amtrak	700-724	25	40694-40718	15 units leased to Southern Pacific in 1978. 713 wrecked and retired after a grade crossing accident in 1977. 715 wrecked and retired after being involved in the Harvey, Illinois train collision

External links

• Media related to GE P30CH locomotives at Wikimedia Commons