An Electro-Motive Division GP30, one of the most recognizable diesels of the second generation, is now available in HO scale from ScaleTrains. The Rivet Counter line model has railroad-specific details, semi-scale Type E couplers, and all-wheel drive and electrical pickup.
Prototype history
Electro-Motive Division produced the GP30 between July 1961 and November 1963. During the course of the production run, 908 units were built for railroads in the United States and Canada.
The sample we received is decorated as Conrail 2229, part of the railroad’s 2168 through 2249 series. The GP30s in this group were former New York Central, Reading Co., and Pennsylvania RR (PRR) units. The 2229 was built in April 1963 as PRR 2229. The diesel retained its number when it became part of the Penn Central fleet in 1968. Conrail retired the 2229 in April 1991.
Model features
The ScaleTrains GP30 has a plastic shell with many separate, factory-applied parts. Some of the prototype-specific details on Conrail 2229 include four round sight glasses behind the cab on the engineer’s side (for the oil bath air filters), a cab signal box in front of the cab on the same side, and train-phone antenna brackets along the top edges of the long hood.
To separate the shell from the die-cast metal chassis, I removed the front and rear draft-gear boxes. The motor, framed by two flywheels, is located in the center of the chassis. The motherboard and ESU decoder are above the motor. The speakers and super capacitors are over the rear truck.
Tale of the tape
The Conrail Blue paint is smooth and evenly applied. The pilots, walkways, and stepwells are black. The white graphics are opaque, and the placement matches images I found online.
I compared the model to drawings found in Specifications: General Motors GP30 2250 H.P. Diesel-Electric Road Locomotive (Electro-Motive Division, 1962). The Rivet Counter line locomotive matches or is within scale inches of published dimensions.
Our sample is equipped with a dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder. I did the initial testing in our workshop using an NCE Power Cab. At step 1, the GP30 moved at under 1 scale mph. At step 28, the road switcher achieved a top speed of 70 mph. The prototype had a speed range of 71 to 83 mph depending on the gear ratio.
I then took the GP30 over to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout for the hill test. The model muscled 11 50-foot insulated boxcars up the 3% grade between Williams Bay and Skyridge. Editor Eric White tested the unit on our Wisconsin & Southern layout. He reported that the model ran without issue while pulling a train and switching industries.
ScaleTrains went all out with its initial release of the HO scale GP30. In addition to versions with low and high short hoods, the manufacturer also offers a cabless Union Pacific GP30B in freight and passenger versions as well as the CSX RDMT Road Slug.
See a video of the ScaleTrains HO EMD GP30 in action on Trains.com.
Facts & features
Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin connector, $199.99; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder, $299.99
Manufacturer
ScaleTrains
4901 Old Tasso Rd. NE
Cleveland, TN 37312
Era: 1976 to April 1991 (as decorated)
Road names: Conrail; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Chicago & North Western; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; CSX (RDMT road slug); Denver & Rio Grande Western; Norfolk & Western (high short hood); Pennsylvania RR; Southern Ry. (high short hood); St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt); and Union Pacific (GP30 and GP30B).
Features
- Correctly gauged wheels
- Metal semi-scale Type E coupler,
- Minimum radius, 18”; recommended radius, 22”
- Weight: 14.1 ounces
