The EMD SD40-2 is a 3,000-horsepower (2,200 kW) C-C diesel-electric locomotive built by EMD from 1972 to 1989. The GE C30-7 is a 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems between 1976 and 1986 You still a lot of sd40 so where did C30-7 go
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To the scrap pile. the 40 was one of the beat overal diesel electrics ever built. GE's of the period, well, was not worth rebuilding.
Well, to be blunt,,,,,the GE units of that era where simply pos!!!
Montreal Maine & Atlantic still runs a few and they like look JUNK!
Gunny
Some C30-7's made it scrap; however, some see service on the international market while others were broken down and individual components used to rebuild other locomotives.
Some GE's of the time such as the B23-7 are still in service. Smaller, moderate horsepower 4-axle units are not easily replaced. A little later, but the B40-8W's are approaching 25 years of service and still go strong.
The EMD SD40-2 was one of the best diesel locomotives ever built. EMD got it right when they built the Dash-2 line of 40 series locomotives. They were reliable, strong pullers and relatively easy to maintain.
On the other hand the "Dash 7" line from GE was...well...I'll be polite and just say they were not one of GE's better ideas. 
The EMD SD40-2 was one of the best diesel locomotives ever built. EMD got it right when they built the Dash-2 line of 40 series locomotives. They were reliable, strong pullers and relatively easy to maintain.
On the other hand the "Dash 7" line from GE was...well...I'll be polite and just say they were not one of GE's better ideas.
GE: We bring good things to life! Did not apply to these locos!
Here is a trio on Q 216, a heavy manifest, pulling the west slope of Sand Patch last week. The middle one is an SD40-3, 4013, an SD40-2 CSX rebuild.
Here is a bit more info on the SD40-3 rebuild program.
http://wvncrails.weebly.com/sd...-new-locomotive.html
Evidently the SD40's are going to live a lot longer!
If you want to see any number of C30-7’s working today, go to Brazil. Many were sent down there and rebuilt. Some got broad gauge trucks and others got porches and BB-BB meter gauge trucks.
SD40-2's have been going to Brazil by the boat load too. (pun intended 
) This SD40-2 is now classified as BB40-2 and runs on meter gauge track.
These two pictures are from a friend of mine who lives in Brazil.
Greg Elems
I hear the RR thinks they can get another 20 years after rebuilding the SD40s in -3s. That will make them 50 years old!
The only improvement I see on the SD40-3s are the stronger noses for protection in collisions, and the extra head-space inside. Operationally, it's like running a widebody. The brakes have a computer interface like on the widebodies, so the indy is kinda sluggish to apply & release, and they don't seem to load as well.
This also means no place behind the automatic to stick 'yer bulletins. (and no clipboard anywhere either!)
In addition, they took away the heater in front of the engineer's seat, so you've got nothing to put your feet on, except flat on the floor. No bar, or anything down there.
The "new" control stands are largely missing the "shelf" below the air gauges (now a computer display), so there isn't any place in the engine besides your lap to put your drink.
And the latest one I was given (4012 I think) had a large, noticeable sag in the frame behind the cab. They obviously chose a prime candidate for rebuilt!
So in essence, the took some of the best features of the old SD40-2s, and traded them in for one UGLY looking cab/nose, and an air conditioner that does little above 72 degrees.
GE....Cheap, throw-away junk! Yesterday, today...forever!!!!
Last good engine they did was UP #30, or mebby an E44a!
GE....Cheap, throw-away junk! Yesterday, today...forever!!!!
Last good engine they did was UP #30, or mebby an E44a!
Er, the first was a TURBINE, the second, a STRAIGH electric!
LS&I runs second hand ex-BN C30-7s. The biggest problem for a second hand C30-7 market is that there were only a thousand (or so) C30-7s built, as opposed to over 4000 SD40-2's.
Stuart
You noticed...eh !!
I was so glad when the NS started to phase out the C30-7'S those units stunk !
I couldn't stand the way the slip system worked on them.About the time you would get a little traction and speed ,you would loose it and drop all of you amps 
The walkway around the front nose was small,the doors on the cab were small,and the bathrooms (at least on the NS units) smelled to high heaven.
They had foul exhaust fumes,and the seats sat at an awkward position to the control stand.
And the steps rose straight up and I seemed to hit my knees all the time getting on board.
And they were much never a switch unit at all.
The SD-40 is one of my favorite motors that I have ever had the chance to run.
They just seemed to have been designed and built with more fore thought.
Only drawbacks I can think of is the governor on the prime mover,which most have been updated and eliminated.And then the independent brake handle.Works great when switching or flood loading,but man have I ever hit my old banged up knees on those things ! And the noise. And an EMD SD-40 is much more louder than any GE.
I am surprised there were any 8 axel versions of the sd40-2 for the US. To me, for low speed coal trains, where TE is very important, they would have been great!
Here's a video from Brazil that shows the old C30-70's, that don't look like narrow gauge conversions.You start seeing the units about 2:40 mins. into the video.
Also notice the crane on the work train.Is that also an older American owned crane ?
Collin,
Those were retrucked or rebuilt trucks to broad gauge, 5'3" but ex-US units. The crane IIRC is not an ex-US piece. Some of the C30-7's got their trucks narrowed to meter gauge on the ALL railway.
Greg
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