Now arriving at ScaleTrains is their second production of EMD GP30 diesels. During a time of intense competition between North American locomotive builders, the EMD GP30 stood apart from its rivals and its own lineage with unique styling created by GM’s automotive designers. Between July 1961 and November 1963, 948 GP30s were produced by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors for railroads in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
As part of their premium Rivet Counter series, the ScaleTrains HO scale GP30 offers smooth operation combined with a maximum level of era-specific and road-number-specific details for each model. All units feature full LED lighting including walkway and ground lights, a detailed cab interior, underbody frame rails with piping, multiple dynamic brake and inertial compartment configurations, era-specific walkway tread plate patterns, precision motor with flywheels, all-wheel-drive and electrical pickup, and much more. Each ScaleTrains GP30 is available as DC/DCC-ready or factory-equipped with ESU Loksound 5 and dual sugar-cube style speakers for DC+DCC+Sound operation.
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad, the St. Louis and Southwestern Railway’s GP30s echoed most of the same mechanical specifications such as headlights and bell placement as its corporate parent’s GP30s. However, the SSW units expressed their own personas with bright yellow handrails, low-mounted drop steps, extra stepwell gussets, a different sunshade design and a “firecracker-style” radio antenna. The ScaleTrains SSW GP30s replicate all of these unique SSW details faithfully. Available now while supplies last.
Road names for this latest release include Baltimore & Ohio (Capitol Dome in two variations), Santa Fe (as-delivered, pinstripe), Conrail, CB&Q (Redbird), and Cotton Belt (as-delivered, scarlet/gray).
DC/DCC-ready GP30s retail for $199.99 while DC+DCC+Sound units with ESU Loksound 5 carry an MSRP of $299.99. Available now while supplies last from your authorized dealer or direct.
ScaleTrains, 4901 Old Tasso Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312; 844-987-2467; www.scaletrains.com
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad was among the first railroads to purchase GP30s, acquiring 30 units numbered from 940-969. Built with “Phase I” spotting features, these units arrived between April and June 1962. One year later, the “Q” went back for eight additional GP30s, but by then, this final group arrived with a stamped-style inertial air intake grille, a key spotting feature for “Phase II” GP30s. ScaleTrains is producing Phase I GP30s in this production for CB&Q.
