WP The WP GP30 story

The story on the WP GP30's comes from my book "Western Pacific's Diesel Years" by Joseph A. Strapac. It isn't verbatim, but simply put, the rest of the story.

In late 1963 WP attempted to order 10 GP30's. The order was for them to follow their practice of high nose and Pyle-National headlights and would have looked like the Norfolk and Western and Southern railway units. The headlights were commonly referred to as garbage can lights. Anyway the order for them was placed low on the delivery schedule that EMD felt they wouldn't be in production by then. WP was informed that the GP35's would be supplied instead and that would put WP first on the GP35 production schedule. The option of low nose and dual control stands along with the Pyle-National headlights were selected by WP. The paint scheme stayed the same, silver and orange Zephyr style. The same paint scheme would carry onto the GP40's.

So now you know the rest of the story.

Greg Elems

 

I'll bet that all the railfans would have enjoyed chasing those GP30s.



Boxcab E50

 

Second only to the F units, are the GP-30's in my book. Sadly, I only have one. Painted for CB&Q, it's art deco lines are one of 3 Diesel styles I favor. F units rank highest on my favorite style list, followed by the GP-30, and pulling up the rear is the U25C.

I would have loved to see a GP-30 in the WP pumpkin 1 scheme with the silver.

 

Interesting! I'd been thinking in the green. But picturing the orange/silver in my mind, that would have looked great! I wonder if anyone has ever done a "what if" model?

If actually delivered, would GP30s have carried the same numbering as the GP35s?

Now you have me thinking.... Wouldn't a GP30 in NP look great?



Boxcab E50

 

Good question about the number. I don't know, just assumed that they would have been numbered in the 2### series, following the GP20's. Why they numbered the GP35's in the 3000 series, I don't know. There are a couple of books out there that may have the answer, and are on my purchase list. They would have been delivered in the S & O paint scheme like this.

Later, it would have been painted green and orange like the 2009 shot in a previous thread.

Greg Elems