my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Cotton Belt GP30

18 units delivered
10 units delivered to SSW

SSW 5006 preserved Pine Bluff Ar.

For an SP/SSW GP30, the all important rear light cluster shot from Charles Lange.

Delivered in February 1963, they were the same as the SP units, with the exception of the SSW trademark, yellow handrails, stanchions and grab irons.

They were used with SP GP30's on run through freights between California and Texas.

They remained as built until retired, except for SSW #5001, which was the 'prototype' for a rebuilding program, that was deemed uneconomical.

#5001, was partially rebuilt in 1976, and was to become GP30E 5020. The rebuild was deemed uneconomical at the time, and so the rest of the units were never rebuilt. The units lingered on for ten more years until retired/scrapped sometime after 1986.

As for the SP units, the SSW units in their later years (1985/1986) were assigned to Houston, for local work in Texas and Louisiana.

13 units were active or stored serviceable during 1986, SSW 5002 - 5005, 5007, 5009 and SP 5010 - 5013 and 5015 - 5017.

They do not appear on rosters later than 1986, so must have been scrapped around then.

see also: SP GP30 page

SSW 5006 preserved at Pine Bluff in Arkansas.

Modeling choices at the moment are:

• For N Scale:
  • Arnold ?
  • Atlas ?
  • LifeLike will no doubt make a GP30

• For HO Scale:
  • Bachmann
  • LifeLike Proto 2000

• For S Scale:
  • ?

• For O Scale:
  • ?

Model References:

• Diesel Locomotive Cyc #2 Page 134 - GP30 Plans (Phase I)
• Model Railroading April/May 1999 pages 20-22 - SSW Diesel Detail Close-up.
• Model Railroader May 1962 - GP 30 Plans (Phase I ?).
• Railroad Modeler May 1976 - Plans (Phase I).
• Railfan & Railroad Jan. 1987 - Proto article including Roster.
• Mainline Modeler May 1989 page 52 - EMD GP30 part 1. proto article with plans, data etc
• Mainline Modeler May 1989 page 39 - EMD GP30 part 2. proto article with plans, data etc
• Mainline Modeler May 1989 page 52 - EMD GP30 part 3. proto article with plans, data etc
• Southern Pacific Historic Diesels Vol.13 by Joe Strapac

Model References:

• SPSF Motive Power - 1986 - by Joe.W.Shine.
• Diesel Era May/Jun.1995 Vol.6 No.3 Page 39 - Proto article including Roster.
• Cotton Belt Locomotives by Joe Strapac page 209, history, photo's etc...
• Cotton Belt Color Pictorial by Steve Allen Goen - color photo's, data etc...