PRE-ORDER: Rapido 42122 - GE C36-7 DC Silent Norfolk Southern (NS) 8534 - HO Scale

In March 1981, GE built the first domestic order of C36-7's – a small order of 6 for Norfolk and Western. N&W received 25 more C36-7's in the “Claytor” scheme a year later in 1982. All of the N&W units featured a slight late-production change in hood doors and seams behind the cab, shared with late production C30-7's. They were set up short hood forward, and their high horsepower was put to good use on N&W’s heavy trains.  

By that time, GE 6-axle production heavily tapered off domestically – the last domestic C30-7's ordered were produced for Santa Fe in late 1982 and early 1983; after that, all C30-7 production was for Mexico. After over a year of pause, a 12-unit C36-7 order for Norfolk Southern was produced in 1984 – and they looked very different. Hinting at future Dash-8 design, the units had a boxy raised hump for extended range dynamic braking behind the cab. Despite the boxyness, they also had a late Dash-7 feature – a totally smooth, rounded nose, with no box for the headlight. As an NS purchase, these units were set up long-hood forward, including plows and later ditch lights on the rear.  

Next, Conrail received 25 C36-7's in 1985 that did not feature the boxy hump but did have other late-production features like the smooth nose and hood detail differences. Additionally, they were rated at 3,750 hp. These were a common sight in consists with C30-7A's on the CR system, and were used in all manner of service, from heavy coal drags to intermodal and mixed freight.  

In September 1995, UP needed to clear numbers for CN&W C40-8W's, and assigned 2600-2659 as a new number series, which 27 units received. Before that was completed, the SP merger prompted another reassignment to 600-659, but renumbering proceeded slowly. Finally, in December 1999, yet another renumbering began, to the 7942-7999. Few units received it before disposition in 2001. To make matters more confusing, UP never completed any of these renumbering’s – at the end (2001), units still existed in the original 9000 series, 2600 series, and 600 series!

That covers it! Except – why are there BN units in here? Because BN ultimately rostered what they called C33-7’s and C36-7’s. During 1991 BN began an upgrade process to over 40 C30-7’s, which received improved wheel slip control, additional ballasting, and increased horsepower. Units uprated to 3,300hp became “C33-7’s”, and to 3,600hp became “C36-7’s”. Externally, there was no difference, although at some point in the late 1980’s BN’s C30-7’s had a door swapped near the radiator to add an extra grille. For the upgraded units, the key difference was red numberboards to distinguish the upgrade – this applied to both cascade green units, and units that received “Whiteface” paint. To avoid confusion, this was not the same as a late 80’s test of lube oil on certain units, which also was shown by yellow or red numberboards.