September 20, 2002 -
Sullivan Indiana.
Photo courtesy of
Larry E. Gilbert.

Wig-Wag, LLC
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Kato General Electric U30C (& U23C) Locomotives

All releases are included below. 
If you are looking for something specific, not shown below, please
use the
Google Search Link
here
,
or the Google search at the bottom of all pages on our site:

If you are unable to find an item on our site after using the Google search,
e-mail us
and let us know what item you could not locate.
2010 Release:
Announced: 11-05-10
Orders Due: 12-16-10
ETA:  Spring 2011
Prior Releases:
Announced: 1989/91

Listed Below
Item Description
Not all items can be in stock at all times.
Due to minimum order requirements and shipping charges we "bunch" up re-orders to save you money.

(We reserve the right to correct errors and change prices without prior notice.)
Pricing & Order Link
Note: Not all of the items below may be in stock or available but the information is provided for reference purposes.

Please place your order using our SECURE Shopping Cart site: 
http://wig-wag-trains-cart.com/home

If you MUST send an e-mail inquiry, copy & paste the entire description TEXT ONLY (NO pictures!) from the item you are ordering into your e-mail.
It will save time and reduce confusion in determining what you are inquiring about.
With the quantity of lines we carry it's not possible to memorize all of them.

Be sure you review our terms pages before placing your order:
First: Terms Page One   Then: Terms Page Two  Finally: Terms Page Three

If you place an order, you have agreed to our terms.
Please remember to give your first and last name and the city and state where you live in all
your e-mails.


Non-USA customers please include the country.

The Prototype

Introduced by General Electric (GE) as a competitor to the EMD SD40 and SD40-2, the U23C and U30C locomotive chassis’ were one of GE’s earliest locomotive successes. Nicknamed “U-Boats”, these units were used in multiple services, pulling coal trains, general freight, and even as a test power unit for the Department of Transportation’s subway car experiments in Colorado. One BN unit was repainted for the 1776 US Bicentennial Celebration.

The U30C --

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The GE U30C was one of the earliest successes from General Electric in the diesel locomotive market. With 600 units sold, the U30C proved to be a choice for customers who weren't able to purchase SD40's or SD40-2's from EMD due to mass orders. Throughout its 9 year production span, the U30C was heavily deemed unreliable in service due to electrical and mechanical problems occurring almost all the time. However, most railroads were assured of the reliability of the GE Model 752DC traction motor, and began to place orders for U30Cs starting in 1966. When production ended, the last U30C's carried pre-Dash 7 specifications, which would be carried in its replacement, the GE C30-7.

The U30C served customers of all kinds. From mining, to general freights, coal trains, and even as a power source unit for the Department of Transportation's subway-car test tracks in Pueblo, Colorado before a connection from the commercial electric power grid could be established (Cudahy 1979).

Not to be outdone in the freight sector, GE produced a passenger version of the locomotive, the GE U30CG. Unfortunately, the U30CG only sold 6 units for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad.

When most U30C's were being retired due to old age and mechanical/electrical problems, General Electric initiated a rebuild program where the old Universal Series locomotives would be upgraded with the latest technology and fuel saving systems. GE would then strip the locomotive down to its frame and engine, and completely rebuild the locomotive with new components. When completed, the unit would receive a new designation: GE C30-S7R (R for Rebuilt frame of traded-in locomotive). In the later years, the rebuild frame was discontinued, and a brand new frame would be used, re designating the locomotive as GE C30-S7N (N for Newly cast frame). The only external difference would be a large vent on the fireman's side ahead of the engine compartment. The final variation came with the discontinued frame of the Universal series and instead, using GE C40-8 kits. This new model also featured a microprocessor, officially designating this locomotive as GE C30-S7NMP.

The U23C --

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The 2300 horsepower GE U23C diesel locomotive model was first offered by GE in 1968, and featured a V-type 12 cylinder version of the standard GE FDL diesel motor. Designed as a competitor to EMD's SD38 and SD39 series, it was intended for heavy transfer, drag and hump service where speed was not a priority. Other than six tall hood doors matching six power assemblies per side, there are very few features which distinguish the U23C from the U30C. The U30C has eight tall hood doors per side, a function of the V16 within.

A total of 73 units were built at Erie including 20 for export to Brazil. An additional 150 units were built by GE de Brazil from 1972-1976, some with kits supplied by GE.



The Model

  • Locomotives feature directional white LED headlights and preprinted numberboards
  • Powerful Kato mechanism powered by a 5-pole flywheel motor and featuring a 9 3/4" minimum turning radius.
  • DCC friendly and ready for drop in decoder installation of a Digitrax or Train Control Systems decoder
  • Smooth rolling blackened metal wheels.
  • Equipped with body mounted KATO magnetic knuckle couplers
  • *Santa Fe owned  U23C’s, which had minor cosmetic differences to the U30C. Models will share the same body shell across all versions.   Wig-Wag Note:  The term minor used above is according to Kato's provided data.
Item Description Pricing & Order Link
2010 Release

Part #: Kat-176-0931 Santa Fe “Warbonnet” - Road #: 7502  
- General Electric U23C* Locomotive

Click picture to see large view

Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line

Part #: Kat-176-0932 Santa Fe “Warbonnet” - Road #: 7514  - General Electric U23C* Locomotive


Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line

Part #: Kat-176-0933 Union Pacific “We can handle it” - Road #: 2848 - General Electric U30C Locomotive
Click picture to see large view


Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line

Part #: Kat-176-0934 Union Pacific “We can handle it” - Road #: 2861 - General Electric U30C Locomotive


Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line
Part #: Kat-176-0935 Burlington Northern - Road #: 5327 - General Electric U30C Locomotive

Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line
Part #: Kat-176-0936 Burlington Northern - Road #: 5383 - General Electric U30C Locomotive
Click picture to see large view

Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line
Part #: Kat-176-0937 Burlington Northern “Bicentennial” - Road #: 1776 - General Electric U30C Locomotive
Click picture to see large view

Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line
Part #: Kat-176-0938 United States Department of Transportation - Road #: 001 - General Electric U30C Locomotive
Click picture to see large view

Click here for
Pricing, Availability
and to place a Secure
Order On-Line
The Kato GE U30C locomotive was last produced in 1991.

The information below is provided as courtesy reference for those modelers seeking the locomotives on the second-hand market.

Second Production, $78.95 [June, 1991] —
Stock #
Railroad Paint Scheme
Road #
176-17D
Santa Fe Blue & Yellow "Pinstripe"
7514
176-17E
Santa Fe Blue & Yellow "Pinstripe"
7519
First Production, $69.99 [November, 1989] —
Stock #
Railroad Paint Scheme
Road #
176-170
Undecorated
176-171
Santa Fe Blue & Yellow "Warbonnet"
7507
176-172
Santa Fe Blue & Yellow "Warbonnet"
7509
176-173
Burlington Northern Green & Black
5394
176-174
Chessie System Yellow Orange & Blue
3303
176-175
Delaware & Hudson Gray & Blue
711
176-176
Pennsylvania Black
6535
176-177
Rock Island Red & Yellow
4598
176-178
Seaboard System Gray Red & Yellow
7272
176-179
Southern Pacific Gray & Red
7912
176-17A
Southern Pacific Gray & Red
7913
176-17B
Union Pacific Yellow & Gray
2814
176-17C
Union Pacific Yellow & Gray
2816
Item Description Pricing & Order Link

Stock Checks:

Inventory is a fluid commodity.  It changes by the hour (sometimes by the minute). To retain our pricing structure we maintain stock levels designed to turnover 6 times each year. We cannot guarantee stock status till we have an order in hand. All product is subject to prior sale. If we confirm that we have it, and, while we are waiting for the order it sells, you would be upset that we did not hold it.
We used to hold items but learned a VERY EXPENSIVE lesson. When we held items for customers’ orders, the order never materialized 80%+ of the time.  We lost out on the orders placed while the item was on hold.  Also we wasted staff time that could have been used to pull actual orders.
Since we are well known for finding older stock the fact that it may not be on our shelves at this minute does not mean we can’t get it. So, as we spell out on our terms pages, we don’t do it anymore.
You may, however, call in and we will tell you if the items are available and if possible attempt to locate what we don’t have while you are on the phone.

Last Update by: JR
Tuesday, July 23, 2019 5:20 PM

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