Soo Line 700 is a restored EMD GP30 diesel locomotive originally owned by the Soo Line Railroad. It was built in 1963 as a part of the "second generation" diesel power that replaced older locomotives. [1] It is now owned by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum for use on their North Shore Scenic Railroad. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The EMD GP30 is a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between July 1961 and November 1963. [2] A total of 948 units were built for railroads in the United States and Canada (2 only), including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad .

SOO GP30 719 at about 47th Street in Chicago, Illinois on May 9, 1965, Ektachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Eastward, coming in to town. More stored power a the roundhous at Shoreham. This one has definitely seen better days...it seems to have been sacrificed to keep the Dakota Southern Railway in operation...but it too has gone bust.

Soo Line Photographic Roster, Locomotive Model: GP30. Unit # Notes Model Serial # Pictures : SOO 700: LSRM Owned: GP30 28342

They were followed in 1963 by 22 EMD GP30s, which rode on trucks from Soo’s 22 traded-in Alco FAs. Later came 10 GP35s, 4 GP40s, and in 1968, 10 GE U30Cs. The Alcos and GEs were “orphans,” though, and Soo then stuck with EMD, buying its first six-motor units, SD40s, in May 1969 and eventually having 78 SD40s and Dash-2s.

GP30 no. 700 was the first of twenty-two GP30s on the Soo Line. The plow and winterization hatch characteristic of Soo’s second-generation locomotives were added a few years after the GP30s began service. It’s currently on display at the Lake Superior Transportation Museum in Duluth, Minnesota.

Relatively fresh paint on SOO Line F7 2227A at about 47th Street on the south side of Chicago, Illinois on October 31, 1965, Kodachrome by Chuck Zeiler. Here is a power lineup on the west end of the roundhouse at St. Paul Yard.

Ex-Soo Line GP30 #703 is at the Colfax Railroad Museum as a donation by the Canadian National.

SOO 4301 at Winona, MN., painted in the SOO Red paint scheme. Photo by A. Miller, 1990. From the E.D. Motis collection. Notes : Built by EMD as UP GP30 #828 (8/1962). Acquired by Generation II Locomotives and rebuilt with a 2,000 Hp. Caterpillar 3516 engine (9/1990). Sold to SOO Line (1991) and renumbered to SOO #4301.

705, Class GP30, was built in February 1963, #28165, FN 7648-6. It was retired in May 1985 and sold to Southwest Railroad Car Parts on April 2, 1987. It was sold for parts to Soo Line in August 1988.