Looking for photos of rebuilt U33c's in China

Recently deicided to look up if there were any surviving GE U33c locomotives which lead me to topics across different forums showing that there was at least one ex SP unit in Mexico which is no doubt long gone since the topic was from 15 years ago, a few rebuilt super 7 ex Conrail units in South America which I highly believe are long gone but don't know for sure as there are plenty of other super 7s rebuilt from other locomotives still in everyday service down there and lastly the most interesting topic I read stated that there were several other ex Conrail units (not super 7) retired and heavily rebuilt in the late 1980s that were shipped to a Chinese mine where they were still in active service as of 2005. These are the ones I'm looking for photos of since I can't seem to find any image at all relating to them on Google. Any other information on these u33c's that I haven't mentioned here would also be gladly appreciated.

Nonstopmaximum--
There was a brief discussion of these units on this forum some years ago: string title did not include "U33C," so happy hunting!
The units in question were ex-EL, and were rebuilt (by some GE "apparatus shop") with 1800 hp Cummins engines. (The Chinese coal mine -- name MAYBE something like An Bai Tao -- that bought them already had off-road dump trucks with similar engines.)
The only photo I recall seeing was in "Extra 2200 South" about the time of the rebuilding. They were rebuilt cabless (remote controlled?), and with radiator compartments more like those on U23/U30 than like as-built U33.
I should still have the copy of "Extra 2200 South". If you are still interested and haven't found anything in a few days, post again and I will try to find it.

Thanks for the response and information Allen. I myself have quite a few Extra 2200 South magazines but mine in question are all from the early 1970s and unfortunately I still did not have any luck finding the photo(s) of the locomotive in the time since you've posted. So if you've still got that magazine laying around somewhere I sure would appreciate it if you could take the time to find it and share the photo.

Hey Allen, did you ever have any luck finding that magazine? So far the closest I've come today to finding photos was one EL painted locomotive in question a year prior to being rebuilt at the GE plant. Seems that there's no photo of any of the rebuilt units currently available on the internet as far as I can tell. I did stumble across an old thread here with links leading to photos but they were dead links unfortunately.

The note I read said that three ex CR (exx-EL or PC?) U33Cs were heavily rebuilt for a joint venture between Island Creek Coal and a Chinese mining firm. All CR U33Cs were traded for C39-8s which means the trade ins were in 1985-1986. The CR C39-8s were built between June and August 1986. Unit numbers of the U33Cs would help with a trace.

Ed in Kentucky

Conrail #6879-6881 were sold to An Tia Bao Mines in China as cabless, remote controlled units #1-3. See Diesel Era Volume 7 No. 1 Jan/Feb 1996 page 46 note 4. The units were exx-EL 3311-3313.

Ed in Kentucky

The EL 3313 was at GE Erie on 9-28-1985 for a photo. See http://www.morscher.com/rr/sort_79-86rr.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Likely renumbered on paper only.

Ed in Kentucky

From LocoNotes ahazen2003 writes:
2/17/09 #74191

"Sorry, I don't have an answer. But at least it is the SORT of work the Cleveland shop has on
occasion done: there is a photo (dated 24 February 1987) on page 6 of "Extra 2200 South"
issue #86 (ostensible date Ocotober-December 1986!) of what looks like a cabless U30C, but
is actually one of three ex-EL U33C rebuilt by GE-Cleveland with 1800 hp Cummins prime
movers for use as remote control locomotives at a Chinese coal mine."

Send me a PM

Ed in Kentucky

I just stumbled upon this photo:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... t_U33C.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

D40LF--
Thanks! Exactly what was being looked for. Looks very similar, if not identical, to the photo I remember seeing in "Extra 2200 South" a long time ago... but probably better reprodiced here.
Note that, as part of the rebuilding, the U33C radiator compartment (with "wingspan" radiators) was replaced by one looking more like that on a U30 or U23. Since the new Cummins engine was only 1800hp, the smaller radiator would have had adequate cooling capacity.

I found these images recently.

Yes; an extremely fun fact is that these are, to my knowledge, still operating, even alongside brand-new HXD series electrics! One wonders if any of the people who built or operated them thought they'd end up working alongside electrics in china.