In 1983, Conrail placed its only order of General Electric's B36-7, ordering 60 units and placing them in the CR 5000-5059 series. The B36-7 uses a turbocharged 16-cylinder 16-7FDL prime mover to create 3,700hp. Conrail specifically purchased these high-horsepower, 4-axle units for high-speed intermodal service. Their dependability allowed these units to operate thousands of miles a month.

But time and deferred maintenance were not kind to these units. By the late 1990's, Conrail's B36-7's were battered and worn, often belching thick plumes of black exhaust while pulling general merchandise freights. They were a long way from their former glory days on hotshot intermodals.

As locomotives grew in horsepower, the noise that they produced also increased. In the early 1980's, the Federal Railroad Administration began mandating that all new locomotives be equipped with silencers in order to reduce noise pollution. Something had to be done. As a result, a major spotting feature of the Conrail B36-7 is the large 'bath tub' exhaust silencer on top of the long hood.

A feature unique among Conrail locomotives were their FRA-approved classification lights, the small, red lights on the nose and rear of Conrail locomotives. Unlike standard classification lights that shined their light out along the angle of the locomotive nose, FRA lights shined their beam directly down the tracks. Until its final days, Conrail adhered to the tradition of classification lights. All Conrail B36-7's came equipped with FRA classification lights.

The trucks on Conrail's B36-7's were General Electric's high-adhesion FB2 model. Finally, all Conrail B36-7's were equipped with Type EL cab signal equipment.

Originally a fast and powerful locomotive, the B36-7 eventually found itself being over-shadowed by its more reliable and efficient successor, the 4,000hp B40-8.

Comprehensive GE B36-7 Roster

The roster below is comprehensive for Conrail's B36-7 between their arrival on Conrail starting in 1983 and their last day of Conrail service on May 31, 1999.

               Builder's         
CR #   Built   Number       
========================
5000   09/83   44251
5001   09/83   44252
5002   09/83   44253
5003   09/83   44254
5004   09/83   44255
5005   09/83   44256
5006   09/83   44257
5007   09/83   44258
5008   09/83   44259
5009   09/83   44260
5010   09/83   44261
5011   09/83   44262
5012   09/83   44263
5013   09/83   44264
5014   09/83   44265
5015   10/83   44266
5016   10/83   44267
5017   10/83   44268
5018   10/83   44269
5019   10/83   44270
5020   10/83   44271
5021   11/83   44272
5022   11/83   44273
5023   11/83   44274
5024   11/83   44275
5025   11/83   44276
5026   11/83   44277
5027   11/83   44278
5028   11/83   44279
5029   11/83   44280
5030   11/83   44281
5031   11/83   44282
5032   12/83   44283
5033   12/83   44284
5034   12/83   44285
5035   12/83   44286
5036   12/83   44287
5037   12/83   44288
5038   12/83   44289
5039   12/83   44290
5040   12/83   44291
5041   12/83   44292
5042   12/83   44293
5043   12/83   44294
5044   12/83   44295
5045   12/83   44296
5046   12/83   44297
5047   12/83   44298
5048   12/83   44299
5049   12/83   44400
5050   12/83   44401
5051   12/83   44402
5052   12/83   44403
5053   12/83   44404
5054   12/83   44405
5055   12/83   44406
5056   12/83   44407
5057   12/83   44408
5058   12/83   44409
5059   12/83   44410