User:Andarin2/G22CU

The G-22CU is a narrow gauge diesel-electric locomotive designed and built by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel. It was exported to several countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Korea, Yugoslavia and Taiwan (countries with more than 20 units).

Overview
G22 locomotives were first built in 1967 with the export markets in mind. For that reason they carried a low per-axle weight. The CU version sports a C-C traction motors configuration, and 1-meter gauge. Its main engine is an EMD 12-645. They were produced at the General Motor's Electro-Motive Diesel plants at La Grange and London -Canada-, as well at plants -under license- in other countries, including Argentina and Spain.

Argentina
In 1971 Ferrocarriles Argentinos bought 250 locomotives from General Motors, including G22 and GT22 models. 96 of them where delivered to the Ferrocarril Gral. Manuel Belgrano line, so they were the CU version, adapted to its 1-meter gauge. Belgrano Norte line received 20 built at La Grange, while Belgrano Sur line received 5 produced at London -Canada- The remaining ones where built by Astarsa at San Fernando -Buenos Aires-.

At first they were assigned to the suburban passenger service in Buenos Aires. Afterwards many of them were sent to the northern part of the country, where they ran services among several cities including Salta, Resistencia, Embarcación, Formosa and Tucumán. When Ferrocarriles Argentinos was dismembered and privatised at the beginning of 90s, these locomotives were handed over to several different companies including Ferrovias (Buenos Aires northern local line), Metropolitano (Buenos Aires southern local line, now taken by UGOFE) and Belgrano cargas (long-distance freight service).

As of 2009 many of them are still in service for Belgrano Norte line, Belgrano Sur line and Belgrano Cargas.

Brazil
The Brazilian railways company, RFFSA, acquired 24 G22CUs -produced in Spain by Materiales y Construcciones SA under license- in 1971. They were put in service at the Division #13 Rio Grande do Sul, serving the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Due to RFFSA privatisation 21 of the locomotives (the others were already retired) where transferred to Ferrovia Sul Atlântico SA, which aftewards became part of América_Latina_Logística.

Related locomotives
These locomotives are very similar to G-22CW, which are standard or broad gauge, and to GT-22, which are turbocharged.