Introduced: circa 1969
There have been two different versions of this model. The first version (generally found in AHM packaging) has a plastic chassis, metal handrails, molded-in horns, and a Lima "pancake" motor driving the forward truck. Two of the drivers on the powered truck have traction tires. Pick-up is provided solely by the four rear wheels. Couplers are truck-mounted Rapidos and the lighting is non-directional. Actually, the lighting is kind of interesting. The bulb is actually mounted at the rear of the chassis, with light being transferred to the headlight and numberboards via some sort of light-conducting plastic mounted inside the shell. This early version was a popular inclusion in cheapie AHM trainsets.
The second version (generally found in Lima packaging) is very similar to the first. However, the plastic chassis has been replaced by a metal one, the metal handrails have been replaced by plastic ones (oy!), and the molded-in horns have been replaced by separately applied detail pieces.
It's pretty easy to identify a first run GP30 by its metal handrails. These are press-fit into the shell at various points along the walkway. The later version with the plastic handrails has a solid strip of styrene running along the bottom that is simply glued to the shell:
Regardless of the version, all of these models are crap. They're ugly beyond belief, pick-up is terrible, the motor sucks, and basically it's an adventure just getting the thing to run a simple loop of track.
Lima's entire line of North American models was discontinued circa 1992 when Lima was purchased by Rivarossi, although this particular model may have been retired well before that. Unlike Lima's FP45 model, their GP30 was never imported by PMI. Consequently, its lifespan was a bit shorter.
Grade: C