The U34CH locomotives are unique locomotives. First delivered in 1970, they predated the U36C in General Electric's catalog. The 3600 horsepower prime movers deliver 3430 horsepower for traction, with the remainder diverted for head end power (HEP). They were the first GE's to utilize steel pistons, which allowed the three hundred horsepower increase over the U33C. It should be noted that the U34CHs were the first entire class of commuter locomotives delivered with shaft driven HEP. Also, it is interesting to note that the ubiquitous F40PH model did not exist during the period when the U34CHs were constructed.

The original fleet of 32 GE's was delivered to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) beginning from 1970 for use on Erie Lackawanna commuter lines, while 13 EMD GP40Ps were delivered for use on the Jersey Central. The EMDs originally did not have HEP, but contained steam generators.

Local railfans quickly dubbed the U34CHs as "Bluebirds", as they were delivered in a dark blue and silver livery, loosely based on the Erie Lackawanna livery. The Pullman-Standard push-pull train sets delivered with the U-Boats (the Comet I cars) are the basis of today's Bombardier "Comet Car" design.

When delivered, the Bluebirds were numbered 3351 to 3382, part of the Erie Lackawanna six-axle GE numbering series. In July 1974, the 3351 was damaged in a wreck and subsequently shipped to General Electric's Apparatus Shop in Cleveland, Ohio for repairs. When it returned, it was repainted in red, white, and blue colors and numbered as the 1776 to commemorate the nation's Bicentennial celebration. By the late 1970s the entire class had been renumbered by Conrail, in the 4151 to 4182 series, to fit the carrier's diesel passenger locomotive number series that dates from both the Pennsylvania and Penn Central railroads.

In 1978 the fleet of U34CH diesels was increased by one, to thirty-three units. The additional unit was the 4183, purchased by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as its equipment contribution for service on the Port Jervis Line. This MTA unit (subsequently lettered for Metro-North) was rebuilt from a former Chicago & Northwestern U30C by General Electric to U34CH specifications.

In 1983 the maintenance and operation of the U34CH locomotive fleet was transferred from Conrail to the State of New Jersey's newly formed NJ TRANSIT commuter railroad. Several of the units had been repainted by NJ TRANSIT into its current Platinum Mist/disco-stripe livery. During the 1980s the U34CH locomotive was the primary diesel locomotive for use on NJ TRANSIT's Hoboken Division.

By the early 1990s NJ TRANSIT was forming plans for the ultimate replacement of the U34s. NJ TRANSIT and Metro-North purchased GP40FH-2 rebuilt locomotives from Morrison-Knudsen and the former CNJ GP40P units were remanufactured at Conrail's Juniata Shop. Many of these units were assigned to the Hoboken Division, as replacements for the U34CHs. In 1992, NJT received six GP40PH-2 untis (4145-4150) from Morrison-Knudsen. One year later an order was placed with Conrail's Juniata Locomotive Shop fro nineteen remanufactured GP40PH-2B units. As these units were delivered to NJ TRANSIT, the U34CHs were removed from service and placed on a dead line at the Meadows Maintenance Complex. By the end of this past July (1994) only five U34CH units remained in service, including Nos. 4166 and 4175, in work train service, and Nos. 4172, 4176, and 4180 assigned to revenue passenger service.

From the URHS & Friends of the NJ Railroad and Transportation Museum
August 27, 1994