Another more powerful version, license-built by Krupp, and referred to as a GE U30C model, was delivered to the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) TAZARA Railway, which links Tanzania with Zambia.

[1] The U26Cs have the typical hood unit configuration of North American diesel locomotives, and a road switcher design.

The turbocharged V12 four-stroke diesel engine, generator and auxiliary equipment are easily accessible under a long hood equally as high as, but narrower than, the single cab, which is mounted at one end.

Other technical data of the locomotives varies depending on the build year and construction, but the type of motor fitted is always the GE 7FDL-12.

Six U26Cs, built for metre gauge use, were delivered in 1981 to the Brazilian Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas (EFVM),[2] where they were given road numbers 401-406.

Some DXs have been further modified, to operate through the over 8.5 km (5.3 mi) long and steeply graded Otira Tunnel on the South Island.

The most numerous U26Cs were the 255 units built for the South African Railways (SAR), later renamed Spoornet and then Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), for which they were designated as part of class 34.

As such, their subclassifications were mixed in with EMD GT26MC model locomotives, which are of similar weight and performance, and were subclassified as 34-200, 34-600, 34-800 and 37-000.

Another 44 units of the U26C model were delivered in 1971–73 to the ISCOR works (now Mittal Steel South Africa) as industrial locomotives.

Except for the latter two locomotives, and the first three SAR units, all of the South African U26Cs were built under license at Dorbyl Transport Products.

One unusual operation regularly performed by South African U26Cs is the haulage of Orex trains on the Sishen-Saldanha Bay iron ore line.

They are therefore referred to as U30C models, although this designation had been assigned initially to a series of standard gauge locomotives built for US railroads between 1966 and 1976 (see GE U30C).