The length of the locomotive was 67 ft 3 in (20.50 m), standard for U30C, U33C, U34CH, U36C, U36CG, C30-7 and C36-7. The U36C also had steel capped pistons.
218 units were produced between October 1971 and February 1975 for railroads in the United States and Mexico. A further 20 units of model U36CG (the passenger service variant of the U36C) were built for use in Mexico.