Over the weekend I saw that seemed to be one of the Alco C or RS unit family engines as one of the three lead units on a BNSF freight. It was in the yellow and red scheme but logo was not of UP or recognizable to me. It has a low rounded short hood and a high long hood. This was part of a long mixed freight and was in the Chicago Illinois area. Any ideas on what I really saw and if there were any photos of the one I saw?
Since Alco's are not 'trusted' power on Class 1 road freights, I would suspect it was not an Alco you saw(at least working in a consist). There were only 131 built, and less that 1/2 were even around 10 years ago.
What you saw was maybe an old UP engine owned by a leasing company?
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I was not UP for sure (I am on BNSF line) and logo was some image the engine was in the shape and look of a C420 but if it couldn't be one what would it be?
Neither the BNSF or UP has had an active Alco on the roster for maybe 3 decades (discounting UP 844, 3985 or 4014).
If it was an Alco it would have had to have been owned by a shortline or (more likely) it wasn't an Alco. My guess is it was a "genset", they are about the same size and roughly the same shape as an RS3 (low long and short hoods).
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman Neither the BNSF or UP has had an active Alco on the roster for maybe 3 decades (discounting UP 844, 3985 or 4014). If it was an Alco it would have had to have been owned by a shortline or (more likely) it wasn't an Alco. My guess is it was a "genset", they are about the same size and roughly the same shape as an RS3 (low long and short hoods).
A genset sounds the most logical to me. Those NRE units have a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and so do the original green goats, and the stuff made by Brookville.
Perhaps an Army Genset? http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4246965
But... if it wasn't, then maybe a GE unit? From what I recall, there really isn't anything close to the C420 in profile, due to the longer short hood. Perhaps a U25B (even that would be an oddball today)?
Do you recall the logo? With NRE being in Silvis and Mt. Vernon, it could be an old Alco heading to one of their shops. Maybe an A&M unit?
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0102/am54a.jpg
Modeling whatever I can make out of that stash of kits that takes up half my apartment's spare bedroom.
trainmaster247 Over the weekend I saw that seemed to be one of the Alco C or RS unit family engines as one of the three lead units on a BNSF freight. It was in the yellow and red scheme but logo was not of UP or recognizable to me. It has a low rounded short hood and a high long hood. This was part of a long mixed freight and was in the Chicago Illinois area. Any ideas on what I really saw and if there were any photos of the one I saw?
Another possibility might be a GP15 being deadheaded for a short line or industrial operation. With the very vague description the field of possibilities is wide open, but I think an Alco product is most improbable.
Rebuilt low nose Santa Fe GP7 or 9. They are still out there in service all over the country and available secondhand.
Or perhaps an A&M c420 in burgundy red with the yellow trim?
Looking at the A&M it is most simillar to what I saw, it had the round top on the front nose, I wish I had a camera or at least a better view of it.
Hard to mistake tha tlong low nose of a C420 for anythign else, but BNSF did have this Genset loco for the Port of Richmond (CA) that has a similar long low short hood - but appears to be set up as a reme control loco as the reason the short hood is so long is that there is almost no cab space.
http://www.terminalgreen.org/case-studies/genset-locomotives/
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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