The ALCo diesel locomotive thread

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mmathu

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

I've got a couple of questions regarding Alco. First: why were none of C&NW's high-nosed ex N&W C628s preserved? Was C&NW more interested in getting as much money as possible for scrapping or trading in the locomotives?

Is this some sort of trick question?

C&NW, being a business, bought 30 used C628's since they were still serviceable and a whole lot cheaper than buying new SD40-2's. They wound up in ore duty since they were too heavy for service on the Chicago-Twin Cities main line. When the C628's came to the end of their economic life, C&NW sold them for scrap since that helped maximize the return on the initial investment. C&NW was financially weak and could not afford a donation and few museums could afford to pay the scrap price for a 200-ton locomotive.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mmathu

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

I've got a couple of questions regarding Alco. First: why were none of C&NW's high-nosed ex N&W C628s preserved? Was C&NW more interested in getting as much money as possible for scrapping or trading in the locomotives?

Is this some sort of trick question?

C&NW, being a business, bought 30 used C628's since they were still serviceable and a whole lot cheaper than buying new SD40-2's. They wound up in ore duty since they were too heavy for service on the Chicago-Twin Cities main line. When the C628's came to the end of their economic life, C&NW sold them for scrap since that helped maximize the return on the initial investment. C&NW was financially weak and could not afford a donation and few museums could afford to pay the scrap price for a 200-ton locomotive.

[james saunders]

RS-11 HOW MANY AND FOR WHAT ROADS?

I LOVE EM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE

[james saunders]

RS-11 HOW MANY AND FOR WHAT ROADS?

I LOVE EM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE

[railroad65]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mersenne6

In looking over the website dedicated to the Doyle McCormack resurrection of the ALCO PA I'm left with the impression that the PA body brought up from Mexico was just that - a body and not much else. On the same site they have pictures, without captions, showing the installation of the prime mover. Do you know if this is a situation of plugging in any old prime mover that will fit or is a case of being able to substitue an ALCO prime mover from a different series of ALCO engines because the prime mover for the PA was also used in other ALCOs?

The web site is www.nkp190.com

[railroad65]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mersenne6

In looking over the website dedicated to the Doyle McCormack resurrection of the ALCO PA I'm left with the impression that the PA body brought up from Mexico was just that - a body and not much else. On the same site they have pictures, without captions, showing the installation of the prime mover. Do you know if this is a situation of plugging in any old prime mover that will fit or is a case of being able to substitue an ALCO prime mover from a different series of ALCO engines because the prime mover for the PA was also used in other ALCOs?

The web site is www.nkp190.com

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by james saunders

RS-11 HOW MANY AND FOR WHAT ROADS?

I LOVE EM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE

Try this link:
http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS11.HTML

The RS11 was the 251-powered successor to the RS3 and was competition for the GP9/18.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

QUOTE: Originally posted by james saunders

RS-11 HOW MANY AND FOR WHAT ROADS?

I LOVE EM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE

Try this link:
http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS11.HTML

The RS11 was the 251-powered successor to the RS3 and was competition for the GP9/18.

[Anonymous]

RE previous posts:
Liscensing fees go to NRE. Awhile before that they went to GE too...

Those CNW units went for pretty long. The last (majority!) were off roster in 1990! But I don't understand, why did N&W sell off their entire fleet of relatively new (7 yrs) 628s? But they (NS) kept 9 C-630s and most of the class-of-1959 T-6s unitil late 1985. That doesn't make sense.

Whoever decided to answer the last Alco built question: wrong numbers. Offhand, they are NSS 1016 AND 1017. These were s/n 6017-1 and -2, released 1/8/69 and 1/10/69. But these are the last units Alco completed. The last under construction were six RSD-35s for WPY (6023-1 : 6). They were shipped unfinished to MLW and subsequently given sales order 4710.

Doyle was smart in using a 12-251. A 16-251 would be too big and costly, 8 cyls or less is too small, and under no circumstances would he install that EMD engine outside the roundhouse. 244s are maintainance heavy- not something a not-for-profit organization needs. Off topic but interesting nonetheless, there is only ONE 16-244 left in existance. It is owned by an industrial firm who has been running tests for it for years. The owner apparently knows it's historical significance and has no plans to scrap it. The engine was formerly a PRR RSD-7's prime mover.


Nicholas Todd

[Anonymous]

RE previous posts:
Liscensing fees go to NRE. Awhile before that they went to GE too...

Those CNW units went for pretty long. The last (majority!) were off roster in 1990! But I don't understand, why did N&W sell off their entire fleet of relatively new (7 yrs) 628s? But they (NS) kept 9 C-630s and most of the class-of-1959 T-6s unitil late 1985. That doesn't make sense.

Whoever decided to answer the last Alco built question: wrong numbers. Offhand, they are NSS 1016 AND 1017. These were s/n 6017-1 and -2, released 1/8/69 and 1/10/69. But these are the last units Alco completed. The last under construction were six RSD-35s for WPY (6023-1 : 6). They were shipped unfinished to MLW and subsequently given sales order 4710.

Doyle was smart in using a 12-251. A 16-251 would be too big and costly, 8 cyls or less is too small, and under no circumstances would he install that EMD engine outside the roundhouse. 244s are maintainance heavy- not something a not-for-profit organization needs. Off topic but interesting nonetheless, there is only ONE 16-244 left in existance. It is owned by an industrial firm who has been running tests for it for years. The owner apparently knows it's historical significance and has no plans to scrap it. The engine was formerly a PRR RSD-7's prime mover.


Nicholas Todd

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

N&W unloaded the C628's and kept the C630's because of their electrical systems. The C628 used a DC main generator at the limits of its capabilities and the C630 was the first design to use a main alternator.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

N&W unloaded the C628's and kept the C630's because of their electrical systems. The C628 used a DC main generator at the limits of its capabilities and the C630 was the first design to use a main alternator.

[wrobertbentley]

I'm looking for a picture of #1216 tank engine of the Boston & Albany...built by ALCO.

[wrobertbentley]

I'm looking for a picture of #1216 tank engine of the Boston & Albany...built by ALCO.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Although the question of the last Alco built has been answered above, it gets real tricky if you include MLW and the overseas licensees. In fact, DLW in India is an active Alco (and EMD) licensee and is still cranking out 251-powered locomotives.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Although the question of the last Alco built has been answered above, it gets real tricky if you include MLW and the overseas licensees. In fact, DLW in India is an active Alco (and EMD) licensee and is still cranking out 251-powered locomotives.

[Anonymous]

 

 

 

The 244 engines had some problems. The 251 series engines were good. A short line that runs through my home town had rs 11s and I had a number of cab rides. Alco bought  macintosh and semore, and used their prime movers. The alcos could pull a load very easily, and leave EMDs in the exhuast clouds. They have a very distint sound, and loaded well. The number of the engines stood for the year and month they were first started on the test stand.

[Leo_Ames]

Had a question about Alco's C-415. Is it true what I've read a few times through the years that they had unequel weight distribution and that the truck that's opposite of the engine would slip before the engine end?

If so, why wasn't it ballasted more to equalize the weight carried by each truck?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

It is true.  SP operated its C415's in pairs pointed in the opposite direction from each other to minimize this problem

[Convicted One]

Anonymous

Oh, forgot this thread can also be for just general ALCo dicussion.

What can you tell us about Alco automobile manufacture?