Nostalgia & History > Alco's last product?

Wasn't the C-636 their last model before they went belly up?

Adam

---

Not real sure just how good this model was, but THAT'S how a locomotive should look! 

Mr-Beechcroft Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wasn't the C-636 their last model before they went
> belly up?
>
> Adam

Last model introduced.  The last units to leave the plant were C628's for Mexico and the very last were two T6's for Newburgh and South Shore.

What's the story behind the C628's to Mexico being the last to leave? Were they former demonstrators or were they held pending delayed financing/legal issues? They would have been several years old by that time right?

Txtrainman60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not real sure just how good this model was, but
> THAT'S how a locomotive should look! 

Too bad their performance didn't live up to their appearance then.
And the railroads really didn't give a crap how it looked, they wanted something reliable that would make money.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/20 10:55 by PHall.

Milwaukee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's the story behind the C628's to Mexico being
> the last to leave? Were they former
> demonstrators or were they held pending delayed
> financing/legal issues? They would have been
> several years old by that time right?

The Mexicans continued to order the C628 long after the C630 and the C636 were available.  The last were for 4 C628's for FCP ordered in 1968.  They were even built with that later C430/630/636 cab that was angled only in the middle and not in front of the engineer and fireman (see the C636 photo posted by the OP).  Thus, the C628 outlasted the later models in North America (however two C636's were on order by SP&S at the time of the shutdown and AE Goodwiin contined to deliever C636's to HI (12) and MT.MN (17) until switching to M636's).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/20 12:06 by NYSWSD70M.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Txtrainman60 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not real sure just how good this model was, but
> > THAT'S how a locomotive should look! 
>
> Too bad their performance didn't live up to their
> appearance then.
> And the railroads really didn't give a crap how it
> looked, they wanted something reliable that would
> make money.

And yet, a few railroads continued to operate Century locomotives after other EMD and GE locomotive models produced during the 1967-1969 period were no longer running.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/20 14:47 by RuleG.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Txtrainman60 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Not real sure just how good this model was,
> but
> > > THAT'S how a locomotive should look! 
> >
> > Too bad their performance didn't live up to
> their
> > appearance then.
> > And the railroads really didn't give a crap how
> it
> > looked, they wanted something reliable that
> would
> > make money.
>
> And yet, a few railroads continued to operate
> Century locomotives after many (most?) other EMD
> and GE locomotives models produced during the
> 1967-1969 period were no longer running.

As a percentage, EMD 38's and 40's have certainly done better than the Centries.

While I agree there are probably more EMD 38's and 40's still running in regular service as a percentage of units originally built than Alco's of similar heritage, I suspect Alco beats General Electric U-Boat's longevity for similar era production still running in regular service.

NYSWSD70M Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a percentage, EMD 38's and 40's have certainly
> done better than the Centries.

I was talking about models rather than numbers of locomotives.  F45s, F45s, SDP45s and many General Electric U-boat models vanished as locomotives used in revenue service before Alco Centuries did.

RuleG Wrote:

> I was talking about models rather than numbers of
> locomotives.  F45s, F45s, SDP45s and many General
> Electric U-boat models vanished as locomotives
> used in revenue service before Alco Centuries did.

I get that there are still Centuries running on shortlines with the will and wherewithall to keep them alive, but I can't think of a US Class-1 that had Centuries on its roster later than the 1980's.  As reference, the only railroad that had F45's, SDP45's, U-boats, and Centuries was Burlington Northern.  The oldest U-boats left the roster in 1981 at the same time as the last of the Centuries.  The BN F45's lingered until 1986 and the last SDP45 was stricken from the roster in 1987.  BN had U30C's running into the 90's, and BNSF put its remaining ex-ATSF F45's in storage for the last time in 1999.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NYSWSD70M Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As a percentage, EMD 38's and 40's have
> certainly
> > done better than the Centries.
>
> I was talking about models rather than numbers of
> locomotives.  F45s, F45s, SDP45s and many General
> Electric U-boat models vanished as locomotives
> used in revenue service before Alco Centuries did.

With the exception of the D&H, switching service on the N&W and ore country on the C&NW, Alco's were gone from class ones by the end of 1980. By 1986, they were gone from those three carriers for the most part.

F45's were still front line power into the early 90's on the ATSF. Likewise the FP45's. The second order EL SDP45 (15 units) were in VMV and the later MK's lease fleets into the early 90's. BN and SP's SDP45's worked into the late 1980's. Many "45's" would go on to second lives in lease fleets, the CNW and shortlines. All of these EMD's had far more miles on them than even the most well traveled Centuries which were not allowed to roam freely on anyone's system.

Another comparison would be the NYC U30B's vs their C430's. While the Alco's were in better shape when picked up by the M&E and NYS&W in 1982, the C430's had been withdrawn from through service in 1971 and put into heavy duty transfer service at Mingo Jct. The U30B's had far more chassis miles on them by 1982. Not the same usage by any means.

Posted from Android

What's the current count of active Alco road switchers vs. active U-Boat's?

Last model, but not last production.  Last production was a pair of T6 switchers.  

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Last model, but not last production.  Last
> production was a pair of T6 switchers.  

Yes that is what I said earlier.

Posted from Android

LS&I still running U boats, Pickens, theres a decent list and no, Centuries haven't done any better they're just far better known...

What really hurt ALCO was D&H decision to buy U30C from GE and not the C636.

Posted from Android