ALCO T-6
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The Alco T6 (DL 440) was a diesel-electric switcher locomotive rated at 1,000 horsepower (750 kW), that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement.
The 'T' stood for 'Transfer', meaning this locomotive was capable of faster transition and higher sustained speeds than the regular 'S' - type yard switcher series. A major difference underlying this shift was the use of the heavier GE 752 traction motors, as used on road locomotives, in place of the GE 731 traction motors used on nearly all Alco's preceding switchers. The 752 motors gave the T-6 a very substantial increase in continuous tractive effort, which greatly improved its slow-speed lugging performance.
Original owners
[edit]| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altos Hornos de Mexico, S.A. | 2 | 126–127 | |
| Brewster Phosphate | 2 | 16–17 | |
| Kaiser Steel | 2 | 1022–1023 | |
| Monongahela Connecting Railroad | 1 | 400 | Hi-Ad trucks[1] |
| Newburgh and South Shore Railroad | 2 | 1016–1017 | Last locomotives built by Alco; 1016 and 1017 are known to survive. |
| Norfolk and Western Railway | 40 | 10–49 | 40–41 to Chesapeake Western Railway renumbered 10 and 11 |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 6 | 8424–8429 | 8427 is known to survive. |
| Portland Terminal Railroad (formerly Northern Pacific Terminal) (Oregon) | 2 | 46–47 |
Survivors
[edit]The Delaware Coast Line Railway, the Ohio Central Railway and the Arkansas & Missouri operate the T-6. Ohio Central's T-6 is unique because it was the only one built (for Monongahela Connecting Railroad) with Hi-Ad trucks.[1] 14 T-6's survive in all.
Pennsylvania RR 8427 survives as Georges Creek Railway 101. It was that railroad's first locomotive acquisition and is often used to switch the NewPage paper mill at Luke, Maryland.[2]
Newburg and South Shore Railroad 1017 survives on the West Michigan Railroad.
Newburg and South Shore Railroad 1016 survives as Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad 1016.[3]
Norfolk and Western Railway #40 survives as a static display in the Virginia Museum of Transportation. It has been restored to Chesapeake and Western #10 paint.[4]
Norfolk and Western Railway #41 is operated by the Roanoke Chapter, NRHS. It has been restored to Norfolk and Western lettering and makes operating appearances at the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "American Locomotive Company Diesel Locomotives". Age of Steam Roundhouse. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ "George's Creek Railway, Roster". George's Creek Railway. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ "About the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad". Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ "Alco T6 Switcher DESCRIPTION". Virginia Museum of Transportation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140220043646/http://www.gckrail.com/
External links
[edit]
- Preserved diesels
- Sarberenyi, Robert. Alco T6 Original Owners.
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