ALCO DH643
| ALCO C-643DH |
|
| Southern Pacific #9152, formerly #9020. |
| Power type |
Diesel-hydraulic |
| Builder |
American Locomotive Company (ALCO) |
| Order number |
S-3374 |
| Serial number |
S-3374-01 – S-3374-03 |
| Model |
DH-643 |
| Build date |
September 1964 |
| Total produced |
3 |
| AAR wheel arr. |
C-C |
| UIC classification |
C′C′ |
| Gauge |
4 feet 8+1⁄2 inches (1,435 mm) |
| Length |
75 ft 10 in (23.11 m) |
| Locomotive weight |
378,000 lb (171 t) |
| Prime mover |
ALCO 251C, (2) |
| Engine type |
Four stroke diesel |
| Aspiration |
Turbocharger |
| Displacement |
8,016 cu in (131.36 l) |
| Cylinders |
V12, (2) |
| Cylinder size |
9 by 10+1⁄2 inches (230 × 270 mm) |
| Transmission |
Voith hydraulic |
| Top speed |
77 mph (124 km/h) |
| Power output |
4,300 hp (3,200 kW) |
| Tractive effort |
95,000 lbf (420,000 N) |
| Locomotive brakes |
Straight air |
| Train brakes |
Air |
| Career |
Southern Pacific Railroad |
| Number |
9018–9020 (later 9150–9152; final 9800-9802) |
| Locale |
North America |
| Scrapped |
1973 |
The ALCO C-643DH, also known as the Century 643DH, was a twin-engine diesel-hydraulic locomotive, the first diesel-hydraulic road unit built in the United States. It had a C-C wheel arrangement and generated 4,300 horsepower (3,200 kW). Only three were built, all for Southern Pacific Railroad in 1964 (#9018–#9020). The Alco C-643DHs joined 21 Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulics already on the Southern Pacific's roster. These hydraulic-drive diesels spent most of their service lives in the flat San Joaquin Valley in California.
Dissatisfaction over the poor performance of diesel-hydraulic locomotives, as well as their use of foreign-made components (the hydraulic transmission was of German Voith design), eventually led Southern Pacific to scrap the C-643DHs in 1973.
Original owners
References
- "ALCO 244 and 251 Diesel Engines". Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. http://www.sdrm.org/roster/diesel/alco/index.html. Retrieved 20 February 2006.
- Kirkland, John F. (1989). The Diesel Builders, Volume Two: American Locomotive Company and Montreal Locomotive Works. Interurban Press, Glendale, CA. ISBN 0-916374-81-5.
- Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Milwaukee, WI. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
- Strapac, Joseph A. (1993). Southern Pacific Historic Diesels, Volume 2: Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotives. Shade Tree Books, Bellflower, CA. ISBN 0-930742-15-X.
- Strapac, Joseph A. (2001). Southern Pacific Historic Diesels, Volume 8: Alco Roadswitcher Locomotives. Shade Tree Books, Bellflower, CA. ISBN 0-930742-23-0.
External links