Alco Locomotive Photos

FA1

NYC contributed three FA1s to PC, but they were all out of service by the end of 1968, and were never repainted into PC colors. After the New Haven came into the fold on January 1, 1969, PC found itself again operating FA1's. Ex-NH 0401, 0418, 0426, and 0428 were renumbered PC 1330-1333. They would continue to work in the Boston area for another three years before being traded in to General Electric on new locomotives.

PC 1333 is at Collinwood Yard in Cleveland, Ohio, in October 1971. Its days of service appear to be over, as it is missing its numberboards and it looks rather worn. The stenciling over the trucks reads "TO JUNIATA." It was headed to Altoona for eventual trade in to General Electric on an order of U23B's, but instead of being scrapped, it was later sold to the Long Island Railroad, where it became "Power Pack" car 617. This engine has been preserved (but not yet restored) at the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut. Photo by John Swift, Jr. (92 K, 1/25/02)

FA2

Forty-four NYC FA2s in the 1000 and 1100 number series joined the PC roster at the merger. (None of the PRR's FAs lasted long enough to work for Penn Central.) PC renumbered many of the 1000 series FAs into the 1300s by adding 300 to their former number. All FAs were gone from the PC roster by September 1971.

One Penn Central FA, the 1350, was repainted into the "red P" paint scheme. The markings above the red fuel filler caps say "fuel oil is out." This may indicate that its career on the Penn Central is over by this point. It is seen here in the summer of 1968, probably at Erie, PA, on its way to General Electric as trade-in fodder. Photo by James J. Scott, from the collection of Michael Shannon and contributed by Marty Kaufman. (75 K, 8/2/03)

RS32

Penn Central rostered a group of ex-NYC RS32 (DL721) locomotives in the 2021-2044 series. They were built in 1960 by Alco as NYC 8021-8044. Only NYC and Southern Pacific purchased this model, with NYC owning 25 of the 35 total built. Here we see RS32 2044, still in NYC paint, at Kingston, NY, on August 20, 1969. Photo by Joseph Quinn, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (234 K, 8/2/03)

RS27

Penn Central rostered 15 RS27s, numbered 2400-2414. The RS27, or DL640, was a rare model in that only 27 were ever produced, and being an oddball model, it meant that the PRR had to have bought some. Here we see PC 2410 at the engine terminal in Cresson, Pennsylvania. Photo from the Stephen Foster collection. (83 K)

C424

Penn Central rostered exactly one Century 424, the 2415, which was built from parts from Alco RS27 demonstrator 640-1 and sold to the PRR. In this photo, PC 2415 is seen at Detroit, Michigan, on September 14, 1968. Photographer unknown, from the J.E. Landrum collection. (83 K)

C425

PC 2419, is seen at Mingo Jct., OH, on May 11, 1974. Photo by David Hamley, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (148 K, 9/24/03)

C425 2420 looks like a PRR engine, but she's actually a Penn Central locomotive in her prior owner's paint. The location is Selkirk, NY, and the date is June 9, 1970. Photo by Joseph Quinn, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (149 K, 9/24/03)

Another Penn Central C425, the 2423, is at Conway Yard in Conway, PA, on April 17, 1976. While still wearing PC colors, she's actually a Conrail engine now. Photo by David Hamley, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (288 K, 9/24/03)

The more numerous Century 425s were numbered in the 2416-2459 series. The first 21 units in that series were former PRR units, while the remainder came from the New Haven. Here, PC C425 2438, a former PRR locomotive of the same number, is seen at an unknown location and date. Photo from the Stephen Foster collection. (82 K)

RS3

Penn Central rostered well over 250 RS3's, which came from all three PC predecessor roads. The RS3 was a 1600 horsepower road switcher that was built in the 1950's.

PC RS3 5351, a former NYC unit of the same number, is seen at Scotia, NY, on May 3, 1969. Notice the NYC-style numbers under the cab. Photo by J Armstrong, from the David Williams Collection. Contributed by Paul Hintz. (47 K)

PC RS3 5484, in Boston, MA. This is a former New Haven unit, originally NH 558. Photo by Bob Redden. (121 K)

RS3 5521, still wearing its NYC numbers, rests at Croton-Harmon, NY, in June 1971 between assignments. Croton-Harmon is a busy place on the Penn Central's Hudson Line as this is where diesels on the trains are replaced with electrics for the trip into New York City. Photo from collection of Dale A. DeVene Jr. (109 K)

Former PRR RS3 8912, now painted black and numbered 5562, shows off its classic lines at the engine terminal at Danbury, CT, in February 1974. This locomotive later became Amtrak 140 and is now owned by the Railroad Museum of New England. Photo from collection of Dale A. DeVene Jr. (72 K)

C628

Shortly after Conrail began, C628 6303 is seen at Youngstown, Ohio, on April 3, 1976. Photo by David Hamley, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (175 K, 9/24/03)

PC 6304 models the red "P" emblem at Selkirk, NY, on April 27, 1970. Photo by Joseph Quinn, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (110 K, 9/24/03)

At the other extreme, the 6307 models one of Penn Central's most austere paint schemes. Seen at Conway, PA, on September 28, 1975. Photo by David Hamley, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (142 K, 9/24/03)

On a snowy day in December 1976 at Mingo Junction, Ohio, C628 6312 and three other six-axle Centuries await their next assignment of hauling coal or ore. Photo by Jay Potter, from the Gary Stuebben collection. (124 K, 9/24/03)

C630

Penn Central rostered fifteen ex-PRR Alco Century 630s. One of these is PC 6315, photographed at Buffalo, NY, on February 9, 1976, less than a couple months before Conrail. Photographer unknown, from the J.E. Landrum collection. (82 K)

Same engine again, less than a month later--the 6315 at Cleveland, Ohio, on March 7, 1976. Photo by Gary Stuebben. (197 K)

C636

PC also purchased fifteen of the C630's big brother model, the C636. They were delivered in the first couple months after the merger, and were numbered 6330-6344. These were the only Alcos purchased new by the Penn Central. In this picture, C636 6344 is at Moraine Yard in Dayton, Ohio, in April 1972. Photo by David Oroszi, from the Stephen Foster collection. (58 K)

RSD12

The RSD12, or DL702, is a 6-axle version of the RS11. Penn Central's RSD12's were numbered in the 6855-6879 series, and all came from the Pennsylvania Railroad. During the PC era, the RSD12s seem to be found most commonly around yards on the eastern part of the former PRR system, especially along the New York-Philadelphia main line.

RSD12 6866 works the hump at Morrisville, PA, on December 29, 1976. Photo by Gary Stuebben. (276 K, 5/17/02)

PC 6877 is seen at Trenton, New Jersey, in the company of an SD9. Photo from the Stephen Foster collection. (65 K)

RS11

The RS11, also called the DL701, was an 1800 horsepower, 4-axle roadswitcher built in the late 1950's. All three PC predecessors owned RS11's, even though only 327 of the units were ever built.

PC RS11 7620, in Boston, MA. This locomotive was originally PRR 8620, so it probably feels like it is far from home. Photo by Bob Redden. (121 K)

PC RS11 7635 is seen at an unknown engine terminal. This engine was originally PRR 8635. Photo from the Stephen Foster collection. (71 K)

The New Haven contributed fifteen RS11s to Penn Central. Here, their second-to-last RS11, the 7673, is seen at the engine terminal of its former owner's hometown on October 14, 1972. It was previously NH 1413. Photo by Clayton Sherry, from the Stephen Foster collection. (72 K)

S2

Alco's S2 was a 1000 horsepower switcher built during the 1940's. It had a 539 engine and was turbocharged, unlike the 660 horsepower S1 model. All three PC predecessors contributed S2's to the PC roster, with a majority coming from the New York Central.

The style of the numbers and the faded oval on the cab side of S2 9633 reveal its NYC heritage. It was photographed at North Tonawanda, NY, on July 8, 1973, in the company of another Alco switcher. Photo by Dennis Bydash. (55 K)

Another ex-NYC switcher, the 9705, is seen with a PC caboose at North Tonawanda, NY, on June 13, 1976, just after the start of Conrail. Photo by Dennis Bydash. (56 K)

PC S2 9802, the PRR 5660, is seen at work in Metuchen, New Jersey, on July 16, 1972. Photo from the collection of Stephen Foster. (81 K)

PC S2 9851, ex-NH 0601, is seen at Croxton, NJ. The New Haven's S2's were delivered with flatter roofs compared with standard units in order to clear the overhead catenary of the railroad's New York-New Haven electrified main line. Photo by Arnold Morscher. (86 K)

S4

The S4 was the next 1000 horsepower switcher model offered by Alco after the S2. The S4 can be distinguished from the S2 by its AAR Type B trucks, as opposed to the Blunt trucks of the S2. Penn Central's S4 fleet came from the Pennsy and the Central.

T6

Penn Central rostered six ex-PRR Alco T6 switchers. The 1000 horsepower units were distinguished by notches on their noses, similar those found on the RS11 and other similar Alco road switchers. Here, PC T6 9849, formerly PRR 8429, is at work in Trenton, NJ in October 1972. Photo by J. Sorenson, from the Stephen Foster collection. (93 K)

RS1

PC RS1 9915, seen at Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Bob Redden. (150 K)

PC 9931 was one of two locomotives (the other was S1 9337) to carry experimental red reflective stripes on its ends. It is seen here in September 1971 at an unknown location. Photo by G. Wilsuz, from the collection of Stephen Foster. (86 K)

PC RS1 9937 was the former PRR 5637. Seen at Collinwood shops in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1977. Photograph by John C. Benson. (111 K)

RS3m

Penn Central embarked on an RS3 rebuilding program starting in 1972. RS3's were rebuilt using EMD 567 prime movers and fan assemblies taken from retired E8s. This helped to satisfy PC's need for more reliable local and secondary road units, while helping to standardize the fleet on EMD and GE engines and parts. Many of the rebuilt units were easily identified by the boxy structure built on the top of the long hood to obtain the higher clearance required to lift out the power assemblies on the EMD prime movers. The rebuilds were done at the Altoona and DeWitt (Syracuse), NY, shops, resulting in the units being nicknamed "DeWitt Geeps". Conrail continued this rebuild program until 1978.

RS3m 9965 is seen at Buffalo, New York, on December 12, 1977. The locomotive was rebuilt from PC 5241, originally NYC 8241. Photo by Arnold Morscher. (52 K)