I dearly miss the 567B and C engines. Those two-strokers at work, the way their exhausts were built and turbocharger whistle... When they loaded up, it sounded great! Rail pounding thunder!
BN E8A 9965 (ex-CB&Q 9965), Denver, CO, Early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN E8A 9966 (ex-CB&Q 9966), Denver, CO, Early 1970 (Bob Jordan)
Interesting how the BN name is painted right over the Burlington name on the side on the 9965! Most of these E's had a unique paint scheme by the early 70's, no two were alike!
Yup. It varied, widely. Some units seemed to come out of a somewhat defined repainting process. Others were just "slap-dash". It was sad to see old favorites, NP especially, going under the green glop. But in it's own weird way, also an interesting time.
BN E8A 9967 (ex-CB&Q 9967), Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN E8A 9975 (ex-CB&Q 9975), Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
BN Caboose 10149 (ex-GN X109), Denver, CO, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) BN Caboose 12618, Denver, CO, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
BN Caboose 12618, Denver, CO, early 1990s (Bob Jordan) BN Trough Train Prototype Hopper 899996, Illinois, early 1990s (Bob Jordan)
A view of the BN yard in Galesburg, IL, taken during the early 1990s (Bob Jordan) Amtrak's San Francisco Zephyr blasts its way eastward out of Denver during the early 1970s (Bob Jordan)
C&NW F3A 233, ex-MKT 202A, early 1970s (Bob Jordan) C&NW RS3 1553, ex-Litchfield & Madison 302, mid-1970s (Bob Jordan)
I wonder what an ALCo power plant would sound like in today's world? We would certainly not have the steam engine-like exhaust clouds. But would we at least hear a similar sound?
i saw and heard an M-630 at the Exporail museum, during a diesel parade in 2015 (coolest parade ever...). The 251 in that loco had a distinctly different sound from the RS-18s (also 251 engines) I experienced in my youth. The older units had a very distinct rough, burbling sound, while the 630's rumble was much smoother and quieter. But all music to my ears, courtesy of Maestro Alco.
Yup. Just wondering "what if", they were still in business today, after all the modern eco-restrictions, etc, if they'd have the same type of unique sound. I have been aboard operating ALCo, FM, EMD and smaller maker's models.
Love these Alcos! Yeah, the point in linking that photo is to suggest one can still in 2020 see an Alco RS-3 in action!