ALCo Century C-628 Engine #617 Photograph by Dave T. Klutchko in October 1974 at Oneonta, NY (DHVM Website)
All of these where sold in 1978 to Diesel Supplies Int.; Vienna, VA. and later Leased to M de M. Any later photographs or information about these engines would be wonderful...
Back in the early 1970's I had a good friend who was a Director on the D&H, and he got me several cab rides in the 600's. They truly were "big thumpers"! A trio of them working uphill to Howe's Cavern was awe inspiring... They had a reputation of being unstoppable, even down on their hands and knees at 50% over their tonnage ratings. Unfortunately, the 600's were hard on track due to their Trimount trucks, which ALCO refused to remedy when they were still on warranty. The D&H worked on their own fix at Colonie, but the units still performed less than satisfactory. D&H quit buying ALCO's over this dispute (ALCO was going down the tubes anyway) and turned to GE for new purchases. Later on, D&H purged these orphan problem child units earlier than normal from the railroad. But when the C-628's roamed the railroad, they were the giants of the valley.
Very Nice!!!!!!! Any chance I can post this on the DHVM Website with full credit? :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool:
I remember watching two of these monsters pushing a freight out of Binghamton to Tunnel. What a show!!
Hey Mark, here's a shot of 605 without the lightning stripes! I can't tell what number the second one is, I'm told 606 also recieved the blue dip and that there were 3 628 blue dips total. They had also lost their sunshades at this time. I'm not sure when this photo was taken, but it must have shortly before they went to Mexico as they are sitting on a dead track on SP property, (the exhaust is not from the 605).
Jay - That is 606 second in line .... I have a closer shot of that same set with the SP unit beside them. I have pictures of numbers 603, 605, 606, 607 and 615 in the solid blue dip scheme. It has been my understanding that the modified scheme I posted above WITH the lightning stripe was done AFTER it was south of the border - and the only one done that way. Looks kind of "C&O-ish" to me ! I've never really done much research into just how many were painted into the blue dip before they left the D&H. (?) I also have a number of pictures showing some blue dip six axle U-boats as well. Again, not sure how many were done that way .... would make an interesting research project. Mark.
I would say since the photo of the lightning bolt blue dip 605 was shot in Oneonta at the roundhouse chances are that before it went to Mexico it lost the bolt and small numbers. Mark I have also seen a photo of D&H U30c #702 in blue dip, but the photo is so far away its hard to see. I wonder if anymore U30c's were in the blue dip scheme...
That lightning stripe shot of 605 is not Oneonta. Pretty certain that open air roundhouse is in Mexico ! As for the blue dip u-boats prepared for Mexico, I have pictures of 701, 704 and 706. Not sure exactly how many there were. Mark.
