Andre, The C-420's were a great engine, so much better than the 628's the LV
had. I know the A&M has several ex LV 420's. I only ever ran one once when it
was D&H power after the LV's went to D&H, but it was borrowed power on the
Susie-Q where I got my "running" experience. The Susie-Q had a few ex NYC
C-430's and except for the wallowing ride from the Hi-Ad trucks were also good
pullers. The constant banging of the handbrake chain against the short hood
would drive ya nuts after a few hours.
As for "S" content, the Susie-Q's Alco's had had their "S" logo on the nose!
I would be overjoyed if either of these units were ever produced in S scale!
Bud Rindfleisch
--- In [email protected], "Andre Ming" <laming@...> wrote:
>
> Tsk, tsk.
>
> We RUN engines, not "drive" them... unless you're in Europe. Then you're a
> Driver and you "drive" a train. But over here in the good ol' US of A, we
> are Engineers and we "run" engines and trains.
>
> :-)
>
> Now, as for Alco's breaking down... I wouldn't know a thing about that. ;-)
>
> (Did I tell you about the one that exploded out the stack once? Ah well...
> another story left for another time.)
>
> Okay, in all seriousness:
>
> The Alco's I run daily were all made in the early-mid 60's. The fact that
> they are still gettin' it done in 2012 is... well... pretty amazing, really.
> They are some darn tough engines, built like the proverbial brick poop place.
> (For example, the EMD's I have run from the same vintage had plastic controls
> and lots of plastic in the control stands. These Alco's are all steel and
> cast metal. There is NOTHING plastic in a mid-60's Alco.)
>
> The Alco C420 I'm currently using on my switch job (A&M #52) is a darn good
> engine for switching: Loads fast, stops good, pulls its guts out when I ask
> it to.
>
> Just today, while we were switching in the yard, the radio crackled: As soon
> as we could, we were on our way to meet a train and take tonnage off of it
> for Fort Smith. Once there and the train arrived, I got ahold of 30+ cars,
> many of them loads, and starting from a dead stop, got a run at a fairly
> formidable hill. #52 knuckled down and got with the program and I topped the
> hill at the allowable (20 MPH in this case). Not bad at all.
>
> In a few minutes the radio crackled again:
>
> "Did you make it over the hill?" (the TM knew it was going to a hard pull...
> figuring we may have to double into the yard.)
>
> "Stormin' your way." was my response.
>
> Surprised, he said he would get his radio and meet us in the yard. Once in
> the yard, in about 20-30 minutes we had the train broke down and
> re-classified for tonight's runs. Oft times kicked cars (and cuts) would be
> drifting down three different tracks at the same time.
>
> Yup... sometimes I get aggrevated at these old Alco's... but really...
> they're doing pretty good to have been in service for nearly 50 years.
>
> Andre Ming
>
> From: Jamie Bothwell
>
> Bud,
> I was thinking more like good, stout string for EMDs and a sort of fine
> thread for Alcos. Simulates Alco's propensity for breaking down. (So I've
> heard. Not to argue with two guys who actually drove them!)
> Jamie Bothwell
> Bethlehem, PA
>
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