Diesel of the Day 7/31: Alco T6

For the final Diesel of the Day, the final day in July, and presumably my final day as the Goat, I will feature the final locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company: the Alco T6. This was the last in Alco’s lineup of yard switching locomotives, and it had a few tricks up its sleeve, such as a slightly more powerful 1,000 horsepower 251B four-stroke turbocharged inline 6 engine, and faster electrical transition for working in yards and on transfer jobs. (The ‘T’ in T6 stands for ‘Transfer’.) This model also introduced the unique notched nose, which would become a common spotting feature on later and larger Alco diesels. Alco began building the T6 in 1958, and a total of 54 were produced. Despite most railroads finding standard Geeps and switchers adequate for transfer work, the model sold fairly well. Alco’s very last locomotive was a T6 built for the Newburgh & South Shore Railroad, outshopped on a cold, rainy day in early January 1969. Alco would never again build a locomotive, but their products have withstood the test of time, and many engines survive today, including at least four operational T6s. (Alco also built the 12-251C engines that power NASA’s massive crawler-transporter!) Today, one can still order a brand-new Alco 251F diesel engine, now built by Fairbanks-Morse. They still support the engines in the crawler. The photo for today is of Norfolk & Western 41, a beautifully restored former Chesapeake Western T6 now owned and operated by the Norfolk chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS).