Diesel of the Day 7/4: Alco C630

Today’s diesel is made by a thoroughly American company…the American Locomotive Company in fact, or ALCo for short. The Alco Century 630 was one of the last models offered by the firm before they went out of business in 1969, with the small production quantity of 77 units between 1965 and 1967 reflecting this. The C630 is powered by Alco’s own 16-251C engine, again a 3,000 horsepower four-stroke turbocharged V16. This locomotive was considered powerful for its time, with EMD and GE contemporaries of the period making about 2,500 HP. Alco was founded in 1901 and originally produced steam locomotives. They did very well in the years before and after World War 2, but slipped up with their model 244 engine design in the late 1940s, which left a bad taste in the railroads’ mouths, and the company never fully recovered. Combined with strong competition from constantly improving EMD locomotives (which had almost all the market for diesels by 1960), Alco was forced to close their erecting shop doors forever in 1969. Many Alco diesels of various models survive, working for small railroads and museums. They are known as honorary steam locomotives due to their character and hallmark thick black smoke when working hard. Exactly three intact Century 630 diesels exist today, so the photo this time is historic, of a long-scrapped Southern Pacific Railroad example.