The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad's Alco T-6 No. 16 leads the daily local past Frisco Park in Rogers, AR.
(Doug Wertman from Rogers, AR, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
ALCO T-6
The Alco T6 (DL 440) was a diesel-electric switcher locomotive rated at 1,000 horsepower (750 kW), that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement. It was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) from March 1958 – January 1969. A total of 57 units were built.
The 'T' stood for 'Transfer', meaning this locomotive was capable of faster transition and higher sustained speeds than the regular 'S' - type yard switcher series.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altos Hornos de Mexico, S.A. | 2 | 126–127 | |
| Brewster Phosphate | 2 | 16–17 | |
| Kaiser Steel | 2 | 1022–1023 | |
| Monongahela Connecting Railroad | 1 | 400 | Hi-Ad trucks |
| Newburgh and South Shore Railroad | 2 | 1016–1017 | Last locomotives built by Alco; 1016 and 1017 are known to survive. |
| Norfolk and Western Railway | 40 | 10–49 | 40–41 to Chesapeake Western Railway renumbered 10 and 11 |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 6 | 8424–8429 | 8427 is known to survive. |
| Portland Terminal Railroad (formerly Northern Pacific Terminal) (Oregon) | 2 | 46–47 |
Chesapeake & Western No. 10 is a 1959 Alco T-6 switcher.
(Mark F. Levisay, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Survivors
- The Delaware Coast Line Railway, the Ohio Central Railway and the Arkansas & Missouri all operate the T-6. Ohio Central's T-6 is unique because it was the only one built (for Monongahela Connecting Railroad) with Hi-Ad trucks. 14 T-6's survive in all.
- Pennsylvania RR 8427 survives as Georges Creek Railway 101. It was that railroad's first locomotive acquisition and is often used to switch the NewPage paper mill at Luke, Maryland.
- Newburg and South Shore Railroad 1017 survives on the West Michigan Railroad.
- Newburg and South Shore Railroad 1016 survives as Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad 1016.
- Norfolk and Western Railway No. 40 survives as a static display in the Virginia Museum of Transportation. It has been restored to Chesapeake and Western No. 10 paint.
- Norfolk and Western Railway No. 41 is operated by the Roanoke Chapter, NRHS. It has been restored to Norfolk and Western lettering and makes operating appearances at the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
Norfolk & Western No. 41 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
(Left: O484~enwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
(Right: VGN322, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Overview
Type and origin
Power type: Diesel-electric
Builder: ALCO
Model: T-6 (Specification DL440)
Build date: March 1958 – January 1969
Total produced: 57
Specifications
Configuration: • AAR B-B
Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Prime mover: Alco 251B
Cylinders: Straight 6
Performance figures
Power output: 1,000 hp (750 kW)