Norfolk Southern number 1616, an AS-416, at Chesapeake, VA, in 1968.
(Roger Puta, courtesy Marty Bernard, railfan 44, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
BALDWIN AS-416 DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
The BLH AS-416 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type rated at 1,625 hp (1,212 kW), that rode on three-axle trucks, having an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement.
Used in much the same manner as its four-axle counterpart, the AS-16, though the wheel arrangement spread out the axle load for operation on light rail such as are found on branch lines.
It was introduced in 1950 as a replacement of the DRS-6-4-1500 and remained in Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton's catalog until their cessation of locomotive manufacture in 1956.
Only 25 units were sold to four railroads — all of whom had bought the earlier model. The vast majority (17 of the 25 units) were purchased by the original Norfolk Southern Railway (1942–82), becoming a signature locomotive for the company.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah and Atlanta Railway | 3 | 108–110 | |
| Columbus and Greenville Railway | 1 | 606 | |
| Norfolk Southern Railway | 17 | 1601–1617 | |
| Office des Chemins de Fer Algériens | 4 | 040 DF 1–4 | |
| Total | 25 |
Columbus & Greenville Railway number 606 at Illinois Railway Museum.
(Slambo, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Preservation
Surviving examples include:
- Columbus and Greenville 606, at the Illinois Railway Museum.
- Norfolk Southern 1616, at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.
Overview
Type and origin
Power type: Diesel-electric
Builder: Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation
Model: AS-416
Build date: May 1951–December 1955
Total produced: 25
Specifications
Configuration:
• AAR A1A-A1A
Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length over couplers: 58’
Prime mover: 608A
Aspiration: Turbocharger - Elliott Company H704 (125 hp)
Generator: Westinghouse YG42B
Traction motors: Westinghouse 370DL (x 4)
Performance figures
Power output 1,625 hp (1,212 kW) (marketed as 1,600 hp)