ALCO HH series
Encyclopedia
The ALCO HH series were an early series of switcher
diesel-electric locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company
(ALCO) of Schenectady, New York
between 1931 and 1940, when they were replaced by the S series; the 660 hp S-1
and 1000 hp S-2
. They were ALCO's first diesel
switchers to enter true series production, and among the very first land vehicles anywhere to utilise the revolutionary diesel-electric power transmission
.
The "HH" name stood for "High Hood", a name ALCO came eventually to use in an official context, but originally an unofficial name. Model designations such as HH600 are only semi-official. Original ALCO designations were either descriptive or based on the internal order/design number.
A total of 177 of the HH series were produced; this comprised one prototype and four production models of varying power outputs.
who numbered it as 0900, this number often being used to describe the locomotive, although the classification on the builder's data card was "404-OE-200". It rode on a unique pattern of trucks. This first unit was built in July 1931.
GT551A1 main generator
. Four nose-suspended GE-287-D traction motor
s in the trucks
were geared at a ratio of 4.25:1 to the wheels; the motors were cooled by electrically driven traction motor blowers.
to clean up the appearance; he curved the corners and recessed the headlight, and all subsequent HH series units were of this style until another restyling in 1938 where the nose was further rounded. Late versions of this locomotive used the 6-cylinder 538 engine.
M&STL D539 was the only HH1000 built with the 531T engine.
, two more owned by RELCO, and one owned by Behr Iron and Steel of Portage, Indiana
. Preserved locomotives include an HH600, four HH660s, an HH900 and an HH1000.
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
diesel-electric locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
(ALCO) of Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
between 1931 and 1940, when they were replaced by the S series; the 660 hp S-1
ALCO S-1 and S-3
The ALCO S-1 and S-3 were switcher diesel-electric locomotives produced by ALCO and their Canadian subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works . Basically, the two locomotives differed only in trucks, with the S-1 using ALCO's own Blunt trucks, and the S-3 riding on standard AAR type A switcher trucks...
and 1000 hp S-2
ALCO S-2 and S-4
The ALCO S2 and S4 were switcher diesel locomotives produced by ALCO and Canadian licensee Montreal Locomotive Works . Basically, the two locomotives differed only in trucks, with the S-2 using ALCO's own Blunt trucks, and the S-4 riding on standard AAR type A switcher trucks. Both were powered...
. They were ALCO's first diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
switchers to enter true series production, and among the very first land vehicles anywhere to utilise the revolutionary diesel-electric power transmission
Power transmission
Power transmission is the movement of energy from its place of generation to a location where it is applied to performing useful work.Power is defined formally as units of energy per unit time...
.
The "HH" name stood for "High Hood", a name ALCO came eventually to use in an official context, but originally an unofficial name. Model designations such as HH600 are only semi-official. Original ALCO designations were either descriptive or based on the internal order/design number.
A total of 177 of the HH series were produced; this comprised one prototype and four production models of varying power outputs.
ALCO 600 (New Haven #0900)
The first HH series locomotive, ALCO demonstrator #600 was mechanically almost identical to the others, but the appearance differed. The sides of the locomotive's hood sloped outward from top to bottom, and brake equipment was exposed beneath the cab. After a period of demonstration on a number of railroads, the unit was sold to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
who numbered it as 0900, this number often being used to describe the locomotive, although the classification on the builder's data card was "404-OE-200". It rode on a unique pattern of trucks. This first unit was built in July 1931.
Diesel-electric power transmission
The locomotive was equipped with a four-stroke McIntosh and Seymour Model 531 straight-6 diesel engine, powering a General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
GT551A1 main generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
. Four nose-suspended GE-287-D traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s in the trucks
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
were geared at a ratio of 4.25:1 to the wheels; the motors were cooled by electrically driven traction motor blowers.
HH600
The HH600 was nearly identical to the previous #0900 of the New Haven internally and mechanically, but it was clad in new bodywork, with a straight-sided hood and cab sides that came all the way to the frame. The HH600 was powered by a 6-cylinder McIntosh and Seymour 531 engine of 600 hp, and was built from July 1932 through May 1939; in all, 78 HH600s were constructed. The first-built units had sharp-edged front hood corners, but in 1934 ALCO employed industrial designer Otto KuhlerOtto Kuhler
Otto Kuhler was an American designer, one of the best known industrial designers of the American railroads. According to Trains magazine he streamstyled more locomotives and railroad cars than Cret, Dreyfuss and Loewy combined...
to clean up the appearance; he curved the corners and recessed the headlight, and all subsequent HH series units were of this style until another restyling in 1938 where the nose was further rounded. Late versions of this locomotive used the 6-cylinder 538 engine.
Original buyers
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
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| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... (prototype) |
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to New Haven 0900 |
| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... (demonstrators) |
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to Lehigh Valley Railroad Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad... 105 |
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to Boston and Maine 1102 | ||
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to Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 401 | ||
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
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| Belt Railway of Chicago Belt Railway of Chicago The Belt Railway of Chicago , headquartered in Chicago, is the largest switching terminal railroad in the United States. It is co-owned by six Class I railroads — BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union... |
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| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
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| Central Railroad of New Jersey Central Railroad of New Jersey The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States... |
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| Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two World Wars before being purchased by the Missouri Pacific... |
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| Chicago and Illinois Western Railroad | |
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| Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad The Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad was the owner of Dearborn Station in Chicago and the trackage leading to it. It was owned equally by five of the railroads using it to reach the terminal, and kept those companies from needing their own lines into the city... |
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| Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York... |
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405–406 to Erie Lackawanna |
| Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway is a Class II railroad that operates in the suburbs surrounding Chicago. The railroad is a link between Class I railroads in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana... |
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| Hoboken Manufacturers Railroad | |
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| Illinois Central Railroad Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa... |
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Scrapped 1951 |
| Massena Terminal Railroad | |
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| Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company operates the world's largest limestone quarry located near Rogers City, Michigan. It was founded in 1910, however production didn't begin until 1912... |
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| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
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Renumbered 800–805 |
| New York Central (Boston and Albany Railroad Boston and Albany Railroad The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight... ) |
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Renumbered 806–810 |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
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| Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad | |
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| Peoria and Pekin Union Railway Peoria and Pekin Union Railway The Peoria and Pekin Union Railway is a switching and terminal railroad in Illinois that began operating in 1881 and was leased to the Tazewell and Peoria Railroad in 2004. Its main yard and roundhouse are in East Peoria, Illinois, and it owns track on both sides of the Illinois River... |
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| Portland Terminal Company Portland Terminal Company The Portland Terminal Company was a terminal railroad notable for its control of switching activity for the Maine Central and Boston & Maine railroads in the Maine cities of Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook.- History :... [Maine] |
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| South Buffalo Railway South Buffalo Railway The South Buffalo Railway operates more than fifty miles of railway lines along the southeast shore of Lake Erie. South Buffalo connects to CSX, Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific, and Canadian National Railway.-Historical connections:... |
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| Steelton and Highspire Railroad | |
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| Universal Atlas Cement | |
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| Total | 79 | ||
HH900
The HH900 was a 900 hp (670 kW) version of the HH series using a turbocharged version of the McIntosh and Seymour 531 engine. Both turbocharged models (HH900 and HH1000) needed a greater cooling capacity, and this was reflected in the larger bodyside radiator space of both models, which distinguishes them from the lower-powered HH600 and HH660. The 21 HH900 units were produced between March 1937 and January 1939, after which it was replaced by the McIntosh & Seymour 538T-engined HH1000. Several HH900s were built with the 538T engine.Original buyers
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... (demonstrator unit) |
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to CRI&P 730 |
| Birmingham Southern Railroad Birmingham Southern Railroad Birmingham Southern Railroad is a subsidiary of Transtar, operator of several short-line railroad companies. The BS operates on 84 miles of track, providing switching services in the Birmingham, Alabama area.-History:... |
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| Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway is a Class II railroad that operates in the suburbs surrounding Chicago. The railroad is a link between Class I railroads in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana... |
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| Kansas City Terminal Railway Kansas City Terminal Railway The Kansas City Terminal Railway is a Class III railroad terminal railroad that serves as a joint operation of the trunk railroads that serve the Kansas City metropolitan area, the country's second largest rail hub. It is presently operated by the Kaw River Railroad.The Railway was created after a... |
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| Minnesota Transfer Railway Minnesota Transfer Railway The Minnesota Transfer Railway was a short line railroad in the United States.It was owned by nine major railroads serving the Twin Cities: the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Chicago Great Western Railway, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, the Chicago, Rock... |
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| Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad | |
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to South Buffalo Railway 70 |
| Reading Company Reading Company The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states... |
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| Warrior River Terminal Company | |
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| Youngstown and Northern Railroad | |
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| Total | 21 | ||
HH660
The HH660 started production in ALCO's lineup in October 1938; 43 examples were built until April 1940. It utilized a naturally aspirated version of the 6-cylinder McIntosh and Seymour 538 engine, producing 660 hp (490 kW). Externally, HH660s are indistinguishable from late HH600s.Original buyers
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... (plant switcher) |
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| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad... |
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| Boston and Maine Railroad Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century... |
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| Buffalo Creek Railroad | |
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| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names... (“Milwaukee Road”) |
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Renumbered 980–983 |
| Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York... |
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409–410 to Erie-Lackawanna Railway 324–325 |
| Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway is a Class II railroad that operates in the suburbs surrounding Chicago. The railroad is a link between Class I railroads in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana... |
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| Erie Railroad Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie... |
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| Green Bay and Western Railroad Green Bay and Western Railroad The Green Bay and Western Railroad served the transportation and freight haulage needs of northern Wisconsin for almost 100 years before it was absorbed into the Wisconsin Central in 1993... |
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| Inland Steel | |
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| Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville and Nashville Railroad The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business... |
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| Maine Central Railroad Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S... |
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| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was an American Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota which existed for 90 years from 1870 to 1960.... |
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| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
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| Northern Pacific Railway Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in... |
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125–126 to Walla Walla Valley Railway 770, 775; 127 renumbered 602 |
| Southern Pacific Company | |
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| Tennessee Central Railway Tennessee Central Railway The Tennessee Central Railway was founded in 1884 as the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad by Alexander S. Crawford. It was an attempt to open up a rail route from the coal and minerals of East Tennessee to the markets of the midstate, a service which many businessmen felt was not being adequately... |
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| Wabash Railroad Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,... |
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| Total | 43 | ||
HH1000
The HH1000 replaced the HH900, replacing the 531 engine with the new McIntosh and Seymour 538T engine, turbocharged to produce 1000 hp (750 kW), a 100 hp (75 kW) increase on the previous model. It was produced during May 1939 and December 1940; 34 were built.M&STL D539 was the only HH1000 built with the 531T engine.
Original buyers
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... (demonstrator unit) |
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| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
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| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad... |
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| Birmingham Southern Railroad Birmingham Southern Railroad Birmingham Southern Railroad is a subsidiary of Transtar, operator of several short-line railroad companies. The BS operates on 84 miles of track, providing switching services in the Birmingham, Alabama area.-History:... |
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| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names... (“Milwaukee Road”) |
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| Manufacturers Railway | |
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| Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company operates the world's largest limestone quarry located near Rogers City, Michigan. It was founded in 1910, however production didn't begin until 1912... |
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| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway was an American Class I railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis, Minnesota which existed for 90 years from 1870 to 1960.... |
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Renumbered 92; to Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... |
| Missouri Pacific Railroad Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific... |
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| Newburgh and South Shore Railway | |
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| Oliver Iron Mining Company | |
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| Total | 34 | ||
Specifications
| Overall length | 45 ft 2.75 in | 13.79 m |
| Between bolster centers: | 21 ft 3 in | 6.48 m |
| Truck wheelbase: | 8 ft 0 in | 2.44 m |
| Width over grabirons: | 9 ft 10 in | 3.00 m |
| Height above rails: | 14 ft 3 in | 4.34 m |
| Wheel diameter: | 40 in | 1.02 m |
| Fuel capacity: | ||
| Engine (HH600): | McIntosh & Seymour 531 | |
| Power (HH600): | 600 hp | 450 kW |
| Engine (HH900): | McIntosh & Seymour 531T (turbocharged) | |
| Power (HH900): | 900 hp | 670 kW |
| Engine (HH660): | McIntosh & Seymour 538 | |
| Power (HH660): | 660 hp | 500 kW |
| Engine (HH1000): | McIntosh & Seymour 538T (turbocharged) | |
| Power (HH1000): | 1000 hp | 750 kW |
| Main generator: | ||
| Traction motors: | ||
| Standard gearing: | ||
| Weight: | ||
Surviving units
A few HH series switchers still survive in revenue service, and more are in museums. Working HH locomotives include an HH660 at Gopher Scrap in Mankato, MinnesotaMankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, two more owned by RELCO, and one owned by Behr Iron and Steel of Portage, Indiana
Portage, Indiana
Portage is a city in Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 36,828 as of the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Porter County, and third largest in Northwest Indiana.-Geography:...
. Preserved locomotives include an HH600, four HH660s, an HH900 and an HH1000.