Alco "C628" Locomotives: Roster, Data Sheet, Specs

Last revised: February 24, 2024

The C628 was Alco's first in its line of six-axle, C-C road switchers. Overall these behemoths were as powerful as they appeared, which is perhaps ironically a significant reason why the American Locomotive Company (Alco) did not sell more of its six-axle Century line.

Perhaps most unfortunate was that Alco missed the high horsepower, six-axle market by just a few years as in the early 1970s GM's Electro-Motive Division released its SD40 series which to this day remains one of the most popular locomotive designs ever conceived.

In any event, the C628 would prove to be Alco's most successful six-axle Century, selling nearly 200 units.

Today, there are three C628's known to exist although none are located within the United States; Delaware & Hudson Railway #610 is located at the Yucatan Railroad Museum in Mexico along with Ferrocaril del Pacifico #606.

Additionally, Hammersly Iron #2000 is preserved by the Pilbara Railway Historical Society of Australia.

Pennsylvania C628 #6309 and SD45 #6150 between assignments in Toledo, Ohio on March 30, 1967. Harry Juday photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

To counter GE’s new locomotive model, the Universal series, Alco debuted its Century series in the early 1960s. Once again, the Schenectady manufacturer was scrambling to try and keep up with the competition, which in the world of business is a very bad situation to find oneself in.

While GE's "U-Boats" were not that particularly successful either, given that EMD was not only the most trusted builder at the time but also releasing models that were simply far superior to everyone else, the one-time Alco ally was selling more of them than the Centuries.

The first of Alco's six-axle, C-C models was the C628; a powerful, clean design that unfortunately was much more successful with railfans (and still is) than railroads.

Recently delivered Delaware & Hudson C628 #601 is seen here at the road's terminal in Mechanicville, New York in March, 1964. American-Rails.com collection.

The Century series also brought out a new numbering system by Alco, replacing the straightforward symbols from before (“RS” for road-switcher, “PA” for passenger and A-unit, etc.) with letters and digits, something roughly similar to Baldwin’s numbering system.

With the C628, “C”, of course, stood for Century series, “6” was the axle number, and the last two digits were the horsepower rating. The Alco C628 debuted in late 1963 as a replacement for the builder's RSD-15 line.

A company photo of C628 demonstrator #628-4, seen here at Alco's famous plant in Schenectady, New York during 1964. The manufacturer built four C628 demonstrators, #628-1 through #628-4; all were purchased by Southern Pacific.

Reception

Using Alco's tried in proven 251C model prime mover the C628 was rated at 2,750-2,800 horsepower and it, along with its successors became legendary for their ability to pull serious tonnage.

Unfortunately, as powerful as they were railroads came to dislike them since they caused significant wear to the track structure.

This was particularly true for the Monon, which only used their C628s for a few years before selling the units. Ultimately, Alco sold fewer six-axle Centuries than it probably could otherwise have.

Lehigh Valley C628 #625 is seen here in December, 1971. Location not listed. Author's collection.

Still, through the end of production in 1968 the C628 sold relatively well for the Century line producing 186 units for several Class I systems such as:

Atlantic Coast Line (11)

Louisville & Nashville (15)

Delaware & Hudson (18)

Lehigh Valley (8)

Monon (9)

Norfolk & Western (30)

Pennsylvania (15)

Southern Pacific (25)

A big Pennsylvania Railroad C628, #6302, at Altoona, Pennsylvania; June, 1965. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Additionally, Australian firm Hammersley Iron purchased five, Ferrocaril del Pacifico picked up ten, and its Mexican counterpart National Railway of Mexico purchased 32. Alco also built four demonstrators, #628-1 to #628-4 all of which were picked up by the Southern Pacific.

Just as the builder would experience with its four axle Centuries most of the buyers for its C-C designs would be railroads already loyal to the company like the Lehigh Valley, D&H, and N&W as it could attract little new interest after early reliability issues continued to hamper sales.

This closeup view of Lehigh Valley C628 #625 was taken of the unit at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on August 5, 1974. The LV owned eight of these units, numbered 625-632. Doug Kroll photo.

Strangely, even after GE entered the locomotive market itself and competed directly against Alco the company continued to purchase internal components from them.

Perhaps most ironic was that components, like GE's model GT586A4 main generator, could be found in both Century and Universal models.

The C628 up to that time offered the most starting (85,750 pounds) and continuous tractive effort (79,500 pounds) of any locomotive in its class, which is a significant reason why some railroads really liked them.

Norfolk & Western C628 #1102 and C630 #1132 layover at the Roanoke Shops in August, 1968. Rick Burn photo.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	12/19/1963 (Atlantic Coast Line #2000)
Years Produced	12/19/1963-12/1968
Model Specification	DL628
Engine	251C, V-16
Horsepower	2,750
RPM	1,050
Carbody Styling	Alco
Length (Between Coupler Pulling Faces)	69' 6"
Weight	342,000 Lbs. (Optional ballasting available up to 408,000 Lbs.)
Dynamic Brakes	Optional
Trucks	C-C
Truck Type	Trimount
Truck Wheelbase	12' 6"
Wheel Size	40"
Traction Motors	GE 752 (6)
Traction Generator	GT586
Gear Ratio	74:18 (65 MPH), 81:22 (75 MPH)
Tractive Effort Rating	79,500 Lbs. at 12 MPH
Top Speed	75 MPH

Production Roster

Total Built = 186

Owner	Road Number(s)	Construction Number(s)	Completion Date
Alco (Demo)	628-1 thru 628-4 (Became Southern Pacific #4870-4873)	S-3376-01 thru S-3376-04	5/1964
Atlantic Coast Line	2000-2003	84899-84902	12/19/1963
Atlantic Coast Line	2004-2010	S-3393-01 thru S-3393-07	12/1964
Chihuahua al Pacifico (Mexico)	901-904	S-3474-01 thru S-3474-04	12/1966
Delaware & Hudson	601-609	S-3373-01 thru S-3373-09	3/1964-5/1965
Delaware & Hudson	610-618	S-3407-01 thru S-3407-09	5/1965
Ferrocarril Del Pacifico (Mexico)	601-606	S-3452-01 thru S-3452-06	4/1964-5/1964
Ferrocarril Del Pacifico (Mexico)	607-610	S-6001-01 thru S-6001-04	12/1968
Hamersley Iron (Australia)	2000-2002	S-3415-01 thru S-3415-03	6/1965
Hamersley Iron (Australia)	2004-2005	S-3482-01 thru S-3482-02	4/1967
Lehigh Valley	625-631	S-3427-01 thru S-3427-07	11/1965
Lehigh Valley	632	S-3476-01	1/1967
Louisville & Nashville	1400-1411	S-3383-01 thru S-3383-12	7/1964-9/1964
Louisville & Nashville	1412-1414	S-3406-01 thru S-3406-03	4/1965
Monon	400-408	84903-84911	3/1964
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	8300-8309	S-3475-01 thru S-3475-10	12/1966-1/1967
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	8310-8321	S-3496-01 thru S-3496-12	2/1968
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	8322-8331	S-3495-01 thru S-3495-10	2/1968-3/1968
Norfolk & Western	1100-1109	S-3429-01 thru S-3429-10	11/1965
Norfolk & Western	1110-1129	S-3455-01 thru S-3455-20	4/1966
Pennsylvania	6300-6309	S-3404-01 thru S-3404-10	3/1965
Pennsylvania	6310-6314	S-3434-01 thru S-3434-05	11/1965-12/1965
Southern Pacific	4845-4873 (Ex-Demo's #628-1 thru #628-4)	S-3401-01 thru S-3401-25	3/1965-4/1965

Sources

Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.

Kirkland, John F. Diesel Builders, The: Volume Two, American Locomotive Company And Montreal Locomotive Works. Glendale: Interurban Press, 1989.

Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.

Solomon, Brian. Alco Locomotives. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2009.

Demonstrators

American Locomotive's four C628 demonstrators, #628-1 through #628-4, circa 1964. All would be purchased by Southern Pacific.

This was especially the case with the Chicago & North Western, which purchased the N&W's 30 units in 1973 finding them quite useful employed in heavy ore service along its lines in northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan.

They last about 14 years on the C&NW before being retired in 1987. The carbody design of the C628 carried the standard Century look of a long, flush hood and short nose ahead of the cab.

The six-axle Centuries were massive locomotives, with the C628 weighing 204 tons and was more than 69-feet in length!

Photos

Chicago & North Western's big C628s, #6709 and #6729, between assignments leading ore trains at Escanaba, Michigan on May 20, 1979. The units were ex-Norfolk & Western Alcos. Doug Kroll photo.

One of Monons recently delivered C628's, #402, is seen here at the yard in Hammond, Indiana on March 31, 1964. Their six-axle wheelbases were far too long to negotiate the Monon's network while their extreme weight had a tendency to spread the rails. In addition, their entire purpose was proved moot when the ICC refused the coal transfer project the railroad was attempting to launch between the Ohio River and Lake Michigan (Michigan City). They were returned to Alco in 1967 and later sold to the Lehigh Valley. Roger Puta photo.

Atlantic Coast Line C628 #2010, one of eleven the road owned (2000-2010), is seen here in Richmond, Virginia on November 20, 1965. Warren Calloway photo.

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