Alco "Blunt" Trucks: History, Development, Specifications
Last revised: December 20, 2024
By: Adam Burns
The Blunt truck was a uniquely American Locomotive Company (Alco) design, created by one of its own engineers and used on its very early S series switchers and late era High Hood series (the first it ever marketed).
The Blunt was developed for use on rough, poor, and uneven track as Alco believed its switcher would find considerable use in industrial and secondary track applications.
Interestingly, the builder turned out to be correct as it sold more than 2,000 examples of the S1 and S2 although far more railroads went on to purchase the locomotive than private industries.
Following pressure from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Alco would drop the Blunt for the universal AAR Type A used by most other builders during that era.
Ironically, despite the discontinuance of this truck many decades ago it can still be found in use today on surviving S1's and S2's.
These locomotives tend to be found at museums and tourist lines. Amazingly, however, a few continue to earn their keep in revenue service at short lines and within industrial settings.
Photos
Pennsylvania Railroad S1 #9238, sporting Blunt trucks, was photographed here at Northumberland, Pennsylvania shortly before the Penn Central merger, circa 1967. American-Rails.com collection.History
You might be surprised to learn that Alco helped pioneer diesel-electric technology along with General Electric and Ingersoll-Rand during the 1920s when the trio began producing small boxcab switchers.
Realizing the potential market for these in yard and secondary service, about a decade later Alco released its own line known as the HH series (High Hood).
These little locomotives came in a wide range of horsepower ratings from 300 to 1,000 and were originally equipped with the builder's first, unnamed drop-equalizer trucks that appeared quite similar to Blunts.
"HH" Switchers
The first two models, the HH-300 and HH-600 released in 1931 and 1932 carried this truck. However, after 1932 the High Hoods were all equipped with the newer Blunt (they also received a cosmetic update to their carbodies a few years later thanks to industrial design Otto Kuhler).
For the time period in which they were built with no competition and diesel technology still in its very early stages of development Alco's High Hoods sold quite well with nearly 200 manufactured between the five models offered.
Alco ended production on these switchers in 1940, replacing them with its new S series. Among other upgrades the latest switcher included a new carbody and additional tractive effort via a newer General Electric traction motor as well as the relatively new Blunt truck.
Designed by the company's own James G. Blunt, for which it was named (who later went on to become Alco's chief engineer), the truck used a cast-steel chassis and was meant for service over poor, uneven trackage often found within industrial settings and sidings.
Because of this it also became known as the "rubber truck" for its ability to bounce along and negotiate rough track without derailing.
"S1" Switchers
The 600-horsepower S1 entered full-scale production in the spring of 1940 and competed strongly against Electro-Motive's recently introduced SW1 (which came equipped with what was later termed the AAR Type A "switcher" truck).
The S1 sold more than 500 examples when production had ended in 1950 and as Alco correctly projected several went to work in industrial settings such as Hunken Conkey Construction, Republic Steel, Sheffield Steel, Solvay Process Corporation, Studebaker, Traux Truer Coal, the U.S. Army, and Weirton Steel.
"S2" Switchers
That same year Alco also cataloged the more powerful 1,000 horsepower S2 and apparently it offered just the right blend of power and size as sales skyrocketed.
The S2 became Alco's most successful switcher seeing 1,500 units built by the time production ended in 1950. Just as before many industries purchased the locomotive, some of which had also ordered the S1.
The S2 was the final model to be equipped with Blunts, however. For years the Association of American Railroads had been after Alco to change its truck design to conform with what it termed as part of its "AAR Recommended Practice," which in this case was the AAR Type A (first built by the Commonwealth Steel Company and later continued by successor General Steel Castings Corporation or GSC).
This standard two-axle truck design was being used by all of the major builders of the era including GE, Electro-Motive, Baldwin, and later Fairbanks Morse.
Finally, Alco capitulated after it was essentially forced to do so or otherwise be out of conformance with the AAR's practices.
This would have meant the builder could not sell its products to common carrier railroads, most of which were members of the AAR (and still are today) since the Blunt was not listed as an acceptable truck.
Ironically, Alco already owned the company building the AAR Type A, GSC, which it had acquired along with Baldwin during the late 1920s. The S3 was the manufacturer's first switcher to carry this common design, first entering production during the summer of 1950.
While the Blunt truck certainly had nothing to do with this, Alco's switchers never sold quite as well with AAR Type As although they remained popular until the builder ceased production on the series in 1960.
Sources
- Hayden, Bob. Diesel Locomotives: Cyclopedia, Volume 2 (Model Railroader). Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1980.
- Kirkland, John F. Diesel Builders, The: Volume Two, American Locomotive Company And Montreal Locomotive Works. Glendale: Interurban Press, 1989.
- Marre, Louis A. Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years, A Guide To Diesels Built Before 1972. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1995.
- Schafer, Mike. Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 1998.
- Solomon, Brian. Alco Locomotives. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2009.
- Solomon, Brian. American Diesel Locomotive, The. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 2000.
Recent Articles
-
Milwaukee Road Diesel Roster: (All Time)
Oct 26, 26 01:44 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Milwaukee Road. 1,208 locomotives, each frame once. Alco, Baldwin, Davenport, EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, General Electric, and Whitcomb, with builder numbers. -
Milwaukee Road Steam Roster (All-Time): Post-1900
Oct 26, 26 01:38 PM
Milwaukee Road steam locomotives built since 1900. Prairies, Mikados, the N-class articulateds, the S-class 4-8-4s, and the Hiawatha Atlantics and Hudsons. Quantity column 1,974. Unique frames 1,951. -
Milwaukee Road: Map, Electrification, Logo, History
Oct 26, 26 01:20 PM
The Milwaukee Road, from the Milwaukee & Mississippi of 1850 to the Pacific Coast Extension, the Hiawathas, and the Soo Line sale. Why Lines West should have stayed. -
Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad: Map, Roster, History
Oct 25, 26 11:38 PM
Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad, reporting mark LSI, from the Marquette Range to the Presque Isle ore dock. The 1954 steam list and the diesels the railroad owned. -
Kansas City Southern Steam Roster (Built Since 1900)
Oct 25, 26 09:09 PM
Steam locomotives of the Kansas City Southern built since 1900, with the Louisiana & Arkansas and the Texas company. -
Kansas City Southern Diesel Roster (Built New)
Oct 25, 26 11:46 AM
All-time diesel roster of the Kansas City Southern. E units, F units, Geeps, SD40s through SD70ACes, Fairbanks-Morse, Baldwin, Alco, and General Electric, with serials and order numbers. -
Kansas City Southern Railway: Map, Photos, History
Oct 25, 26 12:24 AM
The Kansas City Southern, from Arthur Stilwell's Gulf line to Canadian Pacific Kansas City on April 14, 2023. Steam and diesel rosters, the Southern Belle, and the Louisiana & Arkansas. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 25, 26 12:17 AM
All-time diesel roster of the Indiana Harbor Belt. 202 locomotive frames, each counted once. NW2s, SW7s, SW1500s, road switchers, and gensets. Slugs and boosters are outside the count. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Steam Roster (Built Since 1900)
Oct 25, 26 12:13 AM
Steam locomotives of the Indiana Harbor Belt built since 1900. 182 engines, each counted once. 0-6-0s, 2-6-0s, 0-8-0s, and 2-8-2s. The three U-4a switchers are three-cylinder Brooks engines of 1927. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 25, 26 12:00 AM
Indiana Harbor Belt, the inner belt across the Calumet, from the East Chicago Belt of May 16, 1896. Renamed June 29, 1907. Still operating, headquarters Hammond. Steam roster is the companion, 182 loc… -
NYC's "P Motor" Electric Locomotives
Oct 24, 26 11:43 PM
New York Central P motors: 22 Alco-GE 2-C+C-2 electrics, Cleveland Union Terminal 1050–1071, class P-1a. 3,030 hp one-hour on 3,000-volt DC catenary, then 660-volt third rail as P-2a and P-2b. -
Illinois Terminal Car Roster
Oct 24, 26 11:40 PM
Illinois Terminal cars. Mainline motors, the 1948 streamliners, sleepers, Alton and Valley Division cars, express motors, and the line cars rebuilt from pull cars. -
Illinois Terminal Diesel Roster
Oct 24, 26 09:31 PM
All-time Illinois Terminal diesels, 62 frames. Alco S-2s and RS-1s, EMD switchers, GP7s, SD39s, GP38-2s, and the two GP20s. Serial numbers from the 1989 roster. -
Illinois Terminal Electric Locomotives
Oct 24, 26 08:22 PM
Illinois Terminal electric locomotives, 57 frames. Class A through Class D, the Decatur-built motors, and the battery locomotives. Class D is the same five Class C frames, rebuilt. -
Illinois Terminal Steam Roster
Oct 24, 26 07:37 PM
Illinois Terminal steam locomotives, 36 frames. Baldwin Moguls, three Class 30 Mikados, Florida East Coast 0-8-0s, and 2-6-0 No. 21, the last fire on June 30, 1950. -
Illinois Terminal Railroad: Map, Roster, Photos, History
Oct 24, 26 07:32 PM
Illinois Terminal, McKinley's Illinois Traction System, from the Danville coal towns to St. Louis. The McKinley Bridge, the sleeping cars, the 1937 break with the power company, the 1948 streamliners… -
Southern Railway Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 11:00 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Southern Railway. 2,505 locomotives in the system number series, from the 1939 demonstrator FT to GP50s and B30-7A1s. Serials included. -
Illinois Central Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 04:06 PM
Illinois Central and Illinois Central Gulf diesel locomotives, each frame once. The quantity column is 886. Serials and order numbers from Electro-Motive's builder lists. Paducah rebuilds and Gulf, Mo… -
Illinois Central Gulf Diesel Roster
Oct 23, 26 04:02 PM
Illinois Central Gulf operating numbers from August 10, 1972, to February 29, 1988. New frames stay on the Illinois Central diesel roster. Gulf, Mobile and Ohio frames stay on that roster. No Gulf fle… -
Illinois Central Railroad: Map, Logo, History
Oct 23, 26 03:50 PM
Illinois Central, the Main Line of Mid-America, from the 1850 land grant to Canadian National control on July 1, 1999. Charter lines, Cairo bridge, Paducah, and the Illinois Central Gulf. Steam quanti… -
Grand Trunk Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 12:53 PM
Grand Trunk Western diesel locomotives, each frame once. The quantity column is 377. Serials are filled for the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton and Detroit and Toledo Shore Line engines the railroad kept… -
Grand Trunk Western Steam Roster
Oct 23, 26 12:14 PM
Grand Trunk Western steam locomotives in service about 1937 to 1942, from Richard Leonard's class list. Drury has no chapter. The quantity column is the counted Grand Trunk Western rows. Two mixed Gra… -
Grand Trunk Western Railroad: Map, Roster, History
Oct 23, 26 12:09 PM
Grand Trunk Western, reporting mark GTW, Canadian National's railroad between Port Huron and Chicago. Trade name adopted in 1923. Steam class list quantity 232. Diesel quantity column 377. Identity in… -
Green Bay and Western Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 22, 26 11:18 PM
Green Bay & Western, the Green Bay Route, reporting mark GBW. From Kewaunee to Winona. Mailer's steam and diesel rosters, and the August 1993 sale to Fox Valley & Western. -
Chicago & North Western Class E-4: Streamlined 4-6-4 Hudsons
Oct 22, 26 10:28 PM
C&NW Class E-4, nine streamlined 4-6-4s, 4001–4009, Alco 1938. 84-inch drivers, 25-by-29 cylinders, 300 psi. Conventional Chicago–Omaha trains. Oil in 1947–48. Retired 1953–1956. -
Gateway Western Railway: Map, Roster, History
Oct 22, 26 02:43 PM
Gateway Western Railway, reporting mark GWWR. Class II from Kansas City to East St. Louis. Kansas City Southern control May 5, 1997. The 1992 diesel fleet, with serials and order numbers.
