ALCO DH643
The ALCO C-643DH, also known as the Century 643DH, was a twin-engine diesel-hydraulic locomotive, the first diesel-hydraulic road switcher built in the United States. It had a C-C wheel arrangement and generated. Only three were built, all for Southern Pacific Railroad in 1964. The Alco C-643DHs joined 21 Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulics already on the Southern Pacific's roster. They spent most of their service lives in the flat San Joaquin Valley in California.
Dissatisfaction over the poor performance of diesel-hydraulic locomotives, as well as their use of foreign-made components, eventually led Southern Pacific to sell the 3 C-643DHs for scrap in 1973. None of the 3 examples built survived into preservation.
Original owners
Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
Southern Pacific Railroad | 9018–9020 | renumbered 9150–9152 |