After looking over the recent great discussions, and drawing on the research I have done through many books, the question of what would ALCO have done different to have survived?
I speculate that the Century designs were basicly very good. But, several known problems came up. And, in retrospect, some designs or systems were either not good or had suspicious reliabilty.
Some things I Identify are: The use of Aluminum main wire in the C-430s, (and any other models?), Apparently, the 251 took more shop time when pistons or bearings needed replacement, air starters, small vertical mounting ladders, the OE alumimum pistons in the C-430s and C-630s, ( the C-636s?), cabs/seats that may have not been ergonomicly well designed, and perhaps many other things I am not aware of. These things all add up to risky engineering and poor follow through on designs.
I am not trying to be critical of anyone who was behind these designs, as I susupect ALCO did not have the resources to quickly make the really good changes needed at the time. This after seeing units in service and listiening to operators/owners for improvements. Otherwise ALCO had very sound basics for locomotives.
Any further speculation or additions?
I speculate that the Century designs were basicly very good. But, several known problems came up. And, in retrospect, some designs or systems were either not good or had suspicious reliabilty.
Some things I Identify are: The use of Aluminum main wire in the C-430s, (and any other models?), Apparently, the 251 took more shop time when pistons or bearings needed replacement, air starters, small vertical mounting ladders, the OE alumimum pistons in the C-430s and C-630s, ( the C-636s?), cabs/seats that may have not been ergonomicly well designed, and perhaps many other things I am not aware of. These things all add up to risky engineering and poor follow through on designs.
I am not trying to be critical of anyone who was behind these designs, as I susupect ALCO did not have the resources to quickly make the really good changes needed at the time. This after seeing units in service and listiening to operators/owners for improvements. Otherwise ALCO had very sound basics for locomotives.
Any further speculation or additions?