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'{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}} {{Infobox Locomotive | name=ALCO Century 636 | powertype=[[Diesel-electric]] | image=Rprx78rpnj.jpg | caption=RPRX 78, now [[New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway|NYSW]] 3660 is on the point of SU-100 at [[Ridgefield Park, New Jersey]], September 2005. | builder=[[American Locomotive Company|ALCO]], [[AE Goodwin]] (licensee) | buildmodel=Century 636 | builddate=1967–1968 | totalproduction=63 | aarwheels=C-C | gauge={{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}} | primemover = [[ALCO 251|Alco 251E]] | enginetype= [[V16 engine|V16]] [[diesel engine]] | cylindercount = 16 | poweroutput={{convert|3600|hp|MW|abbr=on|lk=in}}}} The '''ALCO Century 636''' was the most powerful single-engine [[diesel-electric locomotive]] constructed by [[American Locomotive Company]] (ALCO). It used the [[ALCO_251|ALCO 251 prime mover]]. The locomotive had a [[AAR wheel arrangement#C-C|C-C]] [[wheel arrangement]] and {{convert|3600|hp}}. The locomotive rested on a pair of trucks of all-new design, known as the Hi-Ad, standing for 'high adhesion'. Visually, it is similar to the [[ALCO Century 630|Century 630]], but can be distinguished by the intercooler box. The C630 has two grilles here, one above the other. The C636 only has the upper grille. == Production == The production of only 34 Alco C636s, built in 1967 and 1968, reflected Alco's dwindling locomotive market share. Despite many new and innovative features, the C636 could not hold its own. Three demonstrators were built costing Alco about $5.5 million. 636-2, the only former demonstrator operating, was a factor in dissuading potential customers from purchasing these locomotives. During an evaluation on the [[Santa Fe Railway]], the same traction motor blower on 636-2 failed (which causes engine shutdown) and was replaced on three of four runs, and had other unsatisfactory results while being tested on the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]]. [[AE Goodwin]] in Australia built 29 C636s between May 1968 and October 1970 for the [[Pilbara]] Iron Ore railroads. [[Pilbara Iron|Hamersley Iron]] purchased 12 units in 5 separate orders. Bechtel purchased 5 C636s for use in the construction of the [[Mount Newman railway|Mount Newman Mining]] facilities. The latter company ordered 12 C636s a year later and bought Bechtel's locomotives. Hamersley Iron had their fleet rebuilt in the 1980s by [[Commonwealth Engineering|Comeng]], [[Bassendean, Western Australia|Bassendean]] with [[General Electric]] engines.<ref name=PClark>{{cite book|last=Clark|first=Peter|title=An Australian Locomotive Guide|year=2012|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing|location=Kenthurst|isbn=9781921719554|pages=109-119}}</ref> [[Montreal Locomotive Works]] produced a '''M636''' variant of the C636 on [[Dofasco]] trucks for [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] and [[Canadian National Railway]]. This was also built in Australia for Hamersley Iron, Mount Newman Mining and [[Robe River (Australia)|Robe River]] Mining.<ref name=PClark/> == Original owners == <br> {| class="wikitable" ! Railroad !! Quantity !! Road numbers !! Notes |- |[[American Locomotive Company|Alco Products]] (demonstrators) || <center>3 || <center>636-1–636-3 || To [[Québec Cartier Mining Company]] 77-79<ref>{{cite web|last=Komanesky|first=John|title=Quebec Cartier Mining Railway Past & Present Power|url=http://www.thedieselshop.us/CARTIER.HTML|work=The Diesel Shop|accessdate=24 February 2013}}</ref> |- |[[Illinois Central Railroad]] || <center>6 || <center>1100–1105 || |- |[[Penn Central]] || <center>15 || <center>6330–6344 || Ordered by [[Pennsylvania Railroad|PRR]] before PC merger; to [[Conrail]] as 6780-6794<ref name=crcyc>{{cite web|last=Waller |first=Robert S. |title=Loco Rosters: April 1, 1976 |url=http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/misc/rosters/76-april1.html |work=Conrail Cyclopedia |accessdate=24 February 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810053148/http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/misc/rosters/76-april1.html |archivedate=10 August 2011 }}</ref> |- |[[Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway]] || <center>10 || <center>330–335, 340–343 || To [[Burlington Northern Railroad|Burlington Northern]] 4360-4369<ref>{{cite web|last=Ambrose|first=Brian|title=Spokane, Portland & Seattle Section|url=http://pnwr.qstation.org/BNTribute/SPS_index.html|work=Burlington Northern Tribute|accessdate=24 February 2013}}</ref> |- |[[Pilbara Iron|Hamersley Iron]] || <center>12 || <center>3006–3017 || Built by [[AE Goodwin]] |- |[[Mount Newman railway|Mount Newman Mining]] ||<center>17 || <center>5452–5468 || Built by AE Goodwin |- !Total !! 63 !! !! |- |} == Current usage == {{Update|inaccurate=yes|section|date=November 2011}} The NYSW C636s and M636s are now owned by [[Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad (2001)|Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad]]/[[Livonia, Avon and Lakeville Railroad]]. As of March 2015, the Delaware Lackawanna is the last operator of the C-636. The two former Cartier, ex-Alco demonstrator units stored on the Bath and Hammondsport Railroad for many years have been scrapped by a local contractor. The NYSW is currently an all-EMD powered railroad. The WNYP still operates M-630 and M-636 MLW locomotives. As of 2018 however, not much is known about the whereabouts, they were probably either stored, put in museums, abandoned, being restored, or scrapped. The possibility of these engines still in service are very low. == See also == * [[List of ALCO diesel locomotives]] * [[List of MLW diesel locomotives]] == References == {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category|ALCO C636 locomotives|ALCO Century 636}} * Sarberenyi, Robert. ''[http://www.trainweb.org/jaydeet/c636.htm Alco C636 Original Owners]''. {{ALCO diesels}} {{MLW diesels}} [[Category:ALCO locomotives|Century 636]] [[Category:BHP Billiton diesel locomotives]] [[Category:C-C locomotives]] [[Category:Diesel locomotives of Western Australia]] [[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1967]] [[Category:Standard gauge locomotives of Australia]] [[Category:Standard gauge locomotives of the United States]] [[Category:Standard gauge locomotives of Canada]] [[Category:Diesel-electric locomotives of Australia]]'