ALCO C-420 DIESEL ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE - ATLAS MASTER GOLD DCC/SOUND
Brief history.
ALCo "Century" series model C-420 (DL721A) is a four-axle road-switcher with a prime-mover set at 2.000 HP. The engine is an Alco 4-cycle 251C V12 type and develops a tractive effort of around 57.000 lbs. This locomotive did not have a great commercial success, penalized by a not very modern design. Only 131 units were built between 1963 and 1969, when the builder ceased all new locomotive production.
The first road to purchase the C-420 was the Lehigh & Hudson River, with its first two units built in 1963 (serial numbers 84720 and 84721, road markings #21 and #22). The largest fleet was purchased by the Long Island Railroad, with 30 units built between 1963 and 1968. All were equipped with the "high short hood" which housed a steam generator for passenger service. Over time, the largest fleet of C-420s was amassed by the Louisville & Nashville. While only 26 units were purchased new, their total fleet grew to well over 60 units through mergers and acquisitions. The C-420 can still be found in daily service today in the United States. Currently, the largest fleet of C-420s survived is operated by the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.
Specifications / Technical data
Builder: ALCO
Production: 1963-1968
Total production: 131
Wheel arrangement: B-B
Gauge: 4 ft 8,5 in
Loco weight: 250.000 lb
Lenght: 18,40 meters
Power: Fuel oil
Prime mover: Alco 251C-V12 12 cylinders
Speed: 82 mph (at top)
Tractive effort: 57.200 lbs
C-420 #28 Lehigh & Hudson River Railroad works with its sister #23, during 1975.
Alco C-420 #1324 in L&N's total grey paint, 1976.
Lehigh & Hudson River Railway #24 (Conrail C-420 engine number #2074).
CR's road number #2074 and other sisters C-420 diesel locomotives were inherited by the small company Lehigh & Hudson River Railroad, used at Allentown/Bethlehem district (Atlantic Region/Lehigh Division) from 1976 to 1980. All engines were equipped with dynamic brakes, rode on standard AAR type-B trucks. The unit #2074 was the L&HR's #24, built in 1965, December (second order of road) and based at Bethlehem Engine Terminal.
ALCO C-420 Phase IIb Lehigh & Hudson River Railway #24 data
Road Number: 24
Type: B-B diesel locomotive
Builder: ALCO
Built: 12/1965
CN: 3431-02
Disposition: =
Next owner: Conrail
Remarks: =
CR's assignment: Atlantic Region - Lehigh Division
Conrail roster: 18 (6 ex-L&HRR and 12 ex-LV sold to D&H)
C-420 LHRR #24 at Allentown, PA, in 1965.
C-420 CR-2073 in 1977.
The Atlas Master Line Gold ALCO C-420 LHRR #24/CR #2073.
PRRHO.com fulfills the desire of employing a C-420 Conrail for the project Conrail Early Years 1977 when Atlas returned to produce his HO scale replica, in 2018. Starting from the unit #24 of Lehigh & Hudson River RR, in the future will be transformed in the Conrail #2073 (see photos below), a C-420 road-switcher based at Bethlehem (in reality, LHRR #24 became CR-2074).
The out-of-box Atlas model is a Gold version, equipped with an ESU Loksound digital decoder.
The out-of-box Atlas model is a Gold version, equipped with an ESU Loksound digital decoder.
The packaging.
The model is presented in the usual Atlas Master Line packaging, which is a beautiful black box with eye-catching graphics. Internally, the model is well protected in a transparent plastic packaging and screwed to a rigid support, ideal for maintaining its integrity even in the case of long transfers due to shipping. As always from Atlas, the message that reaches us from this point of view is that of extreme care and for handling.
Out-of-box spotlight.
The locomotive offered by Atlas is sufficiently well built; well made plastics, perfect coloring, well applied decals, excellent operation. Regarding the richness of the details and the comparison of the replica with the real model, Atlas confirms its commercial policy characterized by the usual compromise aimed at the production economy to keep prices affordable. Atlas with its own catalog offers many exclusive items and this is how it takes an important portion on the market. This commercial choice is very similar to that of competitor Bowser. Therefore, also for this replica of the ALCo C-420 locomotive (production 2018) we point out that it is necessary to plan an accurate improvement work, both structural and aesthetic, to have a model similar in all respects to the real prototype.
Watch the weathering sheet here below to know the main addition of details and new parts on the finished model.
