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Between 1931 and 1940 ALCO built
177 high hood (HH) switching locomotives of various
horsepower ratings and body styles. The
“HH” models were forerunners to the
popular S-series of switchers which featured lower
hoods. ALCO’s high hood switchers were in
production long before similar models from
competitors EMC/EMD (1935) and Baldwin (1937).
Interestingly, the “HH” model designation
is a term coined by rail historians to describe
what ALCO documentation had simply referred to as
600-hp or 660-hp switchers. In later years ALCO had
referred to these early units as “high hood
switchers” so this designation is
appropriate.
Of the 177 high hood switchers built, 104 were
HH600s, 18 were HH660s, 21 were HH900s and 34 were
HH1000s. Some of the largest users of these models
included New Haven, Lackawanna and New York
Central. Various physical changes occurred during
the 19 years these locomotives were in production.
The biggest change occurred in 1934 when ALCO hired
industrial designer Otto Kuhler to improve the
appearance of their very boxy, utilitarian
switchers. The post-1937 production units we are
now offering featured many of his suggested
improvements.
In 1938 ALCO introduced a line of high hood
switchers powered by the new model 538 diesel
engine which featured a cast iron engine block.
This engine was offered in both a 660-hp
(non-turbocharged 538) and 1000-hp (turbocharged
538-T) switcher, each weighing approximately
196,000 pounds. The horsepower rating could be
adjusted downward slightly per customer
specification by lowering the RPM of the diesel
engine. Therefore, 600-hp and 900-hp models were
offered concurrently. The HH600 and HH660
locomotive models we are offering were produced
from 1938 to 1940 and were externally
identical.
Features:
- All new tooling
- Early Blunt truck with
separate brake cylinders
- molded coil spring detail
(optional) and metal truck chains
- Separately-applied metal
grab irons and lift rings
- Separately-applied fine
scale handrails and stanchions
- coupler cut lever and
piping
- Directional lighting with
golden-white LEDs
- Five-pole skewed armature
motor with dual flywheels for optimum
performance at all speeds
- QSI sound-equipped version
coming soon
Atlas Master™ Series Silver Additional
Features:
- NMRA 8-pin plug for DCC
(Decoder-ready)
AccuMate® couplers are made
under license from AccuRail, Inc.
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