ALCO Century 628

ALCO Century 628
Preserved Hamersley Iron 2000 at 7 Mile Yard, Dampier, Western Australia in July 2003
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder ALCO Model DL628 Build date December 1963 - December 1968 Total produced 186
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Prime mover Alco 16-251C Generator 586A4 or 586C1R Traction motors 752E6A
Performance figures Power output 2,750 hp (2,051 kW)

The ALCO Century 628 was a six-axle, 2,750 hp (2,051 kW) diesel-electric locomotive. A total of 186 C628s were built between December 1963 and December 1968. There were 135 C628s built for US railroads, 46 C628s built for Mexican railroads, and five C628s for Australia.

The C628 replaced the C624 (DL600C/RSD-41) as a part of ALCO's 'Century' line of locomotives. The C624 was intended to replace the earlier RSD-15 model, but was never built. The C628 was offered instead in August 1963.

Hamersley Iron purchased five to haul iron ore services in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Two were built in Schenectady and three by AE Goodwin in Sydney. All had been retired by 1982, with one preserved on a plinth in Dampier.^[1]

The Southern Pacific purchased the four demonstrators in 1964, and an additional 25 C628s were delivered in 1965.