Knowledgeable and Esteemed Group,

I am having to learn about alignment control couplers that may be installed in an ALCO S series switcher. I have talked with several people and the standard response is cut out the pockets, buy a used pocket, draft gear, and alignment control coupler assembly that has been properly cut out of another unit and weld it in. Probable total cost of purchase and installation is about $18k for a pair.

Now for some other bits and pieces of that I have learned. 381 draft gear/pockets are wider than 391. MLW 420’s have 391 draft gear/pockets. So I assume C420’s and such would be the same. I am told that the draft gear and couplers form 381 and 391s will not fit in an ALCO switcher pocket.

I have EMD parts catalogs available and a couple Alco parts catalogs that were specific to the locomotive owners.

From the EMD catalog, an alignment control coupler has the ears on the left side of this drawing.

[attachment=0]alignment control coupler & draft gear.JPG[/attachment]

Now from a manufacturer’s drawing of alignment control draft gear above; Item # 6 is listed as an “aligning plunger”. This feature is not in their non-alignment control draft gear drawing. How do the ears of the coupler interact with the “aligning plunger”? Can anyone describe how this actually works? I would have thought the coupler ears would bear against the right side of this piece. Does anyone have a drawing or pictures of the whole works. Does anyone have one apart on the ground that I may look at?

Now for the rest of the story:

Here are the ALCO coupler and draft gear parts pages.

[attachment=2]Pages from ALCO DRP-219 Mopac S-2 parts list_Page_1.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]Pages from ALCO DRP-219 Mopac S-2 parts list_Page_2.jpg[/attachment]

I am thinking that on the round end of the coupler a couple of seats could be milled out and a square/rectangular bar welded in. I would then think annealing would be in order to insure that the welds did not crack. Engineering the proper dimensions would then allow the coupler to swing to a point and then contact # 25, the follower. I would think this would be much less costly than replacing the entire box. Why wouldn’t it work? Ready for the barrage.

What you need is a good welder and 4 pieces of steel welded into the coupler pockets to limit side-to-side movement of the shank.

I moved an Alco S6 from Syracuse to Western Maryland in 2013 using this method. The CSX inspector who did my interchange inspection said it was one of the best welding jobs he had ever seen.

PM me for the name and contact information for the gentleman who did this for me. He is a self-employed service company and he won't cost you anywhere near the $18,000 mentioned in your post.

CSX is the only Class 1 that will let you move the locomotive without alignment control other then as a special move.

He has to move on BN and it is not going to happen, been there, tried that, ended up on flat car.

I also doubt that you will get it done for $18,000. Pockets with couplers are now $6,500 each. This is a week job for 2 people.

The pocket on the old Alco "S" model switcher and the RS1 with the riveted on pockets have to be removed. Then the frame has to be modified before you can weld the pocket on.

I know someone who has done several of these Alco locomotives as they own several that have been repowered and are on lease. They will go out into the field and do it for between $30,000 and $35,000. They recently told me that they may have to adjust that price because of the increased cost of the used draft gear.

There is also a new rule coming into play requiring "Certified Welders".

Some railroads are also beginning to take a second look at these Alco locomotives with the riveted on pockets, because of some recent pockets pulled off these locomotives.

Better check with railroad inspectors first, before you begin the project.

Dale,

We do a fair amount of this type work for a variety of customers, both railroad and preservation. I do have the parts loose on the ground and may have some of the pockets available shortly. Shoot me a PM and I'd be glad to help.

ETA

UP will not allow that mod, either.

The locomotive needs to move on BNSF. BNSF will allow stop blocks welded in. It would be in a special train move at a minimum cost of $25,000. YIKES!!

On the funnier side, I am involved in moving an E8 on NS. It does not have alignment control couplers. NS supplied rubber wedges with steel straps embedded in the rubber that hang down fore and aft of the coupler carrier. The ends of the steel are fastened together with cheap hardware store chain and 1/4 bolts. I wonder how long that is going to last.

I moved an Alco T6 from White Pigeon, Michigan to Western Maryland in 2008 using strapped in rubber blocks. I still have them . . . somewhere.