Locomotives
Reading Company Alco C424, Class RSA-14, 5204
Background & History
The Reading Company in 1963, approached the American Locomotive Company to retire its FA1 and FB1 units built in 1948. The Reading used 10 of the units for on the purchased and sold two to the Lehigh & Hudson River for trade in credit on their C420s. The trade in credit included FA trucks which were rebuilt. The Reading received ten C424 locomotives in 1963 which were rated at 2400 HP generated by a 16-cylinder Alco 251 prime mover. The C424 was introduced in April 1963 with numerous improvements introduced in the Century Line of Alco locomotives including a sealed car body with improved locomotive air filtration. External features included a large radiator section at the rear end with extended number boards and 2000 gallon, straight sided fuel tank.
The units were delivered in the new paint scheme introduced on the EMD GP30s in 1962. The paint scheme was derived from using colors used on the cab units in place of those used on EMD’s dramatic demonstrator paint scheme. By the time of their delivery, the Reading was using road units as a large pool mixing makes of several manufactures including Alco, EMD and Fairbanks Morse. These units continued in service until stored at Reading in the spring of 1975, after the delivery of sixty new EMD units in 1973 and 1974.
The Reading Company was one of several Northeast Railroads suffering financially from the Penn Central bankruptcy with interchange payments suspended. After declaring bankruptcy itself in 1971, the Reading became a candidate for inclusion in the large consolidation of railroads called Conrail. With the takeover of operations by Conrail on April 1,1976 all former Reading Alco locomotives were returned to service.
5204 shrugs off the snow at Bethlehem in March of 1970.
(Photo Courtesy of Hawk Mountain NRHS Brian Coblentz)
5204 poses with GP35 #3640 at R&N’s Leesport yard in April 2003.
(Photo Courtesy Mike Shirk)
Unit 5204 was renumbered 2493 by Conrail in their consolidated locomotive roster and assigned to the Ohio area along with other similar units operated by the Erie Lackawanna and Penn Central four-axle Alco locomotives. In 1979, Conrail retired the units and traded them in to General Electric (GE) for new larger motive power including 2493. GE recognized a need for medium horsepower locomotives at a reasonable cost and offered a rebuilding program using the many traded in Alcos. One of the first customers was the Green Bay and Western Railroad in Wisconsin (GB&W) who operated Alcos solely. In 1980, 5204 was selected as a core for one of the units. GE, whose main locomotive plant in Erie, PA was fully subscribed, so the former Erie Lackawanna main locomotive shop in Hornell, NY was leased for the program.
Numbered 322 for the GB&W the unit was rebuilt in kind retaining the 2400 HP, 16-cylinder 251 prime mover, but with refinements specified by the customer including removal of the dynamic brakes. The GB&W was a low gradient railroad.
GE also rebuilt two other ex-Reading C424s (5206-5207) into C424Ms for the Delaware & Hudson Railroad (D&H) following a different scope of work. Ex-Reading 5206 was still active in 2025 on the Western New York & PA Railroad as their 421.
In 1993, GB&W was absorbed by the Wisconsin Central LTD. The Alcos were deemed surplus and were placed up for sale. Signet Leasing & Financial (5204’s owner), put the unit up for sale at North Fond du Lac, WI. The RCT&HS inspected and purchased the unit in 1994 using donated funds and loans by members and external supporters.
Upon receipt the unit was operated with six axle Alco C630 5308 on an excursion. In 1995, the front truck was overhauled with new wheels, traction motors and gear cases repaired at the Winchester & Western Railroad’s New Jersey Division at Bridgeton, NJ. The engine is currently in good condition and has been used on subsequent excursions. Still in its modified GB&W scheme the 5204 will eventually be repainted back into its original Reading yellow/green paint scheme.
Alco C424 Specifications
(As Built)
Builder:
American Locomotive Co (Alco)
Schenectady, NY
Date Built:
October 1963
Builder’s #:
84773
Engine:
Model 16-251E
4-stroke diesel
16 cylinder (v)
Horsepower:
2400
Top Speed:
70 mph
Weight:
258,650 lbs.
Continuous Tractive Effort:
53,000 lbs. 14 mph
Length:
59’4″
Fuel:
2,000 gallons
Lube Oil:
250 gallons
Water:
320 gallons
Aspiration:
Turbocharger
Bore x Stroke:
9 x 10.5″
Displacement:
10,688 c.i.
Idle Speed:
400 rpm
Max Speed:
1025 rpm
Transmission:
DC generator, DC traction motors
Brake System:
26-L Air and dynamic
