Can anyone tell me the external shell difference between an Alco HH600 and HH660?
I have become very intrigued with early diesl switchers - almost more than steam. [:0] I recently found out that there is a resin kit of an HH660 available. (I didn’t even know that there were any high hoods presently manufactured in HO.) The problem is, I model the NYC…and the NYC only had HH600’s on their line - hence the reason for the inquiry.
I already have an Alco S1 and Baldwin VO-660 switcher in my yard. I thought a High Hood would make for a nice and rare addition to my layout.
Dummy me. I was able to locate the information on The Diesel Shop by doing a Google search on HH660s. I should have remembered to check that web site in the first place. [:I]
Well, by doing a side-by-side comparison of the two, it seems the only difference externally between the HH600 and HH660 that is listed is (A) the engine hood width and (B) the distance between truck centers.
HH600/HH660
(A) Engine hood - 9’-10"/9’-08" (Between a 1/64th and a 1/32nd)
(B) Truck centers - 29’-08"/29’-02" (Slightly larger than a 1/16th)
Granted, a difference, BUT…probably not enough to really be noticed - except from maybe the most discriminating of rivot counters. I could live with that…
I looked at photos of the NYC HH600s on Fallen Flags and compared them to photos in Richard Steinbrenner’s Alco A Centennial Remembrance and others on Fallen Flags and the DSG. The hoods look very similar. Alco must have updated the hood before it went to the uprated 538 engine. I note that the NYC units have the row of seven louvers along the lower hood as do the newer HH660s. This feature was different on the older HH600s as the louvers were smaller and lower. There may not be more than a dimes worth of difference in the hoods!
Thanks for both the research and the reply! [:D] From The Diesel Shop website, the NYC units were made between 12/38 and 3/39 - the latter end of their production. That would be good news if, as you say, the newer HH600s closely resembled the HH660s. [^]