I was just reading a magazine that made reference, for the 10,000th time, to the distinctive sounds of an ALCO locomotive. I’ve read it described as bubbling, gurgling, throbbing, beating, etc…Can anyone provide an audio link to the sound?
Thanks
I don’t know of a link, but the older ALCO diesels engines (244 and earlier, I believe) would shut off the fuel to the injectors until the RPM’s slowed to almost “stop”, and then would open them up again and the engine would accelerate to idle speed where the process would repeat itself. The other distinctive “sound” they made was when under load they would sound quite a bit like the Cooper-Bessemer engines on GE U-Boats, but the “beat” would be even, not un-even as with the U-Boats.
The DeLaverne engine in the Baldwins’ “burbeled” and the GEs’ sounded like a Ford Tractor about to throw a rod. EMD’s non-turbo 567-16’s “chanted” - the 567-12’s had a more of a “stomp” to their chant than the -16’s.
There are 251 engine sounds here http://alcoworld.railfan.net/ on Rolf Stumpf’s excellent ALCO World site.
Try this, it is a pretty good and has the “burbling” sound you refer to:
The following is a Start for a 244 Recording.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGBKzFjQCIg&mode=related&search=
Note Traction Motor Gear Hum in the Rails as the Unit Pulls away, Reminiscent to that of Elderly Rush Hour Streetcars and Electric Locomotives.
There are other Videos at YT of this RS2.
When Kicking Cars with a 244, you always wondered it the Engine would Die after the Throttle was Slammed Shut.
The sound of Alcos has often been referred to as “Harley Davidsons on steroids”![(-D]
[8D] 'Kind of reminds me of the sound tracks of rapid fire anti-aircraft guns on aircraft carriers, that you hear on WW I I vintage newsreel footage.