The ALCO RS-1 was a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Alco-GE between 1941 and 1953 and the American Locomotive Company from 1953 to 1960. ALCO subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works built an additional three RS-1s in 1954. This model has the distinction of having the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market. The RS-1 was in production for 19 years from the first unit Rock Island #748 in March 1941 to the last unit National of Mexico #5663 in March 1960.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2017)

ALCO RS-1
DSSA #101 of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum poses for a photograph near French River, Minnesota.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder American Locomotive Company Montreal Locomotive Works Model RS-1 Build date March 1941 – March 1960 Total produced 469
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Brazil Trucks AAR type B Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 57° (116.14 ft or 35.40 m) Wheelbase 40 ft 5 in (12.32 m) Length 55 ft 5+3⁄4 in (16.91 m) Width 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) Height 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m) Loco weight 247,500 lb (112,300 kg) Fuel capacity 1,000 US gal (3,800 L; 830 imp gal) Prime mover ALCO 539T Engine type In line Four stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharger Displacement 1,595 cu in (26.14 L) per cylinder 9,572 cu in (156.86 L) total Generator GE GT-553-C DC generator Traction motors (4) GE 731 DC traction motors Cylinders 6 Cylinder size 12+1⁄2 in × 13 in (318 mm × 330 mm) Loco brake Independent air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Maximum speed 65 mph (105 km/h) Power output 1,000 hp (746 kW) Tractive effort 40,425 lbf (179.82 kN)
Career Locale North America, Brazil, Saudi Arabia

Design

In 1940, the Rock Island Railroad approached ALCO about building a locomotive for both road and switching service.[1] To meet the Rock Island's request, ALCO created the RS-1. Their new design was a hood unit, in contrast to most existing locomotive designs at the time which were predominantly carbody units. The hood unit design allowed for improved visibility, especially to the rear. Rear visibility is very important for switching, which often involves reverse movements. Unlike carbody units, hood units such as the RS-1 can be operated in reverse without much difficulty, eliminating the need to turn them around at the end of a line.[2] For these reasons, most North American locomotives built since have followed this basic design, which is known as the road switcher.

Though the locomotive could operate in either direction, the "long" hood was officially designated as the front.[2]

Production

The first thirteen production locomotives were requisitioned by the US Army, as U.S. involvement in World War II began shortly after ALCO began production. The five railroads affected had to wait while replacements were manufactured. The requisitioned RS-1s were remanufactured by ALCO into six axle RSD-1s for use on the Trans-Iranian Railway to supply the Soviet Union during the war.

Variants

RSD-1: An RS-1 with two three axle trucks instead of the normal two axle trucks. The three axle trucks allowed the locomotive to operate safely on lighter track, as its weight was more evenly distributed by the additional axles. Unlike the RSC-1, all axles were powered.

RSC-1: An RS-1 with three-axle trucks, having an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. It was used in much the same manner as the original variant, though the axle load was distributed for operation on light rail such as are found on branch lines.

Operating History

RS-1s were primarily operated in freight service, though in some cases they were also assigned to passenger trains. A few railroads equipped their RS-1s with steam heading equipment for passenger trains.[3] Many RS-1s were stationed in train yards for switching duties, assembling and taking apart trains to be hauled by mainline locomotives. True to their designation as 'road switchers', RS-1s could also be frequently found hauling mainline trains, especially on branch lines.

The RS-1 enjoyed a long service life, despite its manufacturer ALCO shutting down in 1969, just 9 years after the last locomotive was produced. Despite ALCO's closure, spare parts have been produced and marketed by other manufacturers for the RS-1 and other ALCO products.[4] Many served for decades, and even in the 21st century a number of examples can still be found in freight service on shortline railroads, or on excursion trains at railroad museums.

Successors

The RS-1 was succeeded by two improved versions in ALCO's catalogue, the RS-2 and RS-3. Despite this, the RS-1 remained in production even after both of its successors were discontinued.

Original Owners

First Thirteen

Remainder of production

Railroad	Quantity	Road Numbers	Notes
Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad	1	D-2
Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway	11	101–111	To SLSF 101-111
Alaska Railroad	2	1000–1001	1000 at The Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry
Alton Railroad	10	50–59
Ann Arbor Railroad	2	20–21	#20 Owned By Southern Michigan Railroad Society, on loan to Shepherd, MI Railroad Depot Museum and Display #21 Owned By Southern Michigan Railroad Society
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway	6	2385–2388, 2394–2395	2385–2388 renumbered 2396–2399
Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad	10	904–913	904 is on display at Bay Line Railroad Headquarters. 905 Owned By Maryland and Delaware Railroad 22, Currently By Arkansas and Missouri Railroad 22 907 Owned By Conrad Yelvington Distributors 303 909 Owned By Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad 3, then Conrad Yelvington Distributors 3, Currently Conrad Yelvington Distributors 275 911 Owned By Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad 118, Currently Conrad Yelvington Distributors 294 913 Owned By Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum H and S Railroad 913, Current owner uncertain
Atlantic and East Carolina Railway	1	500
Bamberger Railroad	1	570	to Union Pacific 1270
Central Railroad of New Jersey	6	1200–1205
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway	2	5114–5115	5114 last numbered Baltimore & Ohio 9185 5115 last numbered Baltimore & Ohio 9186
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railway	4	115–118
Chicago and North Western Railway	6	1066–1069, 1080–1081
Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad	12	252–263
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("Milwaukee Road")	5	1676, 1677, 961–963
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad	11	735–745
Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway	8	100–107	to Soo Line Railroad 103 Owned By Algers, Winslow and Western Railway 104 Owned By Algers, Winslow and Western Railway
DuPont	4	105–108
Gaylord Container	2	302–303
GE-Atomic Energy Commission	4	39-3729 – 39-3732	39-3729 & 39-3731 are preserved as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Hanford, Washington
Genesee and Wyoming Railroad	2	25, 30	25 was Bay Colony Railroad 1064 Current owner unknown
Grand Trunk Western Railroad	2	1950–1951	Last RS-1s built for US Railroad 11/1957
Great Northern Railway	4	182–185	182 at West Coast Railway Heritage Park, Squamish, BC
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad	24	1102–1117, 1120–1127
Illinois Terminal Railroad	6	750–752, 754–756
Kansas City Southern Railway	4	1110–1113
Lake Erie, Franklin and Clarion Railroad	2	20–21
Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad	3	1001–1003
Long Island Rail Road	9	461–469	467 privately owned, stored inoperable at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum
Midland Continental Railroad	2	401–402
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway	35	244, 744, 944, 1044, 1144, 645, 745, 845, 945, 146, 246, 346, 446, 546, 646, 746, 846, 946, 1046, 547, 948, 1048, 1148, 849, 949, 1049, 1149, 1249, 950, 1050, 1150, 1250, 751, 851, 951	originally numbered by month and year of delivery, renumbered 200–234
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México	64	5606–5663, (5619–5624 twice)	5619–5621 (first) built by Montreal Locomotive Works. NdeM 5663 was the last RS-1 built 3/1960.
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad	12	0660–0671	0670 currently owned by the Central New England Railroad, stored out of service due to missing parts
New York Central Railroad	14	8100–8113	renumbered 9900–9913
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway	16	230–256 (even numbers only), 231 and 233 (second)
Northern Pacific Railway	4	155–158	renumbered 800–803 157,802 Last numbered Burlington Northern 952 158,803 Last numbered Burlington Northern 953
Pennsylvania Railroad	27	5619–5640, 5906, 8485–8486, 8857–8858
Rutland Railroad	6	400–405	400 Owned By Maryland and Delaware Railroad 22, Currently Arkansas and Missouri Railroad 22. 405 now on the Green Mountain Railroad.
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad ("Soo Line")	4	350–353
Soo Line (Wisconsin Central Railway)	9	2360–2368
Spokane International Railroad	12	200–211
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway	2	50–51
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (Oregon Electric Railway)	4	52–55
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company	3	602–604
United States Navy	1	6	renumbered 65-00078
Washington Terminal Company	25	40–64	46 Owned By Amtrak 46, Currently Massachusetts Central Railroad 46 47 Owned By Amtrak 47, Currently Tioga Central Railroad 47 out of service needs friction bearings 52 Owned By Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad 57, then Conrad Yelvington Distributors 97, Currently Conrad Yelvington Distributors 292 54 Owned By Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad 38, Currently Conrad Yelvington Distributors 293 57 Owned By Black River and Western Railroad 57, then East Penn Railways 57, Currently East Penn Railroad 57 59 Owned by Essar Steel Algoma 59, Currently Southern Railroad of New Jersey 59
Arabian American Oil Company (Saudi Arabia)	6	A11x50, A11x51, 1002–1005
Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil	38	3100–3137	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
São Paulo Railway, (Brazil)	6	504–509	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) to Estrada de Ferro Santos a Jundiaí
Estrada de Ferro Santos a Jundiaí (Brazil)	2	510–511	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Total	456

Preservation

Several examples exist at tourist railways and railway museums, including:

• Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad's RS-1 purchased in 1951 by the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad as #1002, sold to the Calumet & Hecla Railroad in 1967 as #205. Later purchased by Continental Grain Company, Marshalltown, IA circa 1975. Donated to the Iowa Railroad Historical Society, Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in 1996, painted and lettered as Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway #244.
• Consumers Power (CPOX) 401 1951 built RS-1 #79350 former Rutland 401 spent her final years of service switching coal cars at Consumers Energy's Essexville, MI power plant on the Saginaw River the unit is now at the Saginaw Railway Museum.
• Grand Trunk Western 1951 (last domestic RS-1 produced serial number 82356) at the Illinois Railway Museum
• Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 745 (believed to be the oldest existing RS-1, and one of the replacements for the 13 taken by the U.S. Army) at the Louisiana Steam Train Association yard in Jefferson, LA
• Eastman Kodak Company 9 (built as Chicago & Western Indiana 260, sold to Genesee & Wyoming in 1971 and then to EKC) is preserved at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
• Livonia Avon & Lakeville 20 (built as Lake Erie, Franklin & Clarion 20, sold to Livonia Avon & Lakeville) is preserved at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
• Green Mountain Railroad 405 (former Rutland Railway 405, serial number 79575)
• Catskill Mountain Railroad #400 (out of service & under repair) and #401 (operating) tourist train in Kingston NY.
• Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway #101, previously the only known locomotive existing from that railroad, is at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and has been restored for occasional use on the North Shore Scenic Railroad.
• Algers, Winslow and Western Railway #4 - Built as Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway #103, it is currently in service on the French Lick Scenic Railway, a line operated by the Indiana Railway Museum[5]
• Ann Arbor Railroad #20 is owned by the Southern Michigan Railroad Society in Clinton, MI and on loan to Shepherd, MI Railroad Depot Museum and Display
• Ann Arbor Railroad #21 is owned by the Southern Michigan Railroad Society in Clinton, MI. #21 is set to undergo cosmetic and operational repairs and a return to operational status by the end of 2015.
• Soo Line 350 survives on display at the Whippany Railway Museum in New Jersey as Morristown & Erie 21.
• Former Washington Terminal 57 is privately owned and in storage on the East Penn Railroad at Quakertown, Pennsylvania.
• Great Northern 182 is on display at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, British Columbia.
• Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 743 is on display at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.

See also

• List of ALCO diesel locomotives
• List of MLW diesel locomotives

References

• Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. p. 138. ISBN 0-87564-715-4.
• Alco RS1 Study-Part I The Original Road Switcher by Don Dover Extra 2200 South Issue #57 Jul-Sep 1976 pp. 18–24.
• Alco RS1 Study-Part II The Original Road Switcher by Don Dover Extra 2200 South Issue #58 Oct-Dec 1976 pp. 18–21.
• Alco RS1 Roster Part 1 by Bob Carman and Joe Brockmeyer Extra 2200 South Issue #58 Oct-Dec 1976 pp. 22–23.
• Alco RS1 Study-Part III The Original Road Switcher by Don Dover Extra 2200 South Issue #59 Jan-Mar 1977 pp. 24–26.

External links

Diesel Shop roster with all data from Extra 2200 South http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_RS1.HTML Archived 2014-05-12 at the Wayback Machine

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ALCO RS-1 locomotives.

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