The ALCO RS-1 is 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.
Design In 1940, the Rock Island Railroad approached ALCO about building a road switcher locomotive, for both road and switching service. 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. For these reasons, most North American locomotives built since have followed this basic hood unit design.
Though the locomotive could operate in either direction, the "long" hood was officially designated as the front.
Production The first 13 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
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.
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.
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 heating equipment for passenger trains. 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 locomotive enjoyed a long service life despite ALCO's 1969 closure just nine years after the last RS-1 was built, as spare parts have been produced and marketed by other manufacturers for the RS-1 and other ALCO products. 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 Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad 901–903 to US Army 8010–8012 Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("Milwaukee Road") 1678–1679 to US Army 8002–8003 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 746–749 to US Army 8004, 8007, 8005, 8006; 748 first RS-1 built in 3/41 New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad 231, 233 to US Army 8000–8001 Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company 601–602 to US Army 8008–8009 Total 13
Remainder of production Railroad Quantity Road numbers Notes Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad D-2 Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railway 101–111 To SLSF 101-111 Alaska Railroad 1000–1001 1000 at The Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry Alton Railroad 50–59 Ann Arbor Railroad 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 2385–2388, 2394–2395 2385–2388 renumbered 2396–2399 Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad 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 500 Bamberger Railroad 570 to Union Pacific 1270 Central Railroad of New Jersey 1200–1205 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 5114–5115 5114 last numbered Baltimore & Ohio 9185 5115 last numbered Baltimore & Ohio 9186 Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railway 115–118 Chicago and North Western Railway 1066–1069, 1080–1081 Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad 252–263 Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("Milwaukee Road") 1676, 1677, 961–963 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 735–745 Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway 100–107 to Soo Line Railroad 101 preserved by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum 103 and 104 sold to Algiers, Winslow and Western Railway. 103 preserved by the Indiana Railway Museum. DuPont 105–108 Gaylord Container 302–303 GE-Atomic Energy Commission 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 25, 30 25 was Bay Colony Railroad 1064 Current owner unknown Grand Trunk Western Railroad 1950–1951 Last RS-1s built for US Railroad 11/1957 Great Northern Railway 182–185 182 at the Railway Museum of British Columbia, Squamish, BC Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad 1102–1117, 1120–1127 Illinois Terminal Railroad 750–752, 754–756 Kansas City Southern Railway 1110–1113 Lake Erie, Franklin and Clarion Railroad 20–21 Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad 1001–1003 Long Island Rail Road 461–469 467 privately owned, stored inoperable at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum Midland Continental Railroad 401–402 Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway originally numbered by month and year of delivery, renumbered 200–234 Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México 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 0660–0671 0670 currently owned by the Central New England Railroad, stored out of service due to missing parts New York Central Railroad 8100–8113 renumbered 9900–9913 New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway 230–256 (even numbers only), 231 and 233 (second) Northern Pacific Railway 155–158 renumbered 800–803 157, 802 Last numbered Burlington Northern 952 158, 803 Last numbered Burlington Northern 953 Pennsylvania Railroad 5619–5640, 5906, 8485–8486, 8857–8858 Rutland Railroad 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") 350–353 Soo Line (Wisconsin Central Railway) 2360–2368 Spokane International Railroad 200–211 Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway 50–51 Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (Oregon Electric Railway) 52–55 Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company 602–604 United States Navy 6 renumbered 65-00078 Washington Terminal Company 40–64 Arabian American Oil Company (Saudi Arabia) A11x50, A11x51, 1002–1005 Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil 3100–3137 São Paulo Railway, (Brazil) 504–509 to Estrada de Ferro Santos a Jundiaí Estrada de Ferro Santos a Jundiaí (Brazil) 510–511 Total 456
Preservation
Several examples exist at tourist railways and railway museums, including:
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 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. 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 . Donated to the Iowa Railroad Historical Society, Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in 1996, painted and lettered as Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway #244. Catskill Mountain Railroad #400 (out of service & under repair) and #401 (operating) tourist train in Kingston NY. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 743 is on display at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City, OK. 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 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. 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. 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. Grand Trunk Western 1951 (last domestic RS-1 produced serial number 82356) at the Illinois Railway Museum Great Northern 182 is on display at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, British Columbia. Green Mountain Railroad 405 (former Rutland Railway 405, serial number 79575) 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. Soo Line 350 survives on display at the Whippany Railway Museum in New Jersey as Morristown & Erie 21. Washington Terminal #57 is undergoing mechanical restoration on the Allentown and Auburn Railroad in Topton, Pennsylvania. Two RS-1s are on display at the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site's B Reactor along with two flatcars.
See also List of ALCO diesel locomotives List of MLW diesel locomotives
Notes
Footnotes
References
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