ALCO RS-3
Encyclopedia
The ALCO RS-3 is a 1,600 hp (1.2 MW), B-B road switcher
railroad locomotive
. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company
(ALCO) and Montreal Locomotive Works
(MLW) from May 1950 to August 1956, and 1,418 were produced — 1,265 for American
railroads, 98 for Canadian
railroads, 48 for Brazil
ian and 7 for Mexican
railroads. It has a single, 12 cylinder, model 244 engine.
, and Baldwin Locomotive Works
. In 1950, Fairbanks-Morse introduced the 1,600 hp
(1.2 MW) H-16-44
. Also in 1950, Baldwin introduced the 1,600 hp (1.2 MW) AS-16. In the case of ALCO, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin, each company increased the power of an existing locomotive line from 1,500 to 1,600 hp (1.1 to 1.2 MW), and added more improvements to create new locomotive lines. All of this was to be more competitive with EMD. ALCO's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the RS-2
, although 31 were built in 1950 with 1,600 hp (1.2 MW). Fairbanks-Morse's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the H-15-44
. Baldwin's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the DRS-4-4-15. EMD, however, kept its competing GP7
at 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) But in 1954, EMD introduced the GP9
. It was rated at 1,750 hp (1.3 MW).
EMD won the road switcher production race, though. EMD produced 2,729 GP-7s. ALCO produced 383 RS-2s, and 1,418 RS-3s. Fairbanks-Morse produced 30 H-15-44s, and 296 H-16-44s. Baldwin produced 32 DRS-4-4-15s, and 127 AS-16s.
ian railway the Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil
purchased new forty-six RS-3s from the Montreal Locomotive Works
.
railway the Ferrocarril de Langreo
purchased four RS-3s from the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
. A fifth unit, number 1604, was purchased in 1971 from the Burlington Northern Railroad
(BN), a piece of surplus Great Northern Railway stock from the 1970 merger that formed BN. The locomotives served until 1984, when the line was converted to metre gauge
.
Road switcher
A road switcher is a type of railroad locomotive used for delivering or picking up cars outside of a railroad yard. Since the road switcher must work some distance away from a yard, it needs to be able to operate at road speeds, it must also have high-visibility while it is switching, and it must...
railroad locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
(ALCO) and Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
(MLW) from May 1950 to August 1956, and 1,418 were produced — 1,265 for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroads, 98 for Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
railroads, 48 for Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian and 7 for Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
railroads. It has a single, 12 cylinder, model 244 engine.
Competition
ALCO built the RS-3 to compete with EMD, Fairbanks-MorseFairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
, and Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
. In 1950, Fairbanks-Morse introduced the 1,600 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(1.2 MW) H-16-44
FM H-16-44
The FM H-16-44 was a road switcher produced by Fairbanks-Morse from April 1950 – February 1963. The locomotive shared an identical platform and carbody with the predecessor Model FM H-15-44 , and were equipped with the same eight-cylinder opposed piston engine that had been...
. Also in 1950, Baldwin introduced the 1,600 hp (1.2 MW) AS-16. In the case of ALCO, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin, each company increased the power of an existing locomotive line from 1,500 to 1,600 hp (1.1 to 1.2 MW), and added more improvements to create new locomotive lines. All of this was to be more competitive with EMD. ALCO's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the RS-2
ALCO RS-2
The ALCO RS-2 is a , B-B road switcher railroad locomotive. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company from October 1946 to May 1950, and 378 were produced — 369 by the American Locomotive Company, and 9 by Montreal Locomotive Works in Canada. Eight of the ALCO RS-2s were exported to...
, although 31 were built in 1950 with 1,600 hp (1.2 MW). Fairbanks-Morse's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the H-15-44
FM H-15-44
The FM H-15-44 was a road switcher manufactured by Fairbanks-Morse from September 1947 to June 1950. The locomotive was powered by a , eight-cylinder opposed piston engine as its prime mover, and was configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR Type-B road trucks with...
. Baldwin's 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) line was the DRS-4-4-15. EMD, however, kept its competing GP7
EMD GP7
The EMD GP7 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between October, 1949 and May, 1954. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine which generated . The GP7 was offered both with and without control cabs, and...
at 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) But in 1954, EMD introduced the GP9
EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
. It was rated at 1,750 hp (1.3 MW).
EMD won the road switcher production race, though. EMD produced 2,729 GP-7s. ALCO produced 383 RS-2s, and 1,418 RS-3s. Fairbanks-Morse produced 30 H-15-44s, and 296 H-16-44s. Baldwin produced 32 DRS-4-4-15s, and 127 AS-16s.
Brazil
In 1952 the BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian railway the Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil
Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil
The Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil was one of the principal railways of Brazil, uniting the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais.-Origins:...
purchased new forty-six RS-3s from the Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
.
Spain
In 1964 the SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
railway the Ferrocarril de Langreo
Ferrocarril de Langreo
Ferrocarril de Langreo or FC de Langreo was a Spanish railway company which operated a standard gauge line, in the Autonomous Community of Asturias, in northern Spain. It was the third train line constructed in Spain and was built during the 1850s....
purchased four RS-3s from the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a terminal railroad owned by railroads in St. Louis, Missouri which handles traffic through its metropolitan area.-Components:It was founded in 1889 in a deal orchestrated by Jay Gould by:...
. A fifth unit, number 1604, was purchased in 1971 from the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
(BN), a piece of surplus Great Northern Railway stock from the 1970 merger that formed BN. The locomotives served until 1984, when the line was converted to metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
.