ALCO RSD-15
Encyclopedia
The ALCO RSD-15 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher
type built by ALCO (the American Locomotive Company) of Schenectady, New York
between August 1956 and June 1960, during which time 75 locomotives were produced. The RSD-15 was powered by an ALCO 251
16-cylinder four-cycle V-type prime mover
rated at 2400 hp; it superseded the almost identical ALCO 244-engined RSD-7
, and was catalogued alongside the similar but smaller 1800 hp RSD-12
, powered by a 12-cylinder 251
-model V-type diesel engine.
The locomotive rode on a pair of three-axle Trimount trucks
, in an AAR C-C wheel arrangement, with all axles powered by General Electric model 752 traction motors. These trucks have an asymmetrical axle spacing due to the positioning of the traction motors. The six-motor design allowed higher tractive effort at lower speeds than an otherwise similar four-motor design.
The RSD-15 could be ordered with either a high or low short hood
; railfan
s dubbed the low short hood version "Alligators", on account of their unusually long low noses.
in 1957. After demonstrating on the Canadian Pacific (as #7007), the Canadian National (as #3899), and the Pacific Great Eastern (as #624), the locomotive was purchased by the Canadian Pacific (as #8921). Nicknamed "The Empress of Agincourt" (for its common presence around Toronto's Agincourt yard), the locomotive served the railroad until 1995, when truck problems forced its retirement.
Six RSD-15s survive in preservation; all are ex-Santa Fe units.
Only two are in operating condition; the Austin and Texas Central #442, ex-ATSF 842, painted in a modified Southern Pacific "Black Widow" scheme,
and Green Bay and Western Railroad
RSD-15 #2407 (Ex-ATSF 841) at the Illinois Railway Museum
.
Others that are preserved are ex-ATSF 823, in former owner Utah Railway
colors at the Utah Railroad Museum, the California State Railroad Museum
in Sacramento
has one and the Arkansas Railroad Museum
has ex-ATSF #843.
The RSD-17 demonstrator, Canadian Pacific 8921 is preserved at the Elgin County Railway Museum
, St. Thomas, Ontario
, Canada
.
by Mehano of Yugoslavia.
The RSD-15 has been produced in HO scale
by Broadway Limited Imports
.
The RSD-15 has been produced in O scale
by Atlas O in their Trainman line.
No RSD-17 has been produced in any scale other than as a handmade brass import.
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...
type built by ALCO (the American Locomotive Company) of Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
between August 1956 and June 1960, during which time 75 locomotives were produced. The RSD-15 was powered by an ALCO 251
ALCO 251
The Alco 251 diesel engine was developed by the American Locomotive Company to replace the 244 and 539. The 251 was developed to be used in diesel locomotives, as a marine power plant in ships and as a stationary power generator.-Development:...
16-cylinder four-cycle V-type prime mover
Prime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
rated at 2400 hp; it superseded the almost identical ALCO 244-engined RSD-7
ALCO RSD-7
The ALCO RSD-7 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type built by ALCO at Schenectady, New York between January 1954 and April 1956. Two versions were built, with the same RSD-7 model designation but different specifications and power ratings, although both used the ALCO 244 engine...
, and was catalogued alongside the similar but smaller 1800 hp RSD-12
ALCO RSD-12
The ALCO RSD-12 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type rated at , that rode on three-axle trucks, having an C-C wheel arrangement....
, powered by a 12-cylinder 251
ALCO 251
The Alco 251 diesel engine was developed by the American Locomotive Company to replace the 244 and 539. The 251 was developed to be used in diesel locomotives, as a marine power plant in ships and as a stationary power generator.-Development:...
-model V-type diesel engine.
The locomotive rode on a pair of three-axle Trimount trucks
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
, in an AAR C-C wheel arrangement, with all axles powered by General Electric model 752 traction motors. These trucks have an asymmetrical axle spacing due to the positioning of the traction motors. The six-motor design allowed higher tractive effort at lower speeds than an otherwise similar four-motor design.
The RSD-15 could be ordered with either a high or low short hood
Short hood
The short hood of a hood unit-style diesel locomotive is, as the name implies, the shorter of the two hoods on a locomotive...
; railfan
Railfan
A railfan or rail buff , railway enthusiast or railway buff , or trainspotter , is a person interested in a recreational capacity in rail transport...
s dubbed the low short hood version "Alligators", on account of their unusually long low noses.
RSD-17
A single example of the very similar model RSD-17 was built by the Montreal Locomotive WorksMontreal 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...
in 1957. After demonstrating on the Canadian Pacific (as #7007), the Canadian National (as #3899), and the Pacific Great Eastern (as #624), the locomotive was purchased by the Canadian Pacific (as #8921). Nicknamed "The Empress of Agincourt" (for its common presence around Toronto's Agincourt yard), the locomotive served the railroad until 1995, when truck problems forced its retirement.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
50 | 800–849 | Low nose |
| Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad | 6 | 50–55 | Later Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad is a class II railroad that operates in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio.The railroad's main route runs from the Lake Erie port of Conneaut, Ohio to the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a distance of 139 miles... 881-886 |
| Pennsylvania Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
6 | 8611–8616 | Later Penn Central 6811–6816. |
| Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad.... |
3 | 250–252 | Low nose |
| St. Louis Southwestern Railway St. Louis Southwestern Railway The St. Louis Southwestern Railway , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply Cotton Belt, was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1870 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern... |
10 | 5150–5159 | Low nose |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... |
1 | 8921 | RSD-17 |
Surviving examples
Only two are in operating condition; the Austin and Texas Central #442, ex-ATSF 842, painted in a modified Southern Pacific "Black Widow" scheme,
and Green Bay and Western Railroad
Green Bay and Western Railroad
The Green Bay and Western Railroad served the transportation and freight haulage needs of northern Wisconsin for almost 100 years before it was absorbed into the Wisconsin Central in 1993...
RSD-15 #2407 (Ex-ATSF 841) at the Illinois Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
.
Others that are preserved are ex-ATSF 823, in former owner Utah Railway
Utah Railway
The Utah Railway is a class III railroad operating in Utah and Colorado, and owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The Utah Railway Company was incorporated on January 24, 1912, with the name of Utah Coal Railway, shortened to Utah Railway in May of the same year...
colors at the Utah Railroad Museum, the California State Railroad Museum
California State Railroad Museum
The California State Railroad Museum is a museum in the state park system of California, USA, interpreting the role of the "iron horse" in connecting California to the rest of the nation. It is located in Old Sacramento at 111 I Street....
in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
has one and the Arkansas Railroad Museum
Arkansas Railroad Museum
Arkansas Railroad Museum is located on Port Road in Pine Bluff, Arkansas at the former Cotton Belt yard.The former SSW shops are occupied by the historic collection of railroad equipment. This museum is about an hour's drive from Little Rock, AR, and is one of the largest displays of historic...
has ex-ATSF #843.
The RSD-17 demonstrator, Canadian Pacific 8921 is preserved at the Elgin County Railway Museum
Elgin County Railway Museum
The Elgin County Railway Museum is a rail transport museum in St. Thomas, Ontario. It is housed in the former Michigan Central Railroad locomotive shops that were part of more extensive servicing facilities on the Canada Southern Railway....
, St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
, Canada
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...
.
Models
The RSD-15 has been produced in N scaleN scale
N scale is a popular model railway scale/track gauge. Depending upon the manufacturer , the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. In all cases, the gauge is . The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the UK in particular N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with track gauge modelling...
by Mehano of Yugoslavia.
The RSD-15 has been produced in HO scale
HO scale
HO or H0 is the most popular scale of model railway in the world.According to the NMRA standard S-1.2 predominantly used in North America, in HO scale, represents 1 real foot ; this ratio works out to about 1:87.1. According to the MOROP standard NEM 010 predominantly used in Europe, the scale is...
by Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports
Broadway Limited Imports, LLC designs and manufactures limited-run HO scale and N scale model railroad locomotives and rolling stock.BLI products produced in extremely limited quantities, are equipped with Digital Command Control decoders and the ability to reproduce the recorded sounds of actual...
.
The RSD-15 has been produced in O scale
O scale
O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s...
by Atlas O in their Trainman line.
No RSD-17 has been produced in any scale other than as a handmade brass import.