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Diesel-electric locomotive built by ALCO From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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) |
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In 1940, the Rock Island Railroad approached ALCO about building a road switcher 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 hood unit design.
Though the locomotive could operate in either direction, the "long" hood was officially designated as the front.[2]
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.
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.
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.[2] 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.[3] 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.
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.
Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
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Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railroad | 3 | 901–903 | to US Army 8010–8012 |
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("Milwaukee Road") | 2 | 1678–1679 | to US Army 8002–8003 |
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | 4 | 746–749 | to US Army 8004, 8007, 8005, 8006; 748 first RS-1 built in 3/41 |
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad | 2 | 231, 233 | to US Army 8000–8001 |
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company | 2 | 601–602 | to US Army 8008–8009 |
Total | 13 | ||
Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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
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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
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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 |
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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 | ||
Several examples exist at tourist railways and railway museums, including:
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