ALCO RS-3

The ALCO RS-3 is a 1,600 hp (1.2 MW), B-B diesel-electric locomotive manufactured from May 1950 to August 1956 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and its subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). A total of 1,418 were produced: 1,265 for American railroads, 98 for Canadian railroads, 48 for Brazilian railroads, and seven for Mexican railroads.

ALCO RS-3
A former Central Railroad of New Jersey ALCO RS-3 at Steamtown National Historic Site
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderAmerican Locomotive Company
Montreal Locomotive Works
ModelRS-3
Build dateMay 1950 – August 1956
Total produced1,418
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARB-B
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm);
5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) for Brazil
TrucksAAR type B
Wheel diameter40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve21°
Wheelbase39 ft 4 in (11.99 m)
Length56 ft 6 in (17.22 m)
Width10 ft 1+5⁄8 in (3.09 m)
Height14 ft 5+1⁄8 in (4.40 m)
Loco weight247,100 lb (112,100 kg)
Prime moverALCO 244-D
Engine typeV12 Four stroke diesel
AspirationTurbocharger
GeneratorGE GT-581
Traction motors(4) GE 752
Cylinders12
Cylinder size9 in × 10+1⁄2 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed65–85 mph (105–137 km/h)
Power output1,600 hp (1.2 MW)
Tractive effort61,775 lb (28,021 kg)
Career
LocaleNorth America; Spain (purchased from US railroads); Brazil (MLW);

The successor to the RS-1 and RS-2,[1][2] the RS-3 was built with a single 12-cylinder ALCO Model 244 engine. The RS-3 greatly resembled the design and appearance of its predecessor, but had 100 more hp (1,600 hp) and some changes to the fuel system and body shape.[3] Some had their engines replaced with more reliable EMD 567B engines, becoming RS-3ms.

Much like the RS-1, many RS-3s served for decades; some are still in use as of 2022.

Variants

RSC-3: an RS-3 that used 3-axle trucks instead of 2-axle trucks. The middle axle on each truck was unpowered. This variant was designed for service on light track, as the extra axles better spread the weight of the locomotive.[3]

Competition

ALCO built the RS-3 to compete with EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin Locomotive Works. In 1949, EMD introduced the EMD GP7. 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) Baldwin 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 Baldwin DRS-4-4-1500. 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 (1.30 MW).

In the end, EMD won the road switcher production race. EMD produced 2,729 GP7s. ALCO produced 377 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.

Exports

Brazil

In 1952 the Brazilian railway the Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil purchased forty six new RS-3s from the Montreal Locomotive Works. Some are still active as work train engines for CPTM, Supervia, and CBTU – BH respectively São Paulo's, Rio de Janeiro's and Belo Horizonte's commuter railways. In Brazil these units were nicknamed Canadians or Hot Tails.

Spain

In 1964, the Spanish 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 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge.[4]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to ALCO RS-3 locomotives.
  • Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 0-87564-715-4.
  • Solomon, Brian (2000). The American diesel locomotive. MCI Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7603-0666-4.
  • Coelho, Eduardo J. J.; Setti, João B. (1993). A era diesel na EFCB. Associação dos Engenheiros Ferroviários.

References
  1. Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Milwaukee, WI. pp. 243–244. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
  2. Foster, Gerald L. (1996). A field guide to trains of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 20. ISBN 0-395-70112-0.
  3. Schafer, Mike (1998). Vintage diesel locomotives. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International. p. 52. ISBN 0-7603-0507-2. OCLC 38738930.
  4. "Ferrocarril de Langreo en Asturias". AlcoWorld. 2000-05-14. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
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