ALCO RS-3

Template:Short description Template:More footnotes needed Template:Infobox locomotive

The ALCO RS-3 is a Template:Convert, 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: 1,272 for American railroads, 98 for Canadian railroads, 48 for Brazilian railroads, and seven for Mexican railroads.

The RS-3 greatly resembled the RS-1 and RS-2,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> but it had 100 more horsepower thanks to its 12-cylinder, 1,600 hp ALCO Model 244 engine. It also had some changes to the fuel system and body shape.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

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

VariantsEdit

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.<ref name=":0" />

RS-3m: an RS-3s whose engines was replaced with the more reliable EMD 567B engine.

CompetitionEdit

ALCO built the RS-3 to compete with EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin Locomotive Works—and in particular with EMD's GP7, introduced in 1949.

The arrival of the 1,500-hp GP7 led ALCO, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin to increased the power of an existing locomotive line from Template:Convert and add more improvements to create new locomotive lines. In 1950, Fairbanks-Morse introduced the Template:Convert H-16-44, while Baldwin introduced the Template:Convert Baldwin AS-16. ALCO's Template:Convert line was the RS-2, although 31 were built in 1950 with Template:Convert. Fairbanks-Morse's Template:Convert line was the H-15-44. Baldwin's Template:Convert line was the Baldwin DRS-4-4-1500. EMD kept its GP7 at Template:Convert until 1954, when it introduced the GP9, rated at Template:Convert.Template:Citation needed

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.Template:Citation needed

ExportsEdit

BrazilEdit

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.Template:Citation needed

SpainEdit

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 Template:RailGauge.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

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