ALCO RS-2 Locomotive

ALCO RS-2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ALCO RS-2
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	American Locomotive Company Montreal Locomotive Works
Model	RS-2
Build date	October 1946 – February 1950
Total produced	378
Specifications
AAR wheel arr.	B-B
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Trucks	AAR type B
Wheel diameter	40 in (1,000 mm)
Minimum curve	57°
Wheelbase	39 ft 4 in (11.99 m)
Length	56 ft (17 m)
Width	10 ft (3.0 m)
Height	14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Locomotive weight	249,600 lb (113,200 kg)
Fuel capacity	800 US gal (3,000 L)
Prime mover	Alco 244-B
Engine type	Four stroke diesel
Aspiration	Turbocharger
Generator	GE 5GT-564B-1
Traction motors	(4) GE 752-A
Cylinders	V12
Cylinder size	9 in × 10 1⁄2 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures
Power output	1,500 hp (1.119 MW) @ 1,000rpm later models 1,600 hp (1.193 MW)
Tractive effort	62,500 lb (28,300 kg)
Career
Locale	North America

The ALCO RS-2 is a 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW), B-B road switcher diesel-electric locomotive. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) 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 Canada. The RS-2 has a single, 12 cylinder, model 244 engine, developing 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW). Thirty-one locomotives built by Alco between February and May 1950 with the 12 cylinder 244C 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW) engine.

ALCO built the RS-2 to compete with EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin Locomotive Works. In 1947, Fairbanks-Morse introduced the 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) H-15-44. Also in that year, Baldwin introduced the 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) DRS-4-4-1500. 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.

EMD, however, kept its competing GP7 at 1,500 hp (1.1 MW) In 1954, EMD introduced the GP9. It was rated at 1,750 hp (1.30 MW).

EMD produced 2,734 GP-7s. ALCO produced 378 RS-2s, and 1,370 RS-3s. Fairbanks-Morse produced 30 H-15-44s, and 296 H-16-44s. Baldwin produced 32 DRS-4-4-1500s, and 127 AS-16s.

Design and development

The RS2 was a further development of the road switcher concept. It had more horsepower than the RS1, and was better suited for heavy road service. Externally, the RS2 bodywork was more rounded, mechanically the new 244 engine was introduced. A turbocharged four stroke V12 with a 9” X 10 ½” bore and stroke developing 1,500 (later 1,600) hp at 1,000 rpm, it had a smaller cylinder, higher cylinder speed design than the 539 used in the RS1. Production of the RS-2 was delayed several months while Alco worked out the new four pipe divided low rise manifold for the GE constant pressure RD-1 turbocharger. The 244 engine was not a reliable design, however, and was replaced in less than ten years by the Alco 251 engine.^[1]

Original buyers

Locomotives built by American Locomotive Company, USA

Railroad	Quantity	Road numbers	Notes
American Locomotive Company(demonstrator)	2	1500 (1st), 1501	to Monon 29, 28, renumbered 59, 58
	1	1500 (2nd)	to Boston & Maine 1500
	1	1600	to AT&SF 2110, renumbered 2099
Alton and Southern Railway	15	28–42
Ann Arbor __________________________ Atlantic and Danville Railway	2 _______ 6	20,21 __________ 101–106
Belt Railway of Chicago	9	450–458
Birmingham Southern Railroad	2	150-151
Boston and Maine Railroad	9	1501–1504, 1530–1534	1530s had steam generators
Canadian Pacific Railway	5	8400–8404	Bought for operations in Vermont
Carolina & North-Western Railway	4	1–4
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway	2	5500–5501	to Lehigh Valley 217–218
Chicago and North Western Railway	1	1503
Chicago Great Western Railway	8	50–57	to Chicago and North Western 50-57
Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad (“Monon”)	7	21–27	Renumbered 51–57
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad	5	450–454	Rebuilt by EMD with 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) 567Cengines
Danville and Western Railway	2	1–2	to Southern (Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific) 6206-6207
Delaware and Hudson Railway	26	4000–4025
Detroit and Mackinac Railway	6	466–469, 4610, 481
Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway	10	800–809
Erie Railroad	19	900–913, 1000–1004	1000-1004 renumbered 950-954, to Erie Lackawanna 900-913, 950-954
Great Northern Railway	20	200–219	200-201 to SP&S 63-64
Green Bay and Western Railroad	4	301–304
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad	14	1501–1514
Kennecott Copper Corporation	9	100–102, 104–107, 902–903
Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad	3	1501–1503
Lehigh and New England Railroad	13	651–663
Lehigh Valley Railroad	5	210–214
Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad	3	1700–1702	to Seaboard Air Line 1685–1687
Maine Central Railroad	5	551–555
Missouri-Illinois Railroad	1	61	renumbered 960
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad	17	0500–0516	All had steam generators
New York Central Railroad	23	8200–8222
Oliver Iron Mining Company	8	1100–1107
Ontario Northland Railway	2	1300–1301
Roberval and Saguenay Railway	1	19
St. Louis and Belleville Electric Railway	1	700	to Peabody Short Line 701, then Illinois Central 701
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (“Frisco”)	5	550–554	Rebuilt by EMD with 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) 567Cengines
Seaboard Air Line Railroad	5	1600–1604
	24	1605–1628	1,600 hp (1,200 kW)
Southern Railway	30	2101–2130
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway	3	60–62	to Burlington Northern 4000–4002
Texas and Pacific Railway	1	1100	to Texas Pacific-Missouri Pacific Terminal 23, renumbered 958
Texas Pacific-Missouri Pacific Terminal Railroad of New Orleans	2	21–22	Renumbered 956–957
Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway	7	200–206
Union Pacific Railroad	5	1191–1195	renumbered 1291-1295
Union Railroad	12	601–612
Western Maryland Railway	5	180–184
Youngstown and Northern Railroad	1	231
Total	338 31	1,500 hp 1,600 hp

Locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works, Canada

Railroad	Quantity	Road numbers	Notes
Canadian Pacific Railway	4	8405–8408
Delaware and Hudson Railway (Napierville Junction Railway)	2	4050–4051
Ontario Northland Railway	2	1302–1303
Roberval and Saguenay Railway	1	20
Total	9	1,500 hp (1,100 kW)

Survivors

Very few RS-2s survive today. Three former Kennecott Copper locomotives are preserved, including Kennecott Copper 908 (former number 104) at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola, California. KCC 908 once served the mines out of Ely, Nevada along theNevada Northern Railway. Nevada Northern 105 is at Ely, Nevada, it was formerly the Kennecott Copper 105. Kennecott Copper 103 is at the San Diego Railroad Museum in Campo, California. It is painted as Santa Fe 2098. Another RS-2 is in active service on the Texas State Railroad (rebuilt as an RS-2-CAT). It is the former Union Railroad 608. The first production RS-2, originally sold to the Detroit & Mackinac RR as their number 466, still exists. It was fully operable in freight service on the Michigan Southern Railroad (1989) until a few years ago. As of September 2005, the 466 was stored out of service near the Michigan Southern's office in White Pigeon, Michigan. The former Detroit & Mackinac 469 was sold to Waymore Power and may be restored. The former Elgin Joliet and Eastern 801 is preserved in Jala, Mexico as a Las Encinas SA de CV 801. And MLW built Roberval and Saguenay 20 is at the Canadian Railway Museum
.

ALCO FA and FB Locomotives

ALCO FA and FB

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ALCO FA and FB
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Partnership of American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric(GE); Montreal Locomotive Works
Model	FA-1, FB-1, FA-2, FB-2, FPA-2, FPB-2, FCA-3, FPA-4, FPB-4
Build date	January 1946 – May 1959
Total produced	1,401
Specifications
AAR wheel arr.	B-B, A1A-A1A (FCA-3 only)
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length	53 ft 1 in (16.18 m)
Locomotive weight	FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2:243,000 lb (110,000 kg) FPA-4/FPB-4: 255,000 lb (115,666.1 kilograms)
Fuel capacity	1,200 US gal (4,500 l; 1,000 imp gal)
Prime mover	FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2:ALCO 244 FPA-4/FPB-4: ALCO 251
Engine type	Four-stroke diesel
Aspiration	Turbocharger
Displacement	8,016 cu in (131.36 L)
Generator	DC generator
Traction motors	DC traction motors GE 726 on GM&O initial order then GE 752
Cylinders	V-12
Cylinder size	9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Transmission	Electric
Performance figures
Maximum speed	65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output	Early FA-1/FB-1: 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) Late FA-1/FB-1 & all FA-2/FB-2/FPA-2/FPB-2: 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) FPA-4/FPB-4: 1,800 hp (1,300 kW)
Tractive effort	FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2:60,875 lbf (270.79 kN) FPA-4/FPB-4: 63,750 lbf (283.57 kN)
Locomotive brake	Independent air. Optional: Dynamic
Train brakes	Air
Career
Locale	North America, Brazil, Pakistan

The ALCO FA was a family of B-B diesel locomotives designed to haul freight trains. The locomotives were built by a partnership of ALCO and General Electric in Schenectady, New York, between January 1946 and May 1959. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead (A unit) FA and cabless booster (B unit) FB models were built. A dual passenger-freight version, the FPA/FPB, was also offered. It was equipped with a steam generator for heating passenger cars.

Externally, the FA and FB models looked very similar to the ALCO PA models produced in the same period. Both the FA and PA models were styled by GE's Ray Patten. They shared many of the same characteristics both aesthetically and mechanically. It was the locomotive's mechanical qualities (the ALCO 244 V-12 prime mover) and newer locomotive models from both General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and General Electric (the partnership with ALCO was dissolved in 1953) that ultimately led to the retirement of the FA/FB locomotive model from revenue service. Several examples of FAs and FBs have been preserved in railroad museums, a few of them in operational status on such lines as the Grand Canyon Railway and the Napa Valley Wine Train. ALCO's designation of F, marks these locomotives as being geared primarily for freight use. Where as the P designation of the PA sets were geared for higher speeds and passenger use. However beyond this, their design was largely similar, and many railroads used FA and PA locomotives for both freight and passenger.

Service history

The FAs, as well as their cousins, the ALCO PAs, were born as a result of Alco's development of a new diesel engine design, the Model 244. In early 1944, development started on the new design, and by November 1945, the first engines were beginning to undergo tests. This unusually short testing sequence was brought about by the decision of Alco's senior management that the engine and an associated line of road locomotives had to be introduced no later than the end of 1946. In preparation for this deadline, by January 1946, the first four locomotives with the 244 engines had been built. Two FA-1s and an FB-1 were painted in Alco Demonstrator colors and were released for road tests for a month and a half on the Delaware and Hudson Railway. A strike at Alco delayed production beyond the first four units and delivery of the first three ex-demonstrator units, to the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, began in mid February 1946. The remainder of the order began delivery in May 1946 and continued until April 1947 for a total of 80 units. Before the end of this production run, Alco upgraded the generators and traction motors in the locomotives, with the first of these models entering service in February 1947 for the New York Central. In 1950, the Montreal Locomotive Works, an affiliate of Alco, began production of FAs as well. In the Fall of 1950, an upgraded model, the FA-2, was launched. This model featured an uprated Model 244 engine, with an output of 1600 horsepower. Additionally, the carbody was lengthened, making possible the addition of a steam generator in the A unit to allow for passenger service. Models equipped as such were designated the FPA-2/FPB-2.^[1] The first FA-2s were delivered in October 1950 to the Baltimore and Ohio and the Erie.^[2] By this time, however, the cab unit had fallen out of favor due to the greater versatility of road switchers, and U S production of the FA line ended in 1956, with Canadian production ending in 1959.^[1] The MTA Long Island Rail Road purchased 20 units and removed the traction motors from the units. the LIRR used them to supply AC HEP (head end power) to the cars of the train. Also the engines were used as a cab when another engine was pushing on the east end of the train. By the late 90's and early 2000's the railroad began retiring the alcos for new double deck cab cars.

Models overview

Three different models were offered. The FA-1/FB-1, which featured a 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW) rating, was built from January 1946 to October 1950 with a 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) version produced between March and August 1950 (many early models were subsequently upgraded to 1,600 hp). The 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) FA-2/FB-2 (along with the FPA-2/FPB-2 variants) was built between October 1950 and June 1956. The 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) FPA-4/FPB-4, powered by the 251 V-12 engine, was built between October 1958 and May 1959 by ALCO's Canadian subsidiary, Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW).

Externally, the FA-1/FB-1 could be distinguished from the FA-2/FB-2 (FPA-2/FPB-2) by the position of the radiator shutters – the FA-1/FB-1's shutters were at the far end of the carbody, whereas on the FA-2/FB-2 they were further forward, the design having been modified to allow the installation of a steam generator behind the radiator. The FPA-4/FPB-4 were visually different due to the additional radiator space that was positioned below the shutters. These Canadian variants were intended and used for high-speed passenger service, and remained in use into the 1990s on Via Rail Canada.

The FA had the same distinctive styling as its larger cousin, the ALCO PA, with a long, straight nose tipped by a headlight in a square, slitted grille and raked windshields. Only the first 36 GM&O FA-1s had the distinctive trim pieces found behind the cab windows of the PA. As with the PA, the overall design owed much to the Fairbanks-Morse Erie-builtdesign, which had been constructed by ALCO's sales partner General Electric (GE) at their Erie, Pennsylvania, plant. GE's industrial designer Ray Patten styled the FA and FB, and many believe it likely that he took drawings of the Erie-built as a starting point, lengthening and squaring the nose and giving it a more aggressive look. The majority of FA components were compatible with the PA.

As with the PA, the model 244 diesel prime mover proved to be the undoing of the FA, and the locomotives failed to capture a marketplace dominated by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD). The later 251-series engine, a vastly improved prime mover, was not available in time for ALCO to recover the loss of reputation caused by the unreliability of the 244, which was a key factor in the dissolution of the partnership with GE. By the time the ALCO 251 engine was accepted into widespread use, General Electric had launched their own entries into the diesel-electric locomotive market, notably the U25B. General Electric eventually supplanted ALCO as a manufacturer of locomotives, leading to ALCO's exit from the locomotive market in 1969.

Original production

Units produced by ALCO and the Montreal Locomotive Works (1946–1956)

Almost 800 FA units were built by ALCO and MLW, with just over 15% of them sold to New York Central Railroad, and another 5% each to Union Pacific Railroad, Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad and Missouri Pacific Railroad. About half as many FB units were produced and sold in similar ratios.

ALCO PA and PB Locomotives

ALCO PA and PB

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ALCO PA refers to a family of A1A-A1A diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains that were built in Schenectady, New York in theUnited States by a partnership of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric (GE) between June, 1946 and December, 1953. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead A unit PA and cabless booster B unit PB models were built.

ALCO PA and PB
Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Partnership of American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric (GE)
Model	PA, PB
Build date	June 1946 –December 1953
Total produced	297
Specifications
AAR wheel arr.	A1A-A1A
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length	65 ft 8 in (20.02 m)
Locomotive weight	306,000 lb (138.8 t)
Prime mover	ALCO 244 V16
Engine type	Four-stroke diesel
Aspiration	Turbocharger
Displacement	10,688 cu in (175.14 l)
Cylinders	V16
Cylinder size	9 in × 10 1⁄2 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Transmission	DC generator, DC traction motors
Performance figures
Maximum speed	117 mph (188 km/h)
Power output	2,000 hp (1,490 kW) — PA-1/PB-1 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) — PA-2/PB-2
Tractive effort	51,000 lbf (226.86 kN)
Locomotive brake	Independent air. Optional:Dynamic
Train brakes	Air
Career
Locale	North America, Brazil

Background and development[edit]

The PAs, as well as their cousins, the ALCO FAs, were born as a result of Alco's development of a new diesel engine design, the Model 244. In early 1944, development started on the new design, and by November 1945, the first engines were beginning to undergo tests. This unusually short testing sequence was brought about by the decision of Alco's senior management that the engine and an associated line of road locomotives had to be introduced no later than the end of 1946. In preparation for this deadline, by January 1946, the first 16 cylinder 244 engines were being tested, and while a strike delayed work on the locomotives, the first two PA units were released for road tests in June 1946, for testing for one month on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. After these first tests were completed, the locomotives returned to the factory for refurbishment and engine replacement. In September 1946, the first production units, an A-B-A set of PA1s in Santa Fe colors were released from the factory, and sent to New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which had a private railroad siding, for exhibition before being launched into road service.^[1]

History[edit]

Two models were offered: the 2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW) PA-1/PB-1 (built between September, 1946 and June, 1950); the 2,250 horsepower (1,680 kW) PA-2/PB-2 (built between April, 1950 and December, 1953)

Models popularly termed the PA-3/PB-3 were in fact only an upgrade of the PA-2/PB-2. The true PA-3/PB-3 model would have boasted 2,400 horsepower (1,800 kW), though none were ever built. Aside from the small power increase between the PA-1 and the PA-2, differences were minor. Externally PA-2s could be distinguished by the absence of the "eyebrow" trim piece on the grille behind the cab and the porthole window behind the radiator shutters. Internally, later PA-2 and PB-2 production featured a water-cooled turbocharger and other engine compartment changes, but these were frequently added to older models undergoing major repairs or overhauls. Four PA-1s were upgraded by Morrison-Knudsen in 1974-75 for passenger service on the Delaware & Hudson and became the PA4.^[2] These were eventually used by Amtrak for the "Adirondack" train and then by the Mass Bay Transit Authority before being sold to Mexico.

Fans deemed the PA one of the most beautiful diesels and an "Honorary Steam Locomotive", as noted by Professor George W. Hilton in a book review in September, 1968 Trains Magazine. When accelerating, until the turbocharger came up to speed thick clouds of black smoke would pour from the exhaust stacks, due to turbo lag. Photographing a moving PA while smoking became a prime objective of railfans^[3][4][5]Like its smaller cousin, the ALCO FA, the PA had distinctive styling, with a long, straight flat-tipped nose with a headlight in a square, slitted grille, raked windshields, and trim pieces behind the cab windows that lengthened and sleekened the lines. The overall design owed something to the Fairbanks-MorseErie-built design, which had been constructed by ALCO's electrical equipment partner General Electric at their Erie, Pennsylvania plant. The majority of PA components were compatible with the FA.

The ALCO 244 V16 diesel prime mover proved to be the undoing of the PA: The engine had been rushed into production, and proved to be unreliable. The PA locomotives failed to capture a marketplace dominated by General Motors Electro-Motive Divisionand their E-units. The original Santa Fe three unit set #51L, 51A and 51B was repowered in August 1954 with EMD 16-567C engines rated at 1,750 hp (1,305 kW). This EMD repowering of the PAs was economically unfeasible and the remaining Santa Fe PAs retained their 244 engines. The later 251-series engine, a vastly improved prime mover, was not available in time for ALCO to recover the loss of reputation caused by the unreliability of the 244. By the time the ALCO 251 engine was accepted into widespread use, General Electric (which ended the partnership with ALCO in 1953) had fielded their entries into the diesel-electric locomotive market. General Electric eventually supplanted ALCO as a manufacturer of locomotives. ALCO's loss of market share led to its demise in 1969
.