New South Wales Government Railways 4002.
(Commissioner Geoff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
ALCO RSC-3 DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
The ALCO RSC-3 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type rated at 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW), that rode on three-axle trucks, having an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement.
Used in much the same manner as its four-axle counterpart, the ALCO RS-3, though the axle load was spread out for operation on light rail such as are found on branch lines. This locomotive had much better success as an export unit than in the domestic market.
Original owners
Locomotives built by Alco
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algerian Railways | 5 | DG1–DG5 | |
| Ferrocarril Central del Uruguay | 3 | 1601–1603 | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge (last one, 1602, withdrawn in 1993) |
| North Western Railway of Pakistan | 26 | 3301–3326 | to Pakistan Railways 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) gauge |
| Panama Railroad | 3 | 901–903 | 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge |
| São Paulo Railway, Brazil | 12 | 550–561 | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) gauge |
| Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses | 5 | 1521–1525 | 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in) gaug |
| Consolidated Railways of Cuba | 6 | 1606-1611 | |
| Seaboard Air Line Railroad | 7 | 1537–1543 | to Seaboard Coast Line 1111–1117 |
| Soo Line Railroad | 4 | 372–374, 2380 | 2380 owned by Wisconsin Central Railway |
| Total | 71 |
Locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales Government Railways | 20 | 4001–4020 | NSW 40 class |
| Pacific Great Eastern Railway | 8 | 561–568 | to British Columbia Railway |
| Total | 28 |
Locomotive ALCO RSC-3 7653, originally manufactured for CPEF, having operated in FEPASA,
Ciminas and SPA Engenharia. Currently belongs to IRON and operates in rented Supervia.
(João Bosco Setti, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Preserved Units
Some preserved units include:
Australia
- 4001 Preserved at the NSWRTM Thirlmere
- 4002 Preserved at the PRHS Western Australia
- 4006 On static display Wickham WA
Brazil
- 7653 operating in Supervia
Canada
- PGE 561 operating in Squamish at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park
Portugal
- 1525 operating in SOMAFEL
Alco RSC-3 Overview
Type and origin
Power type: Diesel-electric
Builder: ALCO; MLW
Model: RSC-3
Build date: November 1950 – June 1955
Total produced: 99
Specifications
Configuration: AAR A1A-A1A
Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge and others
Length: 53 ft 1 in (16.18 m)
Width: 10 ft (3.05 m)
Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Locomotive weight: 254,840 lbs. (115,590 kg)
Fuel capacity: 800 US gallons (666 imp gal; 3,028 L)
Prime mover: Alco 244
Engine type: V12 Four-stroke diesel
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Displacement: 8,016 cu in (131.36 L)
Generator: DC generator
Traction motors: DC traction motors
Cylinders: 12
Cylinder size: 9 in × 10+1⁄2 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Transmission: Electric
Locomotive brake: Straight air
Train brakes: Air
Performance figures
Maximum speed: 65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output: 1,600 hp (1,190 kW)
Tractive effort: 42,470 lbf (188.92 kN)
Career
Locale: North America, Central America, South America, Portugal, Australia, Pakistan
