ALCO RSC-2

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	ALCO
Model	E-1661A, E-1661B, E-1661C
Total produced	86

Specifications
AAR wheel arr.	A1A-A1A
Gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in) (CP)
Wheel diameter	40 in (1,016 mm)
Length	53 ft 1 in (16.18 m)
Width	10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Height	14 ft 5 in (4.39 m)
Loco weight	242,500 lb (110,000 kg)
Fuel capacity	800 US gal (670 imp gal; 3,000 L)
Prime mover	ALCO 244
Engine type	V12 Four-stroke diesel
Generator	DC generator
Traction motors	4 of DC traction motors
Cylinders	12
Transmission	Electric

Performance figures
Maximum speed	65 mph (105 km/h)
Power output	1,500 hp (1,100 kW) later models 1,600 hp (1,200 kW)
Tractive effort	40,425 lbf (179,820 N)

The ALCO RSC-2 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type 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-2, though the wheel arrangement lowered the axle load for operation on light rail such as are found on branch lines.

The Milwaukee Road was the first railroad to take delivery of the RSC-2, initially assigning them to their Valley Division (headquartered near Wausau, Wisconsin) in November 1946. This was done in order to study the effects of an all-diesel roster (i.e. no steam locomotives available as protection power). The experiment was deemed a success, and soon all steam locomotives were gone from the Valley Division. RSC-2s would faithfully serve the Milwaukee Road for many years, until being replaced in turn by the EMD SDL39.

ALCO also exported these units to the state railway of Portugal, where Portuguese Railways (CP) designated them Série 1500. These locomotives were built for the Iberian track gauge of (1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in)). The last units in Portugal served in regular passenger service into the first decade of the 21st century. Of these, five are still running today, 60 years after their arrival (one is a museum locomotive, while the other four are owned by track maintenance companies). Five units were exported to the Algerian National Railways where they were used in passenger train service.

Original Buyers

Railroad	Quantity	Road Numbers	Notes
ALCO (Demonstrator)	1	1190	to Union Pacific 1190 renumbered 1290
Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (CP)	12	1501-1512	Designated Série 1500 by CP. Uprated from 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW) to 2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW) in 1976. Top speed was then 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph), the track gauge 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in) .
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad	22	975–996	renumbered to 580-597, 490-493 series, not in order
Office des Chemins de Fer Algériens	5	040DD1–040DD5
Seaboard Air Line Railroad	32	1500–1531
Soo Line Railroad	4	368–371
Union Pacific Railroad	10	1180–1189	renumbered 1280-1289

References

Marre, Louis A. (1995). Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha, WI (USA). ISBN 0-89024-258-5.

Diesel-electric locomotives built by ALCO

Switchers	ALCO 300 ALCO 600 HH600 HH660 HH900 HH1000 S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4 DL420 S-5 S-6 T-6 SB-8/SSB-9

RS, RSC and RSD series	RS-1 RS-2 RS-3 RS-11 RS-27 RS-32 RS-36 RSC-1 RSC-2 RSC-3 RSD-1 MRS-1 RSD-4 RSD-5 RSD-7 RSD-12 RSD-15

Cab units	Rebel power car DL-103b DL-105 DL-107 DL-108 DL-109 DL-110 DL-202 DL-203 FA FB PA PB

Century series	C415 C420 C424 C425 C430 C628 C630 C636 C855

Diesel-hydraulics	DH643

Export locomotives	DL560C RSD-39

Unproduced locomotives	C428 C620 C624 C636F C636P C650DH

List of ALCO diesel Locomotives

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