ALCO RS-2
The ALCO RS-2 is a B-B diesel-electric locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company from 1946 to 1950. ALCO introduced the model after World War II as an improvement on the ALCO RS-1. Between 1946 and 1950, 377 examples of the RS-2 were built, primarily for American and Canadian customers.
ALCO discontinued the RS-2 in 1950 in favor of the very similar RS-3, which was more popular. Several examples have been preserved.
Design and development
The RS-2 was a further development of the road switcher concept inaugurated with the RS-1. Externally, the RS-2 bodywork was more rounded. A more significant change was the switch from the RS-1's ALCO 539T engine to the ALCO 244, adding horsepower to better handle heavy road service. The new engine was a turbocharged four-stroke V12 diesel engine with a bore and stroke developing 1,500 hp at 1,000 rpm. Compared to the 539, it had a smaller cylinder and higher cylinder speed. 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.History
A total of 377 RS-2s were produced: 368 by the American Locomotive Company and nine by ALCO subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works in Canada. Eight of the ALCO RS-2s were exported to Canada.The RS-2 has a single, 12-cylinder, model 244B engine, developing.
Thirty-one locomotives built by Alco between February and May 1950 were powered by a 12-cylinder 244C engine.
ALCO built the RS-2 to compete with EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin Locomotive Works. In 1947, Fairbanks-Morse introduced the H-15-44. Also in that year, Baldwin introduced the DRS-4-4-1500. In the case of ALCO, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin, each company increased the power of an existing locomotive line from, and added more improvements to create new locomotive lines.
EMD, however, kept its competing GP7 at. In 1954, EMD introduced the GP9. It was rated at.
EMD produced 2,734 GP-7s. ALCO/MLW 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-4-4-1500s, and 127 AS-16s.
The Delaware and Hudson Railway rebuilt 13 of its RS-2s for passenger service, including on the Laurentian. The D&H added a steam generator and water tank.