Apache Ry. RS36 800 entering Holbrook,
AZ to interchange with the Santa Fe on 5/25/79. Although not easily seen
in this photo, the main spotting features distinguishing the RS36 from the RS11
were the lack of the boxy air aftercooler high on the long hood just forward
of the radiator intakes, and the grouping of the carbody filters high on the
long hood into 2 groups of 3.
Santa Fe RSD15 9800 in
the yard at Barstow, CA, in 6/74. The low short hood versions were
often called "Alligators" for the extremely long nose, and some fans called
the high hood RSD15's "Big Snoots". The RSD15 can be distinguished
from RSD12's by the presence of 4 handrail stanchions along the short hood,
while the RSD12 only had 3. The DL600 was produced in 3 versions, the
DL600 (RSD7) with a 2250 hp 244 engine (only 2 built, Alco Demos DL-600 and
-601, sold as ATSF 600,601), the DL600A (RSD7) with a 2400 hp 244 engine
(sold only to ATSF and PRR), and the DL600B (RSD15) with a 2400 hp 251 engine.
Chicago & Northwestern
RS3u (with an RS11 long hood) 1613 at Tracy, MN on 9/5/75. This was
a relatively uncommon repowering, since many railroads displeased with the
244 engine turned to EMD to repower their older engines, especially Alco,
Baldwin, and FM's. This conversion was performed in 1960.
C&NW RS11 4251 (ex Carolina
and Northwestern/Southern 11) at Tracy, MN on 9/5/75. A good view of an
RS11, with the air aftercooler in front of the radiator intakes and the carbody
filters spaced across the top of the long hood. The RS18, built in Canada,
was similar to the RS11 and later to the RS36, but with no numberboard notches.
California Western (the "Skunk")
RS11 61 at Willits, CA on the passenger train to Ft. Bragg in 1/84. This
is an ex-SP engine as can be seen from the light arrangement on the short
hood and the numberboards that allow individual numbers to be inserted, since
SP placed actual train numbers into their numberboards until sometime in
the 60's.
Duluth, Winnepeg & Pacific
RS11 3614 on a train leaving the yard at Duluth, MN on 9/9/76. The
DW&P RS11's had an unusual arrangement, with the dynamic brakes located
in the short hood instead of over the engine in the long hood, and an unusually
designed exhaust stack (although I don't know if that was original equipment).
Green Bay and Western RS27
(DL-640) 310 sitting in the sun at Green Bay, WI, on 9/7/76. The RS27
has the shortest nose of the RS/RSD's, to allow for the installation of a
16 cylinder engine in the long hood, but use the standard frame from the
RS11/RS36 (which had 12 cylinder engines).
Soo Line RS27 416 on a transfer
run at Minneapolis, MN on 7/20/73. All RS27's were low nose units,
and only CNW, SOO, GBW, PRR and UP purchased the model.
Southern Pacific RSD12 2959
at Houston, TX, pushing cars over the hump on 6/25/73. Note that the
RSD12 has only 3 handrail stanchions along the short nose, distinguishing
it from the longer RSD7/RSD15's, which have 4 stanchions.
Southern Pacific RS32 4008
at the Roseville, CA yards in 9/71. The 2000 hp RS32 was added to the
catalog only to compete for orders specifying a 2000 hp unit (to compete
with GP20's). RS32's appear very similar to RS36's, but RS32's possess
two square grills stacked vertically just behind the cab on the left side
(barely visible in this photo). Luckily for the diesel spotters (not
for Alco!), the only RS32's built were for the SP and NYC, and thus all other
locomotives with this general appearance are RS36's. Also, SP and NYC
did not buy any RS36's (but did have RS11's). On RS32/RS36's, the presence
of the small openings at the top middle of the long hood indicate that the
unit is dynamic brake equipped.
Southern Pacific RSD15 5162
at Eugene, OR, pushing cars over the hump in 8/72. In later years SP
used their C-C Alcos in switching service, and used RSD12's (at Houston)
and RSD15's (at Portland) for hump service. The RSD12's and RSD15's use a
Trimount truck which has 2 brake cylinders per side, unlike the 1 brake cylinder
per side used on the RSD4/RSD5's.
Utah Railway RSD15 400 in
the snow at Hiawatha, UT on a mine run on 1/6/79. This ex-ATSF unit
was also used in mainline service to supplement their RSD4's on the run from
Martin to Provo, UT along the joint DRGW/UTAH right of way over Soldier Summit.
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