Alco RS-2m - Electro Motive Division (EMD) Modification Rebuilds

Just a curiosity question.

When the the RS-2s were sent to EMD for rebuilding, did they go en masse?

A really curiosity question, if they did not go all at once, does anyone know the order in which each unit was rebuilt?

Thanks

Larry F.

 

According to the book Frisco Diesel Power by Louis Marre and John Harper RS-2s SLSF 551, SLSF 553 and SLSF 554 were repowered November 1959.

Units SLSF 550 and SLSF 552 were repowered October 1960.

Keith E.

 

Whereas the rebuilt Frisco RS-2s had a certain "interest" to them, they were much sexier all-original and in the full stripe scheme.

 

Well then, I got my curiosity satisfied.

Thanks guys!

I agree that the original paint scheme was terrific.

Too bad they made it a GP9.

Larry F.

 

I believe the Rock Island rebuilt 4 RS-2s at about the same time as the Frisco.

They look to be more like GP9s.




I was working on a kitbash years ago of both Frisco and Rock Island RS-2ms.

I should dig them out.

 

Yes, I think theirs had dynamic brakes.

Chicago North Western (CNW) had them too I am almost positive.

Big Dawg Resins offers a couple version as aftermarket shells for the Atlas chassis, $35 or so.

 

I was working on mine, and Railroad Model Craftsman came out with an article by Richard Napper on modeling one.

Here are mine.



Rock Island on left, Frisco on right.

 

The Rock Island version is on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RS2M-Rock-...cale-Trains-by-Puttman-Locomotiv/322480744993

 

Having been dismayed with the performance of Alco 244 engines that the RS-2s were supplied with many railroads in desperation opted to have them rebuilt as EMD hybrids. This was due to its high maintenance and reliability issues.

At the time, in many cases rebuilding was preferred over sidelining or scrapping locomotives for at least some, if not all of their units. That was at least until the cost associated with the rebuilding was deemed to be a little over the top, and curtailed keeping any remaining virgin units from going thru the transformation on some railroads.

The Frisco units had the GP9 style hoods put on by EMD as the 16-567C just would not fit in the original long hood of the RS-2.

As for the derating or detuning, it was due to the fact that some of the original Alco and GE supplied equipment was retained during the mongalization process. In this case it was primarily due to retention of the original GE GT-564 generators of the RS-2 which provided power for the retained OEM traction motors.

Was akin to EMD F2 units. They would have been 1500 hp units like the subsequent F3 model but EMD did not have the new generator that the F3s were to utilize ready and available for production and use at the time.

EMD therefore just used the generators they had available and had used for the predecessor FT model. In the new F3 style car bodies they had to keep the 1350 hp rating as the FT had for the time being and just branding it the "F2" in the interim.

When the new generator was available, viola, overnight the F2 was transformed as rebranded as the new 1500 hp F3. For the most part it was pretty much identical to the F2s in the early incarnations of the F3s.

Had they put the higher capacity GE GT-566 generator, which was used in the Alco RSD-5 model, into the RS-2, if possible, during the rebuild process, then the rebuilt RS-2 units may and could have been rated as 1750 hp units. Their EMD engine contemporary GP9 of the period modified, remaining with a 1500 hp rating as an equivalent of. and for all practical purposes, a GP7.

 

Yup,

But, I still like them best the way Alco made them.



Loving me some Frisco RS-2s!

Andre

 

Yes but unfortunately Alco made the otherwise very nice RS-2/RS-3 road switchers and other models, FA-1/FB-1 for example, problematic thanks to the crappy 244 series prime movers they dropped in them.

The management of some railroads obviously did not like them the way Alco made them. To me it seems like a better solution would have been to send them back to Alco and put in 251 engines using Alco RS-27/RS-32 type long hoods keeping them all Alco.

CNW had 2 RS-3 units done that way in 1960 which was nearly the same time Frisco had their RS-2s done at EMD. The EMD versions are good too. Frisco had their reason for doing theirs via EMD, most likely to make them match the glut of GP7s they had, and that as they say is history.

I like oddball units and rebuilds, adds a little spice to the otherwise all the same and generic run of the mill mass produced units regardless of the scheme and name on the units.

 

Nice picture Andre

 

Thanks on the picture Steve.

Karl:

As for a repowered Alco RS-2, speaking strictly about the aesthetics of same, it is all in the eyes of the beholder. Aesthetically I am "okay" with a repower and can understand what the railroad that had the Alco repowered was trying to accomplish. Misguided though it was.

However, I prefer the cleaner look of the Alco RS-2 and RS-3 original designs. Of course, this is simply a preference thing. And again, we are only talking aesthetics here.

Now to the mechanical. I also understand that many railroads did not like their 244 powered Alco engines, yet others thrived on them. Even sought them out on the used market. I cannot explain that, other than the possibility that some shops understood the maintenance and care of Alcos better than others.

In the early 1980s, I ran my first Alco, a Green Bay and Western RS-3u. Larger, more robust generator. The engine apparently still had its 244 engine. It was a beast. One of, if not the best, switch engines I have ever throttled. Even though it was technically a "road" switcher.

It was cat-like in its ability to start and stop. Stout as a mule, and could kick cars like one, too. Far better than ANY EMD switcher or road engine I have ever had to handle as a switcher to date. That ranges from SWs all the way up to SDs and most things between.

As far as I know, the ex-GBW engine I ran is still in service. I would have to dig out my slides to see which one it actually was.

Further, I lived with Alcos for the last 11 years of my railroading career, and though I was in 251 powered engines, I learned that Alcos are built like a brick crap house. In the cab, other than the screw-on Bakelite throttle handle, there is zero plastic to be found in a second generation Alco.

Everything is heavy gauge steel or brass. Alco built engines like they were expected to be used forever. So far, many are living up to that. The Alcos I ran at the last were over 50 years old and still getting it done daily.

So, even though my previous exposure in railroading since about 1970 was almost all EMD, I am thoroughly impressed with the products of Alco. And make no mistake, I have a deep appreciation for 1st and early 2nd generation EMD.

Given the type of care they are unique to, Alco will reward you with decades of good service. When I climbed out of an Alco cab for the last time on April 20, 2018, the engine that I had that day had been in service on the rails since 1963.

That is 55 years in service switching or blowing its guts out hauling too much tonnage on grades of up to 2.69%, the ruling grade of the A&M. So, it was with deep respect that was duly earned, that I took one last shot as a railroad employee of one of the Alco's that helped me earn my living for over a decade of my railroading career.

Thus I earned a nice retirement. Here is that picture.



A person really has to run an Alco for a while to fully understand them, and truly appreciate them.

Deep respect from this old rail for the boys of Schenectady.

Andre

 

Really like both sides of this thread!

I have always liked the RS-1s, RS-2s in all sorts of original and modified versions.

Have to chuckle a little here. The KATY had some that looked as if the late, great Dr. Frakendiesel put them together!


Excellent photos Andre!

 

Very fine photograph, indeed Andre!

Number 50's lineage stretches back to Lehigh & Hudson River, according to one source. Maroon looks great, but I really did like its original sky blue and gray scheme as well. It looked especially good in person along the Lehigh River headed past Easton, PA to Phillipsburg, NJ.

It is great to learn you "graduated from employment" from such a good-looking locomotive!