ALCO RSD-15
| ALCO RSD-15 GBW 2407, preserved at IRM | |
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
|---|---|
| Builder | ALCO |
| Model | RSD-15 |
| Total production | 87 |
| AAR wheel arr. | C-C |
| UIC classification | Co'Co' |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) |
| Trucks | ALCO trimount |
| Wheel diameter | 40 in (1.02 m) |
| Length | 66 ft 7 in (20.29 m)[1] |
| Width | 10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
| Height | 14 ft 11 in (4.55 m) |
| Total weight | 335,000 lb (152,000 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3,350 US gallons (12,700 L) |
| Prime mover | ALCO 251B |
| Engine type | 4-stroke diesel |
| Alternator | GE GT586 generator |
| Cylinders | V16 |
| Top speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Power output | 2400 hp (1800 kW) |
| Tractive effort | starting: 95,600 lbf (425 kN) at 25% adhesion continuous: 79,500 lbf (354 kN) at 12 mph (19 km/h) |
The ALCO RSD-15 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type built by ALCO of Schenectady, New York between February 1956 and June 1960, during which time 87 locomotives were produced. The RSD-15 was powered by an ALCO 251 prime mover rated at 2,400 hp (1,800 kW); it superseded the very similar in appearance ALCO 244-engined RSD-7, and was cataloged alongside the similar but smaller 1,800 hp (1,350 kW) RSD-12.[2]
The locomotive rode on a pair of three-axle trucks with all three axles on each truck powered; this is a C-C wheel arrangement. These trucks have an unequal axle spacing due to traction motor positioning; the outer two axles on each truck are closer together than the inner two. The six-motor design allowed better tractive effort at lower speeds.
The RSD-15 could be ordered with either a high or low short hood; railfans dubbed the low short hood version "Alligators", on account of their long noses.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 50 | 800–849 | Low nose. |
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad | 12 | 6800-6811 | High nose. |
| Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad | 6 | 50–55 | High nose. Sold to Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad. |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 6 | 8611–8616 | High nose. Became Penn Central 6811–6816. |
| St. Louis Southwestern Railroad | 10 | 850–859 | Low nose. |
| Southern Pacific Railroad | 3 | 4816–4818 | Low nose. |
Surviving examples
Six RSD-15s survive in preservation; all are ex-Santa Fe units.[4] Only two are in operating condition; the Austin and Texas Central has ATSF #842 and 843, now numbered #442 and 443 and painted in a modified Southern Pacific "Black Widow" scheme. They haul tourist passenger trains.[5] Green Bay and Western Railroad RSD-15 #2407 (Ex-ATSF 841) survives at the Illinois Railway Museum.[6] Another, ex-ATSF 823, is at the Utah Railroad Museum, painted for former owner Utah Railway, while units also survive at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento and the Arkansas Railroad Museum.
Models
The RSD-15 has been produced in HO scale by Broadway Limited Imports.[7]
The RSD-15 has been produced in O scale by Atlas O in their Trainman line.[8]
References
- ↑ ALCO RSD-15 Data Sheet. The Diesel Shop. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pinkepank, Jerry A. (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee, WI: Kalmbach Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-89024-026-4.
- ↑ ALCO RSD-15 Roster. The Diesel Shop. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ↑ Preserved ALCO Road-Switchers. The Diesel Shop. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ↑ Alco Diesel 442. Austin Steam Train. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ↑ Glischinski, Steve (1997). Santa Fe Railway (Railroad Color History). MBI, 126. ISBN 0-7603-0380-0.
- ↑ ALCO RSD-15. Broadway Limited Imports. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ↑ ALCO RSD-15. Atlas O, LLC. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
| Diesel-electric locomotives built by ALCO | |
|---|---|
| Switchers: | HH series, S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, S-5, S-6, T-6, SSB-9 |
| RS series: | RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-11, RS-27, RS-32, RS-36 |
| RSC series: | RSC-2, RSC-3 |
| RSD series: | RSD-1, RSD-4, RSD-5, RSD-7, RSD-12, RSD-15 |
| Cab units: | DL-103b, DL-105, DL-107, DL-109, DL-110, DL-203, FA, FB, PA, PB |
| Century series: | C415, C420, C424, C425, C430, C628, C630, C636, C855 |
| Diesel-hydraulics: | DH643 |
