ALCO RSC-2

Infobox Locomotive
name=ALCO RSC-2
powertype=Diesel-electric


caption=Seaboard Air Line Railway #1526, an ALCO RSC-2
gauge=RailGauge|ussg|lk=on
aarwheels=A1A-A1A
cylindercount=V12
primemover=ALCO 244
builddate=October 1946 – April 1950
total production=91
locale=North America, Portugal, Algeria
poweroutput=convert|1500|hp|kW|abbr=on|lk=on
later models convert|1600|hp|kW|abbr=on
fuelc
convert|800|usgal|abbr=on
topspeed=convert|65|mph|abbr=on|lk=on
weight=convert|242500|lb|t|abbr=on
tractiveeffort=convert|40425|lbf|abbr=on
length=convert|53|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on
width=convert|10|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on
height=convert|14|ft|5|inm|2|abbr=on
enginetype=Four-stroke diesel
aspiration=Turbocharger
cylindersize=9 in × 10½ in
(229 mm × 267 mm)
displacement=convert|8016|cuin|l|abbr=on|lk=on
transmission=DC generator,
DC traction motors
locobrakes=Straight air
trainbrakes=Air
buildmodel=RSC-2The 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 1947. 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 themselves by the EMD SDL39.

Meanwhile, down in the southeast, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad determined that the RSC-2 had just the right combination of light weight and power to work their branch lines. Seaboard eventually became the largest owner of the RSC-2, using the locomotives in everything from yard service, to powering heavy phosphate trains in the Bone Valley region of central Florida. These lasted well into the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad era, before being retired and scrapped at their Uceta (Tampa) shop facilities in the early 1970s.

ALCO exported these units to the state railway of Portugal and Algeria. The last units in Portugal served into the late 1990s.

Original Buyers