ALCO RS-3

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ALCO RS-3
A former Central Railroad of New Jersey ALCO RS-3 at Steamtown National Historic Site
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder American Locomotive Company Montreal Locomotive Works Model RS-3 Build date May 1950 – August 1956 Total produced 1,418
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm); 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) for Brazil Trucks AAR type B Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 21° Wheelbase 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m) Length 56 ft 6 in (17.22 m) Width 10 ft 1+5⁄8 in (3.09 m) Height 14 ft 5+1⁄8 in (4.40 m) Loco weight 247,100 lb (112,100 kg) Prime mover Alco 244-C Engine type V12 Four stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharger Generator GE GT-581 Traction motors (4) GE 752 Cylinders 12 Cylinder size 9 in × 10+1⁄2 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 65–85 mph (105–137 km/h) Power output 1,600 hp (1.2 MW) Tractive effort 61,775 lb (28,021 kg)
Career Locale North America; Spain (purchased from US railroads); Brazil (MLW);

The ALCO RS-3 is a 1,600 hp (1.2 MW), B-B diesel-electric locomotive manufactured from May 1950 to August 1956 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and its subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). A total of 1,418 were produced: 1,265 for American railroads, 98 for Canadian railroads, 48 for Brazilian railroads, and seven for Mexican railroads.

The RS-3 greatly resembled the RS-1 and RS-2,^[1][2] but it had 100 more horsepower thanks to its 12-cylinder, 1,600 hp ALCO Model 244 engine. It also had some changes to the fuel system and body shape.^[3]

Much like the RS-1, many RS-3s served for decades; some are still in use as of 2022.