Alco RS-3 Historical Article from 2006 Classic Trains Magazine

[narrowminded]

I have referenced at different times that my father worked for Alco starting in 1949 as a mechanical engineer.  In searching for some RS-3 info, just this morning I stumbled upon this link to an article that he wrote for Classic Trains Magazine in 2006.  I had forgotten all about this.  It contains background and various experiences from his first few years as an Alco mechanical engineer working field service.  There are a few anecdotes including one that might be of particular interest to PRR fans about the first Keating Summit RS-3's put into pusher service there. 

https://ctr.trains.com/~/media/files/pdf/ebooks/ctrrc3nov183rrstories.pdf

All new engineers started as field service engineers, travelling the countryside as the "factory guys" assisting with placing new locomotives in service and travelling troubleshooters visiting customers' shops, often needed, as much of the technology was quite new to the railroads and shops had little to no experience with the diesels, especially the electrical side of the equation. 

After completing this road service he was assigned to "inside engineering" working on the design and testing of the new 251 engine.  This article ends at that point but I grew up on many stories of the field service days but also the 251 engine development days, especially the 12 cylinder versions.  The prototype was on a stand in Auburn NY and is how it happened that I was born in Syracuse NY in 1953.  The stories I heard often referred to sleeping on a cot right next to the running engine, "right there," pointing to an 8 1/2"x 11" picture of the prototype on the test stand in Auburn.  During test runs that would often run for days, they never left the shop.  They couldn't risk destroying the very costly, sole example of the prototype engine main frame.

I also have his hand written pocket log book from those service days with lists of locos, dates, and locations, with notes of the service or warranty status of issues they had encountered.  A lot of NYC in that one.

I hope some find it interesting.

[Tom L]

Very interesting and well written. Thanks for sharing!

Did he write any other articles?

Tom L
Wellington CO

[narrowminded]

Very interesting and well written. Thanks for sharing!

Did he write any other articles?

Tom L
Wellington CO

This has prompted me to contact Steamtown National Park to find out how to access a recorded oral history interview that they recorded of my father (and mother) about his experiences working for Alco.  They found about his experience during a visit he made to Steamtown, I think in the '90's.  I think that had some connection to how he came to writing the article I linked above.  If I find it I'll post a link.  It was a pretty interesting interview telling the stories but with the addition of era related life experiences.  He was a good storyteller with many stories to tell.   I learned a LOT about life and the world from both of my parents.  They were a blessing.

[reinhardtjh]

That's a wonderful article.  It's well written and very informative.  I knew about the RS-3's on the Buffalo line as pushers but never knew there were special setups you had to do to make them work well in that service.

[muktown128]

Great article.  Very interesting and enjoyable.  Thanks for sharing.