ALCO RS-27

The ALCO RS-27 (specification DL-640) is a road switcher diesel-electric locomotive built by ALCO between December 1959 and October 1962. Only 27 examples were manufactured. With ALCO's introduction of the Century Series line, the C-424 (specification DL-640A) replaced the RS-27 in the builder's catalog. Today, the Minnesota Commercial Railway has the only two RS-27s left in existence, both operational.

ALCO RS-27
Minnesota Commercial Railway 318 at Minneapolis, July 2009
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder ALCO Model RS-27 Build date December 1959 – October 1962 Total produced 27
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Trucks AAR type B Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Minimum curve 21° Wheelbase 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m) Length 57 ft 2 ^1⁄2 in (17.44 m) Width 9 ft 11 ^1⁄8 in (3.03 m) Height 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) Loco weight 256,800 lb (116,500 kg) Fuel capacity 2,000 US gal (7,600 L) Prime mover Alco 251B RPM range 1000 Engine type Four-stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Displacement 10,688 cu in (175.14 L) Generator GE 5GT-581-B1 Traction motors (4) GE 5GE-752-E3 Cylinders V16 Cylinder size 9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures Power output 2,400 hp (1.8 MW) Tractive effort 64,200 lb (29,100 kg)
Career Locale U.S.A.

Original Owners

Railroad	Quantity	Road Numbers	Notes
American Locomotive Company (demonstrator)	5	640-1 to 640-5	640-1 rebuilt as C424 for Pennsylvania Railroad, 640-2 through 640-5 to Union Pacific Railroad 675–678; 678 wrecked 1969, 675–676 sold 1971 to Montreal Locomotive Works and used as lease fleet on Roberval and Saguenay Railway and British Columbia Railway, sold to Devco Railway 1974, renumbered 214-215, scrapped 1984
Chicago and North Western Railway	4	900–903	One sold to Peabody Coal, three sold to Green Bay and Western 316–318; GBW 317 scrapped, 316 and 318 to Minnesota Commercial Railway
Green Bay and Western Railroad	1	310
Pennsylvania Railroad	15	2400–2414	to Penn Central and Conrail (same numbers)
Soo Line Railroad	2	415–416
Total	27

See also

• List of ALCO diesel locomotives

References

• Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. p. 145. ISBN 0-87564-715-4.
• Hayden, Bob (1980). Model Railroader Cyclopedia Volume 2, Diesel Locomotives. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89024-547-9.
• Pinkpank, Jerry A (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide. Kalmbach Books. pp. 208, 252. LCCN 66-22894.

External links

• Sarberenyi, Robert. Alco RS27 Original Owners.