Trying to find out what the tank under the frame was on the RS-1’s. The fuel tank was under the cabs. So I assume the tank under the frame was split for water/lube/steam water/extra fuel ??? Any help would be appreciated !! I know the Alco specs talk about many different capacities based on different ordered specifications. They however do not mention where the stuff is held on the unit !!!
Do you mean the oval shaped tank? I always thought that was the fuel tank, as it wouldn’t make sense to put the tank under the cab. That would limit the fuel tank’s size, which in turn would limit the distance the RS1 could travel between refuelings. It could also present a hazard for the crew if the tank was directly below the cab in the advent of an accident that ruptured the tank.
That’s where the batterys lived , there was also a water tank for Stream generators if it was equipped. The oval shaped thing was the battery box , the fuel tank was under the cab floor.
Interesting. So are the air reservoirs found in the square shaped thing in front of the battery box? Oh yes, and where does the water tank for a steam generator go? Does it go in the short hood or underneath the frame?
edit… I take that back … the batterys were in the SQUARE box behind the auxillary fuel tank .
The water tank must have been the auxillary fuel tank at one time. I don’t remember where the airtanks were , it’s been a while since I worked on one .
Wow! You ARE old! [swg]
Yes , yet another reminder … I remember when the freight trains in our city moved by TMER&L motors.
Alco caught a lot of static from their customers for the under cab fuel tanks on their RS1s and RS2s. The RS3 put the fuel tank where it should be, between the trucks. Baldwin did some thing similar to this on their DRS and AS series road switchers, where some customers had specified fuel tanks in the short hood ahead or behind the cab, depending upon the customer’s preference for the long or short hood being front on their locomotives. Steam generator equipped RS1s,RS2s and DRS4-4-1000s, et al had water tanks under the cabs or in the short hoods. Alco and, to a much greater degree, Baldwin were willing to customize the tank locations on their road switchers. When two orders from Alco or Baldwin had different tank locations it was not unheard of for fuel to wind up in a water tank and vice versa!
Does anyone have a list of RRs that bought RS1’s? Thanks in advance!
Glad that got straightened out. [;)] That’s interesting, and a little strange, that both Alco and Baldwin would put the fuel tanks under the cab.
Yikes!
Did you ever ride the North Shore and/or partake of the Horlick’s Malted Milk tablets?
Never rode the NSL , remember in East Troy the M-15 was the freight engine up until the early 70s !!
Thanks for all the info but what I do not understand is in pictures of RS-1’s there are fillers on the “round tanks” of units that did not have steam generators. So I am still a bit confused. I assume it could be aux fuel tank and the water for the engine. But I would think the water would be better stored near the hot engine for the winter and diesels don’t like to be cold even on hot days. I then though lube oil BUT that is a lot of lube oil !!
Guess I am looking for a plan that night show what it was for a specific RR. That may better relate the actual funtions of the tank to the locomotive .