ATSF RS-1 question

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hi All

I would like to ask a question on the ATSF practices

was the zebra srtipes ATSF RS-1 road switcher used long hood first ?

thanks very much for your help

2

I am not aware of any RS-1’s that were delivered short hood forward.

Jim

3

thanks very much Jim

4

If you see a picture of one, look for the letter “F” on the ronning board, near the steps. That’s the front end.

5

Well the obvious answer is diesels are bidirectional so they must have somewhere. A lot of first generati on diesels were normally long hood forward. Pictures will tell for certain.

6

I did a google search and the only picture I found showing the F was an Atlas O model, on the long hood end. Hope they got it right.

7

There are a few pics on the rrpicturearchives.net site. A couple are the zebra stripe version. The long hood appears to be the front since the horn faces that direction. Forget about the “F” for front on those engines, there was a time when we knew which way we were going without having the Government tell us.

Charlie

8

The Santa Fe assigned their RS1s to passenger terminal switchers.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=160465&nseq=1

9

did the ATSF rs-1 also have other duties like switching ?

10

Never seen any photos of Santa Fe RS1s in yard or local service…

But…

There is always that chance as passenger trains was bring dropped and stations closed by the Santa Fe in the 60s and especially after the start up of Amtrak on May 1, 1971 …

11

The book IRON HORSES OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL by E.D. Worley, Copyright 1965 by Southwest Railroad Historical Society, says on page 426 that the Santa Fe’s RS-1’s were railroad class 2394, with numbers running consecutively up to & including 2399. Worley describes them as “six RS-1 1000-hp passenger switchers [acquired] in 1947, 1949, and 1950” (page 410). The two photos in the book show 2394 at San Diego in 1959, and 2398 at Dearborn Station, Chicago, in 1960. The photos aren’t clear enough to see the letter “F” at the front. These engines all had steam generators, and I have always understood that they were intended for passenger switching, although a Santa Fe expert could prove me wrong. Note that Worley referred to them specifically as “passenger switchers”.

12

thanks very much to all for great info

i am surprise to ear that the RS-1 atsf were no freight yard material

will they be than out of place on my freight dioramas of the ATSF ?

13

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=76276

Is this a too late picture [1966 with freight] to be representative of the RS-1 of the late 50s/early 60s zebra stripes RS-1 ?

14

Here’s a link to a 1957 photo taken in Los Angeles, unfortunately with a passenger car…

http://santaferailroad.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/motive-power-rs-1.html

While not an ATSF fan, as long as your dioramas are not proported to be depicting 100% historical accurancy, I for one will not be leaping through your computer screen to violently chastise you for daring to enjoy yourself.

Have Fun[:D]

Cheers, the Bear.

15

ahhh, Dearborn Station, brings a tear to my eye. [:'(]

Rich

16

Well, you answered your own question, in a way.

That is a photo of a Santa Fe RS1 hauling freight into Dearborn Station from a local freight yard at 18th Street.

Santa Fe used the black and white zebra striped RS1 to move passenger cars between Dearborn Station at 8th Street (Polk) to the ATSF coach yard at 18th Street. The blue and yellow RS1 was used to move freight between the station and the freight yard.

Rich

17

I suspect those was express boxcars not genral service boxcars…Some Santa Fe passenger trains was heavy on head end cars.

18

Correct

19

thanks very much for your replies

Not having passenger coaches neither space for them i was thinking than that my ATSF RS-1 would be more home in a diorama depicting a service facility yard

would i be correct and more prototopical ?

thanks for your guidance

20

Growing up in Chicago, back of the yards, Bridgeport area. I lived next to a large Industrial complex, grain Elevators and so forth. They used RS1’s and 2’s to switch that complex NYC run short nose in for switching that area. No way to turn in a 12 track stub ended yard and easier to switch short nose first. I recall also the yellow glow headlights that a lot of people don’t like, but is in fact prototypical, they do get bright white when under heavy pull.

My KATO RS2’s Zebra Stripe, have the F on the short nose…but the horn faces the long nose.

I run them any way I want to. I believe the same goes for the Railroads and what they were being used for.

Take Care!

Frank