The fact that Atlas wired up their RS-1s (or at least some runs of them) short-hood forward doesn’t mean anything re the prototype. I have RS-11s that came factory decorated for Northern Pacific and Duluth Winnepeg and Pacific, both came set up to run short-hood forward from Atlas, but DWP actually ran them long-hood forward.
My understanding is Alco designed the RS-1/2/3 engines to run long-hood forward, but a railroad could order it to run short-hood forward with the cab controls and seats reversed etc. if they wanted. I don’t know the exact numbers, but my edjumacated guess would be 99% of RS-1s were ordered long-hood forward, and maybe 95%+ of RS-2s and RS-3s were ordered long-hood forward. Really, I can’t think of any railroads offhand that ran RS-1s short-hood forward, but I imagine there were one or two, and the only road that comes to mind of running RS-3s short-hood forward was Northern Pacific.
Now if you want to run your RS-1 short-hood forward, that’s fine. It’s not that big a deal, add “1” to CV 29’s value, and either move the horn to the other side or just add a second horn facing the short-hood end (and make sure if there are crewmen that they are facing the short-hood end too).
For whatever it is worth, according to Conrail Motive Power Review by Paul Withers 8161 is actually a GP38-2. It was previously qwned by PC. According to the book’s notes, CR (PC) units 8154 to 8162 were equipped with bi-directional cab arrangements.
The important thing, of course, is where is that all important “F” on the side sill that indicates the official Front of the engine. I was not able to come up with a clear side view of any locos in the series. There was one, however, that seemed to show the F on the long hood end side sill, but I could not be sure.
Just a quick ‘postscript’ to my prior post…important to understand Atlas is getting RS-1 chassis (which may also be used for other engines?) in bulk from manufacturers in China. I doubt they would tell the maker to do an order of 2000 powered chassis with 1450 wired long-hood forward and 550 short-hood forward. I suspect they just told them to make all their chassis for all road switchers (RS series, GPs, etc.) short-hood forward. If it’s wrong for a particular body shell, it really doesn’t matter if the modeller is running a DC layout, and if they’re DCC, it a super-simple fix (change one no. in CV29) to remedy. Easier to do it that way than try to micro-manage which body goes with which chassis.
I guess the bottom line, if you want your RS-1 to operate short-hood forward, go for it. If you’re changing it because you think an RS-1 is supposed to run short-hood forward, don’t change it - all or virtually all RS-1s were set up with the long-hood as the front.