Today I got a new RS27 and a GP35. I looked up the technical data for the RS27/32 and the GP20/30/35. For me they are in the same ballpark in the early 60th.
Has there been a different use for a RS and a GP?
How much switching did a RS and how did a GP switch with the same limited backward sight for the crew. The older RS1/2/3 had a much better view of the crew for switching.
How did they differ on the road? Was a RS limited to transfers and may be locals only but GP did something more?
Both the RS27 and GP35 were intended for use in pulling road freights. Since many more GP35’s were built, they saw a larger variety of uses, but were mostly found in freight service. I’ve never seen one used as a switcher, but I wouldn’t rule out their use in that type of service. RS27’s saw mostly secondary freight service and transfer service. I suggest you go to railpictures.com and search for photos. What road names did you get? That would give you your first clue as to how they were used.
It depends on the date! When these engines were new railroads still had many switchers on their rosters so these engines would be used more for road service. Later when bigger road power came around these engines would get bumped to local and switching duties. For example Santa Fe had many GP35 and 30 units that were derated to around 1500hp and used in yard service. Also small shortlines prefer to buy power of this size and assign them to just about any type of duty. So basically you can use this power any way you want, if you build a steam generator car like the ones CN had than you can even use them in passenger service!
The ‘Difference’ is two manufacturers approach to early freight engines. ALCO vs. GM. ‘RS’ stood for Road Switcher, ‘GP’ for General Purpose. They could run equally well in either direction.
GM called their heavier 6 axle diesels ‘SD’ for Super or Special duty. ALCO kept their ‘RS’ , designation but introduced their 6 axle jobs as ‘DL’ for Diesel Locmotive. ALCO was later absorbed by GE.
The High Hood was a holdover from steam, and it contained a flushing toilet - something the steam boys did without. I think the ex Navy guys called it a ‘head’ regardless of the direction it was pointed.
S or SW meant switcher; HH was Fairbanks Morse for High Hood (they made submarine Diesels during WWII. Later GE locos have had various Codes through the years - generally U (Universal?) followed by a number relating to Horsepower. B meant 4 axles, C for 6, M for Modified Cab, and AC for AC traction motors.
Stay tuned.
It is Union Pacific
Thank you for the long explanation.
Do I understand you corect if I say RS and GP are just names. It does NOT mean as RS is a better swither than a GP and it does not mean a GP is better on the road than a RS.
They are both multi purpose engines.
The above is NOT correct.
Pre Century line Alco four axle road switchers were RS- units; six axle, four motor units were RSC- and six axle, six motor units were RSD-.
Alco went bankrupt, it was not absorbed by GE. Alco, or more correctly ALCo use GE electrical gear in thier diesel-electric locomotives. The Alco 251 diesel engine is still in production.
Alco used the DL- designation internally on all of thier diesel locmotives.
After I read Gibson’s response I guzzled three beers; made sense then!!!
According to the guys that ran them, most any ALCo RS would outpull a comparable EMD GP. Must have been the GE electrical gear.
On the Soo Line, the two RS27s pretty much kept close to the shop in Shoreham, as they were oddballs in an almost all-EMD roster. They were used for transfer service around the Twin Cities. CNW sent their RS27s back after a year or two, got C425s back. The GBW used RS27s on road freights. Minnesota Commercial has the last 2 extant RS27s, in transfer and switcjhing service around the Twin Cities.
The GP35s had thier own problems, mainly trying to extract too much power from the 567 engine, and too much power for the DC main generator system to handle. The GP40 solved most of the problems, with the 645 engine, and AC main gen.