Road Switchers

Alco Demonstrator 1500 (1st) in Waterbury. Kent Cochrane February 15, 1947.

See a color photo captured from a Joe Landry video in Franklin, Ma in this post.

Like the FA-1/FB-1, the road switcher story on the New Haven begins at the beginning with an Alco Demonstrator, No. 1500*, built January 1947, was tested on the New Haven. It's pictured above in Waterbury. It's not clear to me if this locomotive tested through New Britain, or only on the Naugatuck line.

In addition to the new carbody design, it demonstrated the new 12-cylinder turbocharged 244 prime mover. The New Haven apparently liked the new design and in December 1947 received its first road switchers, the Alco RS-2 (NH class DERS-2b). The Alco RS-1 (NH Class DERS-1b) would follow in early 1948. Alco continued to refine the design leading to the RS-3 in 1950, and the New Haven's orders continued through 1952.

Road switchers were a new type of locomotive at the time, providing the visibility of a switcher in both directions, but operable at road speeds. All of the original New Haven road switchers had steam generators and were geared to operate at passenger speeds allowing use in both freight and passenger service.

The New Haven classified its road switchers as DERS - Diesel-Electric Road Switcher, with the long hood designated as the front. They were equipped with Wabco Type E single chime horns.

*At the time, Alco numbered demonstrators based on their horsepower. Two RS-2 demonstrators were built in January 1947, numbered 1500 and 1501. A third RS-2 demonstrator was built in May 1948, also numbered 1500. Earlier locomotives numbered 1500a, 1500b, and 1500c were pre-FA demonstrators.

The fourth RS-2 demonstrator, built March 1950, used an upgraded 1,600 hp prime mover, and was numbered 1600. This also served as a defacto RS-3 demonstrator which used an upgraded 244D 1,600 hp prime mover with minor modifications to the carbody. RS-3 production commenced in May, 1950, with the first actual RS-3 demonstrator, No. 1601, built in November that year. 

Alco introduced the RS-1 locomotive in 1941, but they were the second group of Alco Road Switchers delivered to the New Haven, with 0660-0669 arriving in March and April 1948. Two more were built for the New Haven in November 1948, although Alco production of the model continued until 1960. Originally designed by Alco following a request from the Rock Island for a locomotive that could be used in both switching and road service.

The RS-1 locomotive was essentially an S-1 locomotive with a short hood and usually, as on the New Haven, a steam generator for use in passenger service. They used the same six-cylinder turborcharged 1,000 hp 539T prime mover as the S-1 and DL-109 (which used two in each locomotive). The New Haven found them somewhat underpowered for passenger service, and as the RS-3s were delivered they were moved east, assigned to switcher and local freight service. 

New Haven DERS-2b Diagram

The ALCO RS-2 is often overlooked in favor of its more numerous successor, the RS-3. 

The New Haven took delivery of the first 10 RS-2 locomotives from December 1947 through January 1948 to dieselize the Berkshire Line. This was prior to the delivery of their RS-1 locomotives. Seven more were delivered in November and December 1948 to complete the dieselization of the Highland Line. These locomotives (510-516) were initially assigned to be serviced in Waterbury.

Mechanically the RS-2 is essentially an Alco FA in a new car body, utilizing the 1,500 hp 244. The New Haven locomotives were equipped with MU capability and steam generators in the short hood for passenger service.

DERS-2c 529 and a second one at New Britain Yard with a circus/carnival train c1953-4. Thomas J McNamara Collection.

The Alco RS-3 locomotives was a further evolution of the RS-2 locomotive. Thirty-one RS-2s were built with the 1,600 hp 244C prime mover, as was Alco Demonstrator 1600. With some additional modifications to the carbody - a spotting feature is that the fuel tank is under the cab on an RS-2, and mounted to the underframe on the RS-3 - the first RS-3 was built in May, 1950. The New Haven received their RS-3s, designated DERS-2c, in three orders: August - September 1950 (517-536); October-November 1951 (537-546); and January-February 1952 (547-561). At the time they were delivered, steam was all but retired. As a result, they did not carry a leading "0" in the road numbers.

The first 20 RS-3 locomotives on the roster were Phase Ia, and the remainder were Phase Ib. The major visible differences on the phase Ib included horizontal louvers on the battery boxes, the lack of coupler buffers for passenger service, and they have a drop step in the end railings. 

Paint Schemes

Delivery Scheme 517-536: Warm Orange Hoods, with Pullman Green Cabs, and a band of Hunter Green along the base of the hood.

Delivery Scheme 537-561: Warm Orange Hood, with a band of Pullman Green along the base and top of the hood. Pullman Green cab.