Minnesota Commercial Railway 318 at Minneapolis, July 2009.
(Drew Jacksich from San Jose, CA, The Republic of California, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
ALCO RS-27 DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
The ALCO RS-27 (specification DL-640) is a diesel-electric locomotive built by ALCO between December 1959 and October 1962. Only 27 examples were manufactured. With ALCO's introduction of the Century Series line, the C-424 (specification DL-640A) replaced the RS-27 in the builder's catalog. Today, the Minnesota Commercial Railway has the only two RS-27s left in existence, although both have since been placed into storage.
Original owners
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Locomotive Company (demonstrator) | 5 | 640-1 to 640-5 | 640-1 rebuilt as C424 for Pennsylvania Railroad, 640-2 through 640-5 to Union Pacific Railroad 675–678; 678 wrecked 1969, 675–676 sold 1971 to Montreal Locomotive Works and used as lease fleet on Roberval and Saguenay Railway and British Columbia Railway, sold to Devco Railway 1974, renumbered 214-215, scrapped 1984 |
| Chicago and North Western Railway | 4 | 900–903 | One sold to Peabody Coal, three sold to Green Bay and Western 316–318; GBW 317 scrapped, 316 and 318 to Minnesota Commercial Railway |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad | 1 | 310 | |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 15 | 2400–2414 | to Penn Central and Conrail (same numbers) |
| Soo Line Railroad | 2 | 415–416 | |
| Total | 27 |
Overview
Type and origin
Power type: Diesel-electric
Builder: ALCO
Model: RS-27
Build date: December 1959 – October 1962
Total produced: 27
Specifications
Configuration: AAR B-B
Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Trucks: AAR type B
Wheel diameter: 40 in (1,016 mm)
Minimum curve: 21°
Wheelbase: 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)
Length: 57 ft 2+1⁄2 in (17.44 m)
Width: 9 ft 11+1⁄8 in (3.03 m)
Height: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Locomotive weight: 256,800 lb (116,500 kg)
Fuel capacity: 2,000 US gal (7,600 L)
Prime mover: Alco 251B
RPM range: 1000
Engine type: Four-stroke diesel
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Displacement 10,688 cu in (175.14 L)
Generator: GE 5GT-581-B1
Traction motors: (x 4) GE 5GE-752-E3
Cylinders: V16
Cylinder size: 9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm)
Performance figures
Power output: 2,400 hp (1.8 MW)
Tractive effort: 64,200 lb (29,100 kg)
Career
Locale: U.S.A.
