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  • ATSF RS-1 switcher question

  • For discussion about the historical operations and preservation of the ATSF, more commonly known as the "Sante Fe", before its merger with Burlington Northern in 1996.
For discussion about the historical operations and preservation of the ATSF, more commonly known as the "Sante Fe", before its merger with Burlington Northern in 1996.
 #927869  by stefanuccio
 
HI
Can anybody please tell me if the ATSF RS-1 road switcher of the late 50's early 60's was used for freight switching and tranfer freight trains ?
thanks very much for your reply
stefano
 #929145  by John_Perkowski
 
According to Cinthia Priest's "The Santa Fe Diesel, v1 (Dieselization to 1960), RS1s held down passenger terminal assignments (4 of the 6 actually were given steam generators in the 1950s), but there is mention of them doing freight switching work.

If you're wanting freight yard work you'd be better served with an EMD NW2 or an ALCO S-2.
 #929305  by Allen Hazen
 
My impression is that using boiler-equipped RS-1 for passenger terminal switching was a common idea. ATSF got Fairbanks-Morse to build two "imitation RS-1" -- FM switchers on elongated frames with boilers in a short hood -- an I think used them at Dearborn Station. (Sign that they were purchased specifically with switching duty in mind: they had switcher trucks rather than the longer wheelbase road trucks used on RS-1.)