The ALCO RSC-3 was a

diesel-electric locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conv ...

of the

road switcher A road switcher is a type of railroad locomotive designed to both haul railcars in mainline service and shunt them in railroad yards. Both type and term are North American in origin, although similar types have been used elsewhere. A road s ...

type rated at , that rode on three-axle

trucks A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

, having an

A1A-A1A The AAR wheel arrangement system is a method of classifying locomotive (or unit) wheel arrangements that was developed by the Association of American Railroads. Essentially a simplification of the European UIC classification, it is widely used in ...

wheel arrangement. Used in much the same manner as its four-axle counterpart, the

ALCO RS-3 The ALCO RS-3 is a , B-B diesel-electric locomotive manufactured from May 1950 to August 1956 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and its subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). A total of 1,418 were produced: 1,265 for American railroads, ...

, though the

axle load An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearing ...

was spread out for operation on light rail such as are found on

branch line A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Industrial spur An industri ...

s. This locomotive had much better success as an export unit than in the domestic market.

Original owners

Locomotives built by Alco

Locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works

Preserved

This list is incomplete. Please help expand it. ALCO RSC3 7653 IRON

Australia * 4001 Preserved at the NSWRTM Thirlmere * 4002 Preserved at the PRHS Western Australia * 4006 On static display Wickham WA Brazil * 7653 operating in

Supervia SuperVia Trens Urbanos () (English: ''SuperVia Urban Trains'') is a rapid transit and commuter rail company operator, founded in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in November 1998. It carries around 750,000 passengers a day on a railroad network comprising ...

Canada * PGE 561 operating in Squamish at the

West Coast Railway Heritage Park Founded in 1961, the West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) is a non-profit society dedicated to preserving British Columbia's railway heritage. The society operates the Railway Museum of British Columbia and the CN Roundhouse & Conference Cent ...

Portugal * 1525 operating in SOMAFEL

References

External links