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Diesel Locomotives

ALCO RS3, Phase III
 
#30..............Nov. 1953............Retired in May 1974,  traded in to GE.
                                              (note #1 and #2)
 
#31..............Nov. 1953............Retired in June1976, traded in to
                                              EMD. (note #1 and #2)
 
#32...............Nov. 1953............Retired in June 1974, traded in to
                                               GE. (note #1 and #2)
 
#33...............Nov. 1953............Retired in Aug. 1976, traded in to
                                                EMD. (note #1 and #2)
 
#34...............Nov. 1953............Wrecked in Oct. 1973.  Retired in
                                                Jan. 1974, traded in EMD.
                                                (note #1 and #2)
 
#35...............Nov. 1953.............Retired in June 1976, traded in to
                                                 EMD.  (note #1 and#2)
 
#36...............Nov. 1953.............Retired in June 1974, traded in to
                                                GE. (note #1 and #2)
 
#37...............Aug. 1952..............was the Alco Demo unit #1607,
                                                 blue in color. Sold to Interstate in
                                                 Nov. 1953.  Repainted in INT colors
                                                 and given the number 37.  Unit
                                                 burned in Macon, GA. in 1970. 
                                                 Retired Mar. 1970 and traded to
                                                 EMD.  (note #1 and #2) 
 
#38...............Jan. 1956.............Retired in Apr. 1974.  Traded in to
                                                GE.  (note #1 and #3)
 
#39...............Jan. 1956.............Retired in Apr. 1974.  Traded in to
                                                GE.  (note #1 and #3)
 
All the Interstate locomotives were painted at the factory in the Orange-sicle paint scheme.  The roof and upper sides were a cream color.  The lower body, cab sides and cab roof were orange.  There was a gray stripe between the orange and the cream colors.  The lettering and the numbers were black.
  **Note** The numbers on the end in the gray band were not added until 1960.  The trucks and lower frame were silver. The pilots were black with yellow safety stripes.  The couplers and the coupler pockets were painted silver.
 
 
All the RS-3's were build to MU together, but not with any other railroads units. This was due to the location of the MU connections.  The Interstate's hoses were half way up the handrails   After Southern bought the shortline, but before the takeover, they would borrow the units to work the Appalachia yard area.  They would be MU'ed together and a crew was assigned to them for the weekend.  The Southern crews would call them "Yellowjackets".   After the Southern takeover, the units were moved to the Atlanta shops for new paint.  They would spend the rest of their years working in Georgia and the Carolinas.  I don't believe they were ever reworked to MU with other units.
 
 
 
Note #1....Repainted in late 1965 to Southern black scheme,  but kept their original numbers and roadname. Sometime in the early 1970's,  they were relettered to Southern with the INT ownership markings on the cab sides. The units kept their original numbers during their entire career.  Not sure if #37 was relettered to Southern, due to the fact of it's retirement in early 1970. 
 
Note #2.... Units #30 - 37 had a raised dynamic brake vent on top of the short hood.
 
Note #3....  Units #38 - 39 had a flat dynamic brake vent on the long hood.

The information listed above was taken from book, "The Interstate Railroad" by Ed Wolfe. See reference section for more details.

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Demo Units used on the Interstate
 
#1607......Alco RS3 Demonstrator.  In the spring and summer of 1953.  The unit was dark blue with Alco and GE symbols on the cab side.  This unit later became Interstate #37.  This unit was rebuild into a phase 3 at the Andover shops.  A new cab was fitted, along with  new wiring.  Dynamic brakes were added at this time.
 
#991.........EMD SD7 Demonstrator.  Spring and summer of 1953.  This unit was maroon and red with gold stripes.  It had Electro-Motive on the long hood sides and the EMD symbol on the cab side.  The unit number was on the side of the short high hood. There was a winterization hatch on the first fan on the long hood.
 
#5584......Alco RSD5 C&O.  Spring and summer of 1953.  Alco borrowed this unit from C&O so the Interstate could try it out.  It was painted in the blue scheme with the yellow stripes.  The roadname was on the long hood, spelled out - Chesapeake & Ohio.

Southern Railroad Locomotives with Interstate ownership markings.

EMD SW1500

 


  #2330............Build in Nov. 1969...........Relettered to SRTA in 1970.  Relettered again on

                                                              June 1, 1982 to NS.  Still in service in Mar 2008.

 

 

  #2331.............Build in Nov. 1969..........Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Still on

                                                              active roster Nov. 2007. (stored)

 

GE U23B

 

  #3914............Build in Mar. 1973..........Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Retired

                                                             in Aug. 1996.  This locomotive rode on ARR

                                                             Type B trucks.  Fuel tank size was 2750 gals.

 

 

EMD GP38AC

 

  #2877............Build in Sept. 1971..........Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Not on

                                                              roster in 2008.

 

EMD GP38-2

 

 

  #5053............Build in Mar. 1972............Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Still in

                                                               service in 2007.

 

EMD SD40-2

 

  #3326............Build in May  1979...........Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Still in

                                                               service in 2008.  Fuel tank size is 3900 gals.

 

  #3327............Build in May 1979............Relettered to NS on June 1, 1982.  Still in

                                                               service in 2007.  Fuel tank size is 3900 gals.

 

 

The above information was taken from the book, Diesels of the Southern Railway 1939 - 1982. See the reference section for more information on this book.