ALCO RS-27

American diesel locomotive

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)TrucksAAR type BWheel diameter40 in (1,016 mm)Minimum curve21°Wheelbase40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)Length57 ft 2+1⁄2 in (17.44 m)Width9 ft 11+1⁄8 in (3.03 m)Height14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)Loco weight256,800 lb (116,500 kg)Fuel capacity2,000 US gal (7,600 L)Prime moverAlco 251BRPM range1000Engine typeFour-stroke dieselAspirationTurbochargedDisplacement10,688 cu in (175.14 L)GeneratorGE 5GT-581-B1Traction motors(4) GE 5GE-752-E3CylindersV16Cylinder size9 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.

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.^[1]

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

References

^ Franz, Justin (2023-08-21). "Alco Era Drawing to a Close on Minnesota Commercial". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-23.

Dorin, Patrick C. (1972). Chicago and North Western Power. Burbank, California: Superior Publishing. p. 145. ISBN 0-87564-715-4.
Hayden, Bob (1980). Model Railroader Cyclopedia Volume 2, Diesel Locomotives. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89024-547-9.
Pinkpank, Jerry A (1973). The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide. Kalmbach Books. pp. 208, 252. LCCN 66-22894.