Alco RS-3 and FPA-4 Diesel Locomotive Start-up

A 57 year old diesel locomotive comes to life after a multi-head change-out and liner/head re-lap. The unit originally was Delaware &Hudson (USA) 4099. The FPA-4's pedigree was from the Canadian National.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Locomotive
• start-up.
• Alco
• RS-3.
• Cuyahoga
• Valley
• Scenic
• Railroad.
• Clagg.

[UCSPanther20]

Reminds me of when my Dad's 1951 Cat D8 is fired up.

I'm guessing the big 12 and 16 cylinder diesels are cranked pneumatically.

[choirboyfromhell1]

@UCSPanther20 No, main generator in reverse polarity from the batteries. Only the late model C-636 used air start. Of course 251's in marine service are air started (can't have batteries in enclosed spaces).

[DeserTBoB93535]

244s aplenty these days, due to the scrapping of several MRS-1s. Looks under MRS-1 on YouTube. They're selling the 244s with generators as a package. Most of these prime movers have less than 300 hours total on them. Of course, even a new 244's going to be iffy at best.  They were a lousy design from day 1. Bad cranks, constnatly warping and cracking heads....the 251s were an improvment, but still fragile in service.

[choirboyfromhell1]

@DeserTBoB93535 I've never understood why Alco never went with one-piece liners and heads...would make servicing these beasts a hell of a lot easier. Lapping heads/liners is a p.i.t.a., not to mention time-consuming. Of course GE's slave/master connecting rod system had to get it's bugs worked out as well.....

[Lasselkv28]

Engine sounds very healthy.

[Grumpy7783]

listen to that thing just purr.

[LAFD54]

NICE!

[The5150Clown]

@DeserTBoB93535 I read in my grandfathers journal that they were built (244) with bad oil pumps or passages. Some roads that used them found a way around it and put oil feed lines around the engine to supplement the existing pump, But the engines still leaked

[oldwarrant4]

Yeaaaaah! I worked on these engines when I was a machinist. They were a lot of work but I still like them.

[k421838]

this sound can have a concert of its own!!!

[DeserTBoB93535]

@douro20 They finally have most of the bugs works out of the 1951 design, but far too late for RR use. No emissions work has been done on the 251 at all. They're illegal for use in new equipment. Some are still used for marine use, and some are used for construction/industrial, as well as power generation, but not many.

[DeserTBoB93535]

@UCSPanther20 No, direct drive start winding in the generator.

[Fireheart528]

Wonder how people would react if you recorded a sound file from an RS-3 with the 244 engine and then modified your car so the engine sounds like this. Would give them quite a suprise if you had to go to work at 6:00 AM lol.

[TheTrainHistorian]

wish I had the money I would buy a running RS3 and have it in the back yard just to hear it purrrr and chug! Music to my ears!