Sunday I was at a small tourist RR below Raleigh and they had several old diesel switchers on a track. They were old GE center cabs except one which was pretty neat looking. a guy told me it was an Alco S1. Are they rare ?? Pretty neat looking switcher. Anyone model it in O gauge ??
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Might be similar to a S2 or a S4... since they have been made in O
The PRR started buying these in 1947 (think they were first built in 1940). Per my data, the 660hp ALCO S1 had Blunt trucks and was the same as the S3 except the S3 had AAR Trucks. The turbocharged S2 (Lionel just released a version of this) were 1000hp and had the same difference (trucks) with the S4.
The S2/S4 had larger exhaust stacks with an oblong base and larger radiator shutter areas on the nose sides.
The Michigan Transit Museum in Mt Clemens, MI owns one. It is operational but they have not used it since 2007 when they had to move off of Selfridge ANG base. It is on their track behind a few other cars. They have plans to install a siding over the next few years so they can change equipment around and get her out. We also plan to repainting her over the summer so keep the rust out!
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