RS-32 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype Information

The ALCO RS-32 was introduced in 1961 as part of the company’s effort to stay competitive in the road-switcher market. Rated at 2,000 horsepower, it used ALCO’s 12-cylinder 251B prime mover and was intended to go head-to-head with EMD’s GP20 and GE’s U25B. The RS-32 featured a straightforward design, sharing its frame and carbody with the later RS-36 but with slightly less horsepower.

Production was limited—only 35 units were built between 1961 and 1962. New York Central purchased the bulk of them, while the Southern Pacific acquired a small group. Despite being mechanically sound, the RS-32 never achieved strong sales, largely because ALCO’s reputation for reliability lagged behind EMD and because GE was aggressively expanding.

Most RS-32s worked into the late 1970s and early 1980s before retirement, with a few preserved today. The locomotive remains a reminder of ALCO’s struggle to maintain market share during the second-generation diesel era.