RS-36 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype Information

The ALCO RS-36 rolled out in 1962 as a stronger follow-up to the RS-32. Using the 1,800-horsepower 12-cylinder 251B engine, it shared the same frame and carbody but gave railroads a dependable road-switcher that could handle mainline freights or local assignments. ALCO aimed the locomotive squarely at EMD’s GP18 and GE’s U25B, hoping to win back ground in a market it was rapidly losing.

Production ran from 1962 to 1963, with only 40 units built. The Delaware & Hudson, Norfolk & Western, and Nickel Plate Road made up most of the buyers. Even though the RS-36 was tough and versatile, it couldn’t break EMD’s dominance or slow GE’s momentum.

Many RS-36s stayed on the job for years, later moving to smaller railroads and regionals that valued their strength. A few still survive in preservation, showing how ALCO kept fighting for a place in the diesel market during the 1960s.