Part 22: Interlude: New Haven S1 (spbwf7)

In Game: US S1 New Haven
Reality: ALCO S1

Produced by: American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and its subsidiary, Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW)

Wheel Arrangement: B-B (two 2-axle trucks, all axles powered)

Production Run: April 1940 - November 1950

Prime Mover: ALCo 539 6-cylinder 4-stroke diesel engine delivering 660hp to a General Electric GT 552-A generator.

Tractive Effort: 49,79 lb (22,580 kg)

Total Produced: 543

Preservation: Lots of ‘em. Some still see (non-tourist) revenue use on shortlines and industrial railroads.

The ALCo short hood switchers (S1, S2, S3, and S4) are visually similar. The Higher horsepower S2 and S4 (1000hp each) had larger exhaust stacks and radiator shutters on the nose.
The S3 is a later production run of the S1, incorporating enough minor design improvements to warrant receiving a new marketing designation. The S2 is simply a turbocharged S1, and the S4 is a turbocharged S3.

ALCo and MLW diesels are typically known for their dirty exhaust, to the extent that railroaders joked about the ALCo locomotives being steamers in disguise.
For a small switcher that only weighed 105 tons it could produce quite a bit of tractive effort; 57,500 pounds starting and 46,000 pounds continuous, which made it popular with the railroads that used it.

ALCo switchers were also well liked for their high roof cabs, which gave better visibility than those of their primary competitors, the EMD NW and SW series locomotives.

Why New Haven?
New Haven refers to the paint scheme visible on the in game model, depicting an S1 belonging to the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, which owned 65 of these locomotives, the 2nd most of any railroad. The New Haven RR operated entirely within the New England region of the United States

Sources:
Wikipedia on ALCo S1
AmericanRail.com