I am putting the finishing touches on to engines for my dad. One is an RS1 and the other is an RS4/5. From the pictures I have found on the net it appears that RS1's run long hood forward. Is this correct? I did not find many pictures of RS4's so I am wondering if they run long hood forward also? Any help is greatly appreciated.
The New York Central ran their RS-2's and RS-3's long hood forward, at least on the Harlem and Hudson Divisions. The Central didn't have any RS-1's so I can't help you with that specific type.
What railroad??? Generally, most railroads ran all of the low long hood RS-units long hood forward, but I've read of exceptions.
I am not looking at any specific railroad. I am interested in the most common practices. Since you mentioned that there were a few exceptions I guess I could do what ever my dad wants. Thanks for your help.
I would echo Matt, What railroad are you doing for your dad? Most but not all railroads ran long hood foward. It was the thinking that it gave the crew some protection in case of a head end collision. I know the WM RS's, and Baldwins ran long hood foward as well as some N&W stuff. If you can look at some pictures of RS's on the railroad you are doing and look for a small F on the side of the deck. That was usely how they marked which end was foward. "Still Training After All These Years"
NYC ran all long hoods forward until second generation (low nose) diesels started coming in............
Thanks for the input guys. Since it is my dad's railroad and not any particular prototype he wants to run short hood forward. It seems that long hood forward is common practice in the East. Western railroads tend to run short hood forward. None of the prototype pictures I have seen, regardless of the region, seemed to run short hood forward when it came to Alco RS locomotives. I guess that is the beauty of modeling your own railroad. You can do whatever you want! Again thanks for the input. And if you want to see the finished product check out the Weekend Photo Fun for this weekend.
Thanks for the question. I was looking at my Trackside Chicago book. It appears the answer depends. With so many RS1's in passenger duty, it depends if the unit is pushing or pulling. I found a picture of 2 C&WI units, running BOTH ways! I've seen pictures of a unit on the tail end of an ATSF Chief pulling the consist back to the coach yard & engine facility. IIRC the ATSF yard was 10-12 blocks away from the station! For other roads like the Wabash or GTW, they my have even farther to go. With the C&WI servicing several smaller south & east roads, they could have a mix of anything going back to the wash track. It would appear that with the cab towering over the hood, visibility for switching would be good in both directions. With 1000hp, they may have been very versatile machines.
