builder..

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AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE CO

RS-1

77840

December 1949

B-B

1000 hp

Alco 539-6 cyl turbo

247 400 lbs

61 850 lbs

54 ft 11 in

9 ft 11 in

49 ft 8 in

RS1 746 (and sister 747), arrived in California in 1970, having been built for the Spokane International Railroad as its number 207 in 1949.  The Union Pacific purchased the SI in 1958 and integrated its motive power fleet, renumbered the 207 to UP 1218.  By the late 1960's, the old Alcos were deemed surplus as newer power came to the UP.  The Tidewater, having replaced its small fleet of GE switchers with Alco S2s, found it needed more motive power and the RS1s and their 1000 horsepower were a good fit.  In a bit of foreshadowing, they were pressed into service still wearing their UP colors, with only the addition of TS name and numbers in matching red.  This break from standard WP family image was an omen of things to come.  By early 1972, the 746 was wearing WP regulation Perlman Green.

The 746 worked the Tidewater alongside the 747 and S2 second 745 for six years, occaisionally stepping off-line to assist the Sacramento Northern or Central California Traction Company.  For a great deal of 1976, the locomotive appears to have been on the CCT, aiding the Tidewater's long-time ally during a motive power crunch.  As 747 had been retired in June 1975, this left the 745 mostly alone to "show the flag" on the home lines during this last year of Tidewater locomotives.  In December, 1976, the decision was made to retire both the 745 and 746.  Final approval for retirement was given on December 20, 1976.

A need for power saved the RS1 from the fates of its former stablemates.  While the 747 was scrapped and the 745 sold for parts, the 746 was purchased by the CCT.  Repainted into the road's vivid red and white colors and renumbered as CCT 80, the engine spent most of the next 5 years working around Sacramento until its was rendered excess by declining traffic and the arrival of 2 ex-Rock Island GP18s.

In 1981, the locomotive was sold to Matt Monson and Jim "Bugs" Bruggere, who relocated it to Willits on the Northwestern Pacific/Eureka Southern railroad.  Used occaisionally to pull the "North Coast Daylight" passenger train, it would be idle again by the late 1980's.  Keeping company with ex CCT S1 42 and GP7 70, the former Tidewater unit still sits in the NWP yard, stranded by the closure of the railroad and facing an uncertain fate.

Tidewater Southern Railway

Alco RS1 746

SURVIVOR