Switcher

While standard switch locomotives are designed to move slowly around rail yards, “road switchers” are multi-purpose engines made to travel as fast as mainline locomotives. Unveiled in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), the RS-1 is often considered to be the world’s first road switcher. Compared to other switchers, this diesel-electric locomotive featured high-speed trucks and an elongated body. In 1946, the 1000-horsepower engine was succeeded by the RS-2, a 1500-horsepower road switcher powerful and fast enough to pull local and branch line trains.  

In 1950, ALCO released the newest version of the road switcher. This locomotive, the RS-3, was made for freight, passenger, and switching services. Its 1600-horsepower engine was powerful enough to pull heavy mainline trains through mountainous landscapes (especially when combined with steam generators), while its rounded steel body and low hood unit provided a 360-degree visibility (a necessity in busy rail yards). The RS-3 was popular for its versatility, and ALCO sold 1370 units before ending production in the summer of 1956. ALCO eventually ceased its operations in 1969, but the RS-3 remained a fixture of the American railroad until the mid-1970s.  

The WM No. 195 was one of several RS-3 engines purchased by the Western Maryland Railroad between 1953 and 1954, at a time when WM was phasing out the last of its steam locomotives. Though it was delivered with WM’s distinctive “fireball” paint scheme, the No. 195 was soon repainted to feature the railroad’s new “speed style” livery. For over two decades, the road switcher was used to pull heavy coal trains through West Virginia’s Blackwater Canyon (also known as the “Grand Canyon of the East” for its steep grades and winding turns). In all that time, the reliable engine never suffered a mechanical or electrical failure. While the No. 195 mostly remained the same throughout its career, it did receive a few minor upgrades (including a new turbocharger and a cabin radio).    

The RS-3 was removed from service in 1976, just 3 years after WM merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) and the B&O to form the Chessie System. By 1979, the road switcher had been cosmetically restored and delivered to the B&O Railroad Museum.