MONON BOARD
MONON Trains => Diesel Locomotives => Topic started by: George Lortz on May 26, 2015, 09:30:48 am
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When the L&N acquired the Monon locomotives #51 - #59, they listed them as Class RS-3 on their roster. I have also seen photos of the Monon RS-2s in the 50-series listed as RS-3s. Did the modifications to the 20-series RS-2s to the 50-series RS-2s result in RS-3 locomotives?
George L.
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Although the Monon RS-2's were up rated to 1600 horsepower (same as a RS-3) they remained RS-2 locomotives. The L&N locomotive diagram book dated 8/16/71 was revised to include the ex Monon C420's and U23B's but does not include any of the RS-2's which indicates the L&N intended to retire the former Monon RS-2's quite quickly.
Steve
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Steve,
You are right about the L&Ns use of the Monon RS-2s. They supposedly renumbered them #260 - #268, but I have only seen photos of #260 (#51) in use on the L&N. It was retired in 1972, so it worked on the Monon less than two years. Three of the RS-2s (#52, #54 and #59) were converted to L&N slugs #2063, #2064, and #2065 in 1972 as your book indicates. I have photos of all three slugs as numbered.
The others (#53, #55, #56, #57 and #58) were probably never used on the L&N and were traded to GE in 1972. The mystery still is which one became Altos Hornos #143.
George L.
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George,
I have contacted all my usual informational sources on the Mexican RS-2 and have come up with absolutely nothing. Probably we will never know. The fact also remains that perhaps the locomotive is a combination of several RS-2's with some Monon pieces.
Steve