Locomotive Spotlight #4-2025 / New Haven Alco RS11s

 Greetings All,

Locomotive Spotlight #4-2025

New Haven Alco RS11s

Welcome to another post in the locomotive spotlight series. Today the spotlight will shine on a pair of Proto 1000 HO Scale New Haven Alco RS11s which will begin a three part New Haven series that will continue thru this weekend. Lets take a look at the models and prototype.

A pair of HO Scale Proto 1000 Alco RS11s numbered 1405 purchased from Trainz dot com joined the fleet in June, 2025.

Prototype Information

The ALCO RS-11 is a class of diesel-electric locomotive rated at 1,800 hp, that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement. This model was built by both Alco (327 units) and Montreal Locomotive Works (99 units) for a total production of 433 units.

"Alco RS11 Demonstrator DL701" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.
 

The American Locomotive Company, Alco, produced the first three RS-11s in February 1956 as a demonstrator set. This locomotive, classified by ALCO as model DL-701, was their first high-horsepower road switcher, intended to be a replacement for the very popular RS-3 road switcher. 

Featuring a V-12, 1,800 hp 251B diesel engine, the RS-11 was ALCO's answer to EMD's very successful GP9. The turbocharged RS-11 accelerated faster, had a higher tractive effort rating and typically used less fuel than the competition. It was also quite versatile and could be found in heavy haul freight as well as passenger service. It was produced in high-nose and low-nose versions. 

"LV Alco RS-11s" by GG-1 K4s is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

While the RS-11 benefited from the increased power and reliability offered with ALCO's new 251B engine, and was arguably a more advanced product than the GP9, its market acceptance was disappointing against the reputation EMD's locomotives had made for superior reliability.

Model Information

The two HO Scale Proto 1000 Series RS11s turned out to be brand new in the box which was a mixed blessing of sorts.

Here they are assembled and ready for testing.

After spending many years in their respective boxes it became clear rather quickly than some lubrication would be needed. Not surprising it also became clear that the axle gears would need to be changed. The gear issue with the P-1000 and P-2000 HO scale models has been well documented on this blog and other sites as well. 

What did surprise me was that the usual cure for the axle gears was to replace them with Athearn axle gears which in this case made the engines run louder. Huh. I had some Walthers drop in replacement wheels and axles in the parts department and they worked fine. I found additional Walthers replacements online and ordered four sets which would be enough for the remaining NH RS11 and give me a complete set of spares. 

While I was waiting for the new parts to arrive I got to work on renumbering one 1405 to 1401. The RS11 below has been stripped of its cab numbers using Walthers Solvaset and an eraser. The number boards were brush painted black with a clear gloss coat added.

Luck would have it that a Miccroscale set of NYC diesel decals had a similar font and size as the NH 1405. Below the 1401 and 1405 have been slightly weathered and both sport new axle gears.

A close up of the front of the1401. Unlike the NYC and PRR the New Haven RS11s were set up to run short hood forward.

The hind end of the 1405. The NYC numbers were a close match for the NH numbers from the factory.

I was hoping to be able to operate the RS11s in multiple with a P-1000 GP9 1210 like the prototype NH did. The GP9 has been in my NH fleet for well over twenty years. Unfortunately, they did not M.U. well and my DC Layout has no speed matching technology. The 1210 remains in solo service for now.

Thankfully the RS11s run well together and they'll be able to hold down assignments in both freight and passenger service and look pretty good doing it.

The 1401 leads a train out of Terminal Yard.

Checkout the new New Haven RS11s in both passenger and freight service

Final Thoughts and Comments

After lubrication and new axles the P-1000 NH RS11s are running well in both passenger and freight service with some tonnage limitations in freight service as you will have seen above. Personally, I thought they had the muscle to get that train up the 2.5% grades to Terminal Yard and was surprised when they stalled on the slide. Looks like I'm going to need another New Haven RS11!!!

Sharp eyes will note that the sunshades have been removed from both locomotives. Some by accident and some on purpose. I really liked they way they looked but they were prone to breaking off. After finding one trackside and breaking off another when putting it back into its styrofoam cradle I had enough and removed them.

The purchase of these two locomotives opened up the door for another look at the New Haven Railroad which I documented on two blog posts which will follow tomorrow and Sunday. Of particular interest to me was the NH Class of '56 locomotive purchases.

Thanks for reading and watching

See you tomorrow