We are now taking preorders at https://gnrhs.myshopify.com/collections/engines for three Great Northern Railway RS-3s, numbers 220, 223 and 227. By special arrangement with Bowser, engine number 227 is available exclusively at the GNRHS Company Store. All will be painted in the original Orange and Green paint scheme with the Empire Builder style of lettering.
All engine numbers Bowser is offering are from the first lot of eight units, numbers 197-199, and 220-224, which arrived in May of 1950. Early in 1953, units 197, 198 and 199 were renumbered to 225, 226 and 227 respectively.
The Great Northern Railway Historical Society has advised Bowser Manufacturing about the details of the prototype engines. Models include these added details: air hoses, windshield wipers, grab irons, coupler lift bars, operating headlight, window glass, and fuel tank. Mechanical details are: can motor, flywheels, blackened wheels with RP-25 flanges, and knuckle couplers. DC version features 21 pin plug for DCC. DCC/Sound version features LokSound V5 decoder.
Act NOW! We can take pre-orders only until December 8, 2023. Pre-orders will not be refundable after that date. We will not order additional engines beyond our pre-orders. We expect delivery in December 2024, and will charge your credit card for the balance due immediately before shipping. Note that our price is 20 percent off Bowser list.
ADDITIONAL PROTOTYPE INFORMATION
Alco built thirteen 1,600 horsepower RS-3 engines for the Great Northern Railway. The first lot of eight units, numbers 197-199, and 220-224, arrived in May of 1950, all with MU connections and without steam heat boilers. Early in 1953 units 197, 198 and 199 were renumbered to 225, 226 and 227 respectively. The second lot, numbers 228-232, arrived in June of 1953, with MU connections and without steam heat boilers. GN sold units 231 and 232 to the SP&S in the spring of 1959. The RS-3 units were assigned and worked interchangeably with the twenty RS-2 units the GN already owned. Shortly after the Quincy wreck of November 5, 1963, all Alco road switchers seem to have been moved to Interbay for maintenance. The RS-3s were traded in to GE for credit against U25B and U33C road engines in 1965 and 1968 very shortly after their 15-year Equipment Trusts were paid off. None were painted Big Sky Blue. None made it to BN roster.