my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Southern Pacific
DRS-6-4-1500

3 units delivered

After successful testing of a Baldwin demonstrator locomotive, Southern Pacific placed an order for three A1A-A1A locomotives. Known by SP as DRS-6-4-1500 ie, Diesel Road Switcher, 6 axles of which 4 were powered and 1500 horsepower.

#5200 was delivered in August 1948, and #5201 and 5202 in December 1948. #5200 was sent around the SP system, 'to find, or test for, suitable operating districts or tasks...

As delivered they did not have dynamic brakes or MU capablility.

Like all SP six axle Baldwins, these were also setup long hood forward.

Train number indicators (boards) were fitted to the end of the long hood in front of the top radiator grille. They were moved back down the long hood, behind the top radiator grille in 1953, and moved again by 1965 to just in front of the cab; as shown by a photo of #5201 in El Paso in 1965. Also in 1953, they were retro-fitted with MU by the shop forces at Brooklyn yard roundhouse in Portland, Oregon.

Delivered in Tiger Stripe paint, they were repainted with solid aluminum on the hood ends in 1949, repainted Black Widow in 1954 and most received scarlet and gray in 1958/59.

Originally the radiator intake grille, was perhaps 1/3 of the hood height, low on the long hood end. This was later plated over in the early 1950's, and an identical opening cut in above, due to rain and snow off the running boards getting into the traction motors via this opening. Photos also show that this grille may have been doubled in size to address overheating problems.

Additionally #5202 had the engine horsepower increased to 1600hp by the application of a different turbo-charger by El Paso General Shops in 1951.

Their original operating base was Oregon, the early 1960's found them at Douglas, Arizona, on the Nacozari Railroad, which eventually bought two of them.

References:

• Extra 2200 South, Issue 58, Oct, Nov, Dec 1976 - SP Roster Part V
• SP Motive Power Annual 1970 - Built by Baldwin article.
• SP Motive Power Review 1983-85 - SP Baldwin Diesels article.
• SP Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany.

Additional information supplied by Don Jewell.