my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

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

Texas and New Orleans ALCo S-2

122 units delivered

48 units delivered to T&NO

see also the SP S-2 page for more photo's

© Arthur M. Byrd - At Houston Hardy Street Shops in 1964

SP received 74 and T&NO got 48 of these units, making a total of 122 on the system.

An ALCO S-2 Roster will show these occupied 4 distinct number series, in 3 different classes. Differences were limited to minor mechanical things and marginal variation in weight. Some received radio equipment and train indicators, none were ever MU capable.

The 1965 renumbering was based on units in service at the time, and was generally non-sequential, ie. the next unit was given the next number.

In 1965 only 82 S-2's remained in service, by September (the actual renumber time) another 8 had bit the dust...

The RMC article listed below by Tony Thompson gives quite a detailed history of these units, and the paint schemes they wore. So as it is a recent and still available article, I'll suggest you get that to use as a reference to detailing a model.

References:

• MR Diesel Cyclopedia Vol.2 page 40 - Plans for an S2.
• Railroad Modeler Sept. 1974 page 46 - Know your Diesel - no SP, but lots of pics.
• SP Dieselization by John Bonds Garmany - Chapter 6, Pre-war switchers.
• Extra 2200 South 1976 Roster Part I, Issue 54, Oct/Nov/Dec 1975
• Extra 2200 South 1976 Roster Part III, Issue 56, Apr/May/Jun 1976
• Southern Pacific Motive Power Annual 1967-69 - page 7.
• SP Historic Diesels Vol.6 - Chapter 2 - by Joe Strapac