by Gordon Lloyd Jr./Photos from the Lloyd Transportation Library
Perhaps too often overlooked, Mexico was a melting pot for American Locomotive Company (Alco) and subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) products long after their American and Canadian amigos were retired. I use the word “perhaps” as a qualifier, for sadly, while those locomotives may not have drawn the attention they rightfully deserved, fortunately, neither were they ignored by the adventurous.
Point in fact — Mexican Alcos and MLWs were plentiful and frequently enjoyed a longer productive life than their American cousins. Nacionales de México (NdeM) was the dominant player, but Alcos were popular on the smaller, regional properties as well — Ferrocarril del Pacífico (FCP), Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico (CHP), Ferroccaril Sonora-Baja California (SBC), and Ferrocarril del Sureste (FdelS, later Ferrocarriles Unidos del Sureste, or FUS). Mexican short lines were few, but industrial properties benefited from the internal combustion motive power.
The Dieselization of NdeM
The NdeM dieselization saga began in 1944, though its foray was not the first Mexican diesel locomotive purchase. (That honor apparently goes to two off-center-cab 68-ton locomotives built by General Electric in 1939 for Secretaría de Communicaciones y Obras Públicas [SCOP]). A late wartime acquisition, 10 Alco S-2s introduced themselves to NdeM in 1944, numbered 5500–5509, their builder’s plates displaying an August date. In short order, five S-1s appeared, too; they were the only purchased-new S-1s in Mexico, numbered 5000–5004 with a builder’s date of September. Thirteen additional NdeM S-2s arrived in 1950, closing out such NdeM purchases; these S-2s were 5510–5522. Noteworthy, of more than 1,400 S-2s, NdeM 5522 was the final S-2 built.
ABOVE: All NdeM RS-1s were classed as DE-6, regardless of steam generator or m.u. equipment — or lack thereof. The application of roller bearings enhanced their ability to operate in road service. NdeM 5638 was the last in its group of four, with delivery starting in January 1957. At Saltillo, 1,000 horses are summoned to shuffle freight in November 1967. —Kenneth L. Douglas-LTL
In 1946, NdeM became the only non-U.S. government buyer of the RSD-1, while simultaneously bringing the road switcher concept to the railroad in one of its earliest forms. Built between January and May 1946 under order number S3008, six were delivered as NdeM 5600–5605; they were renumbered 5700–5705, numbers which they wore for most of their lives. In concert with maintenance practices of the time, all were rebuilt in-kind by Alco in 1956, at their Schenectady, N.Y., birthplace, which extended their lives into the 1970s. These were C-C locomotives, with six traction motors.
Far more RS-1s were carried on the NdeM roster than their cousins, the RSD-1s. In reality, when it came to the RS-1, few railroads were in a league with NdeM. In all, 64 RS-1s were found on the roster, occupying the number series 5600–5663. When reviewing this huge group, keep a roster close at hand. There were renumberings, RS-1s with both Alco and MLW origins (NdeM 5619–5621 were the only MLW RS-1 production), some with multiple-unit capability, some with a steam generator, and the last groups arrived with the final carbody style of hood, which has come to be known as the “feather-edge” lip. As did 5522 for the S-2s, NdeM RS-1 5663 took the honors for the last production RS-1 built.
ABOVE: With the exception of NdeM, the S-6 was a relatively popular model in Mexico. Originally acquired through SCOP, FUS 103 was in the last group delivered for Mexico. FUS had the second-largest S-6 fleet, behind FCP. At Empalme, Sonora, FUS 103 posed for a photo on January 10, 1983. —J.J. Buckley-LTL
NdeM’s RS-1 buying spree spanned a full decade, with deliveries beginning in February 1950 and extending into 1960, fully two years beyond the last American sale of RS-1s, which were Grand Trunk Western units 1950 and 1951. NdeM’s RS-1s found themselves in all types of service — switching in yards, on local freight and mixed trains, or with passenger assignments. So dominant was the RS-1 that competition from EMD’s GP7 and GP9 units of the same era generated sales of only two and 10, respectively. As envisioned by Alco, the RS-1s were truly the maid of all work.
NdeM also repowered several RS-1s, using both 12-567C EMD engines and Alco 6-251C engines. Many worked into the 1980s, and at least one, 251-repowered 5654, was adorned in the final two-tone blue and red of NdeM. In spite of their popularity with NdeM, no other Mexican property purchased new RS-1s. In a note of irony, that final RS-1 was repowered by NdeM with an EMD engine.
ABOVE: After 16 RSD-12s with steam generators and high hoods, Alco delivered an order to FCP starting in February 1962 which included four short hood units. Blue and yellow paint has replaced the original green and yellow, but the appealing design still passes the test of time. FCP 519 is at Nogales, Sonora, December 19, 1980. —Thomas H. Chenoweth-LTL
Government Assistance
To assist fledgling Mexican properties in acquiring assets, the government agency SCOP stood in for many locomotive acquisitions. In our Alco diesel review, the first of many such procurements involved four FA-1s, ultimately for Ferrocarril del Sureste. They arrived with five-digit numbers, 23031–23034, but were renumbered with an equally cumbersome group-and-unit system, as 7121-1 through 7121-4. When Sureste numbers were applied, initially they wore 211–214, and later, 201–204. Ultimately, they came under control of FUS as 201–204.
A fifth FA-1 came to Mexico, again via SCOP. In April 1950, 23039 arrived. It was renumbered as 7121-5; on CHP it was known as its 500, but moved on to join similar cousins on FUS, and was assigned number 305. This rounded out Mexican FA-1 history; there were no FB-1s…