Seaboard Air Line and Seaboard Coast Line Phase II RS-3s

 

Prototype Photos courtesy of Warren Calloway

Bowser Manufacturing has finally announced what could be the BEST announcement of 2023 for a Seaboard Coast Line Modeler such as myself. The recently tooled Alco RS-3 in both Phase II and Phase III have long been on my list of must have locomotives since they were well entrenched in the North and South Florida Divisions of the Seaboard Air Line which served the Port of Boca Grande. 

Seaboard Air Line assigned many of the Alco road switchers to the North and South Florida Divisions. Phase I RS-3s were typically found while parked or shoving phosphate cars onto the docks, but these new units will definitely augment my roster of Alcos. The Alco RS-2 was also a key motive power unit in the area along with several other B-B equipped road switchers from EMD and GE in later years.

Bowser has announced two unit numbers in Seaboard Air Line as SAL 1676 which was constructed by Alco in October 1952 on Order Number S3212. The unit was initially constructed with a steam generator for use on secondary and local passenger trains, however, the equipment was removed in the 1950s and the water tanks were converted to fuel storage. The locomotive was numbered as SCL 1189 in 1967 and ultimately retired in January 1974.

Prototype Photos courtesy of Warren Calloway

The second Seaboard Air Line Phase II RS-3 to be released is SAL 1681 which was constructed on the same order in October 1952. This unit was not steam generator equipped and was renumbered as SCL 1194 in 1967 and ultimately retired in January 1972.

The use of "Split Image" paint is referred to by SCL modelers when the original railroad paint scheme was left in place and shop forces applied new Seaboard Coast Line lettering to the original paint scheme. It was typical to see these units through the 1970s in this appearance, and makes for a unique change to the typical SCL Black and Yellow "Bumblebee" paint scheme.

Bowser also announced two split image Alco Phase II RS-3s as SCL 1191. This unit is former SAL 1678 and was constructed in October 1952 on the previously mentioned order, S3212. The unit was previously equipped with a steam generator which was removed in May 1970. The locomotive was retired on November 22, 1974.

The second SCL number is SCL 1196 which was constructed on the same order in October 1952 without steam generation equipment. It was retired on November 15, 1974 when it was converted into a MATE (Motor Assisted Tractive Effort) unit 3404 on April 1, 1975. The MATE variant would survive until January 4, 1982 when it was stricken from the SCL roster. Most typically, the Alco MATEs were coupled to former ACL GP35s for use in yard and transfer runs.

The Bowser announcement at the Amherst show details these will be ready to run with separately applied details and equipped with ESU Loksound decoders which feature the most realistic Alco 244 prime mover sound files to date. None of the SAL constructed RS-3s utilized dynamic braking. No price or date has been revealed, however, you can rest assured all four will find a home at the Boca Grande Terminal.