Atlas Master Line, 10004528, HO Scale, Alco RS-11 Diesel, Lehigh Valley, #7640, DCC Ready

About the Prototype:

🛤️ ALCo RS-11: The Muscle Behind Mid-Century Railroads
Introduced in 1956, the ALCo RS-11 (designated DL-701 by ALCo) was a rugged, turbocharged diesel-electric road switcher designed to compete head-to-head with EMD’s wildly successful GP9. With its clean-lined carbody, high tractive effort, and fuel-efficient performance, the RS-11 was ALCo’s answer to the evolving demands of freight and passenger service across North America.

⚙️ Technical Specs
•     Power Output: 1,800 hp
•     Prime Mover: ALCo 12-251B V12, turbocharged
•     Wheel Arrangement: B-B (two-axle trucks)
•     Tractive Effort: 64,325 lbs
•     Max Speed: 70–85 mph
•     Fuel Capacity: 2,000 gallons
•     Length: 56 ft 6 in
•     Weight: 257,300 lbs

🧠 Design & Innovation
•     Replaced the RS-3 as ALCo’s general-purpose road switcher, offering improved reliability thanks to the 251-series engine
•     Featured a full-height hood with large vertical radiator intakes and a single large radiator fan
•     Early units came with a high short hood; later versions introduced a low short hood for better crew visibility
•     Hood corners were notched at 45 degrees to accommodate number boards and classification lights

🚆 Operational Legacy
Despite outperforming the GP9 in several specs—including acceleration, fuel economy, and tractive effort—the RS-11 struggled to gain market traction due to ALCo’s reputation for mechanical issues in earlier models. Still, 433 units were built between ALCo and Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW), with many serving for decades on roads like the Delaware & Hudson, Missouri Pacific, and Chicago & North Western.
🇨🇦 Canadian Counterpart
MLW produced a nearly identical version known as the RS-18, tailored for Canadian railroads. These units enjoyed longer service lives, especially with CN and CP, and helped extend the RS-11’s legacy well into the 21st century.

About the Model

FEATURES:

• Golden-white LEDs
• Realistic die-cast mainframe
• Five-pole skewed armature motor with dual flywheels for optimum performance at all speeds
• Directional lighting
• Factory-equipped with AccuMate® knuckle couplers
• Separately-applied wire grab irons
• MU hoses and coupler cut bars
• Two painted crew members
• NMRA 21-pin plug for DCC (Decoder-ready)
• Supports all DCC-programming modes
• Flexible mapping of function keys F0 to F28
• A total of six DCC function outputs are available
• Follows all NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices

NOTE: Road number may vary from picture shown.