The MLW RSC-13 was a type of

diesel-electric locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the power source is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving whee ...

built by

Montreal Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer that existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both Steam locomotive, steam and diesel locomotives. For many years it was a subsidiary of the American ...

for use on

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...

(CN). Only thirty five RSC-13's were built — between 1955 and 1957 — and were numbered 1700–1734 by CN. The locomotives were conceived by MLW to meet CN's specification for light weight

branch line A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Branch lines may serve one or more industries, or a city or town not located ...

s. The model 539T diesel engine used in the RSC-13 program saw their horsepower rated at . In order to make the locomotive suitable for weight restricted light rail branch lines, MLW spread the weight over the rail surface using A1A-A1A trucks (2 powered axles, 1 unpowered axle) which were manufactured by Dominion Foundries and Steel (DOFASCO); this same truck was also adopted for the

MLW RSC-24 The MLW RSC-24 was a type of diesel-electric locomotive built by Montreal Locomotive Works for use on the Canadian National Railway (CN). Only four RSC-24s were built – all in 1959. They were numbered 1800–1803 by CN. The locomotives were co ...

. The RSC-13 was a one-of-a-kind diesel locomotive design and CN used these unique units to replace

steam locomotives A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

on light rail branch lines. By the 1960s they were primarily used in eastern Canada and by the early 1970s they were concentrated in the Maritimes. The locomotives were retired by CN in the mid-1970s when CN also scrapped its

fleet; the A1A trucks of the RSC-13 and RSC-24 fleets were used by CN to re-truck several dozen

MLW RS-18 The MLW RS-18 was an diesel-electric locomotive built by Montreal Locomotive Works between December 1956 and August 1968. It replaced the RS-10 in MLW's catalogue, and production totalled 351 locomotives, to eight customers. It was the Canadian ...

s to become

MLW RSC-14 The MLW RSC-14 was a diesel-electric locomotive rebuilt by Canadian National Railway from locomotives originally supplied by Montreal Locomotive Works. These locomotives began life as MLW RS-18s for the Canadian National Railway (CN). The base ...

References

MLW RS-13 / RSC-13 (DL800)

1700s - RSC-13
A1A-A1A locomotives RS-13 Canadian National Railway locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1955 Diesel–electric locomotives of Canada Standard-gauge locomotives of Canada {{Diesel-loco-stub

See also

References