Power type Diesel-electric Build date April 1951–May 1956 AAR wheel arr. B-B | Model RS-12 Total produced 50 | |
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Builder Baldwin Lima Hamilton Corporation | ||
The Baldwin RS-12 railroad locomotive was a 1,200 hp (895 kW) diesel-electric road-switcher configured with an AAR type B-B wheel arrangement. It was the follow-on model to the 1,000 hp DRS-4-4-1000, first introduced in 1948. It was more successful than its predecessor selling 50 units to eight railroads, versus 22 units to three railroads. Only one railroad, The Pennsylvania Railroad bought both models.
When Baldwin Locomotive Works merged with Lima-Hamilton the combination Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton decided to concentrate locomotive production at Baldwin's Eddystone, Pennsylvania plant. There was still one outstanding order for Lima LRS-1200s, but the customer, New York Central Railroad agreed to receive RS-12s instead.
The locomotive could be ordered with either a steam generator for steam heat, or dynamic brakes contained within the short hood. McCloud River Railroad No. 32 and 33 were the only two ordered with dynamic brakes of the fifty units built. One survives and is preserved in operational condition in the "Skunk Train" livery of California Western 56 (Locomotive) at Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park.