ALCO RS-3

The RS-3 dates back to the early 1950s, when the American Locomotive Co. (ALCO) decided to produce a locomotive capable of competing with the "general purpose" versions other American manufacturers were starting to invest in at the time.

Versatile and stylish, the Road Switcher model was highly functional both for shunting and for full train compositions, allowing multiple unit coupling for greater traction capacity.

In Brazil, 48 units were acquired in 1952 by the Central do Brasil Railway, numbered 3301 to 3347, for operation in 1.60m gauge. They were used for all services, from shunting to the most renowned passenger trains of that railway, as well as general freight, ore and steel transport.

Widely used by RFFSA in its classic red livery, the RS-3 had a very long operational life. More than 60 years after manufacture, they can still be seen operating in the suburban systems of São Paulo (CPTM), Rio and Belo Horizonte in excellent condition.