LSRC 469     

ALCO RS2U  --  Retired

Model: RS2U

Builder: American Locomotive Co.

Built: 1946

Horsepower: 1600

Namesake:

Nickname:

Notes: Purchased New by the D&M. Sent back to ALCO in 1955 for an upgrade of 100 horsepower. A unit from the original order of RS2s that made the Detroit and Mackinac one of the first North American Railroads to completely dieselize. These units were numbers: 466,467,468,469,4610 and 481, which came a few years later. The 468 and 4610 are heavily cannabalized part sources for 469 and are kept in Alpena. The 4610 was scrapped in 2005. The 469 is based in Alpena, MI, and goes on duty at 0800 to work the local industries and distrubuting and collecting cars from the regularly scheduled inbound and outbound freights. Work usually finishes by mid afternoon, when the 469 returns to the roundhouse.

The 469 is the oldest "road diesel" on the LSRC and is now basically confined to yard, local and switching jobs in Alpena. However, when other units are in the Alpena shop for maintenance, it will substitute on road duty.

Slightly older is the S1 #646, also from 1946.