Dear Alco fans:

I am a bit of an Alco fan myself, having grown up next to the Central Vermont Railway where RS-11's and M-420's frequently powered 12000 ton trains over a 1.6% grade. I also happen to own a copy of the (old) TRAINMASTER, Inc. simulator program.

After about a year of work on the computer and graph paper, I have come up with data that allows users of TRAINMASTER simulator to run Alco-powered trains on either of the old (3.0) or new (TM4.0 - 4.2) simulator programs. TRAINMASTER, Inc. has an accessory program called "Trainbuilder" that allows users of the program to "build" their own trains- I have altered this program (with the permission of TRAINMASTER, Inc.) so that it also includes Alco locomotives in the menu choice. The stock "Trainbuilder" program (alas, without much for Alcos but with a lot of EMD's and GE's to choose from) is available for a small fee "off-catalogue" through the website, by special request. It is not a regular catalogue item at this time.

These (virtual) locomotives are NOT skins (as in Microsoft), and the APPEARANCE won't change between different locomotives. What will change is the HANDLING and POWER. They are a combination of TRACTIVE EFFORT data for different speeds, rotating mass figures, weight figures, and etc. In fact, the only parameter that I was not able to adjust was the LOADING RATE (there is no way to adjust this in TM). Otherwise, TM is a very realistic sim as far as physics go; That is why I have tagged my efforts onto that program. Many of these Alcos were built from data contained in Alco shop manuals and then checked against anecdotal operation reports or Alco's own tractive effort figures, while others were built from known data and guesswork. I am neither a railroad mechanic nor an electrical engineer, but I expect that most of these locos fall within a few percent of the real thing at most speeds- I have attempted to reduce error to less than the likely variability between units (they tended to lose/gain power as they were maintained at different railroad shops).

I have asked the company to make the Alco data available to other simulator users. To that end the company has suggested that it might post the data file and the Trainbuilder program for downloading from its website. If you have any interest in RUNNING simulated Alcos, I suggest you check out the website and get a message onto the "forum" page. The more interest that is expressed by potential customers, the more likely it is that the company will put in the time and money into putting together the downloadable file and incorporating the Alcos into it.

Here is a PARTIAL list of the locomotive data sets that I sent to the TM company:

S-1 68:18 gearing 198,000 lbs friction truck

S-2 65:18 gearing 232,000 lbs friction truck

S-2 65:18 gearing 244,000 lbs friction truck

S-3 75:16 gearing 196,000 lbs AAR friction truck

S-4 75:16 gearing 230,000 lbs AAR friction truck

S-4 75:16 gearing 244,000 lbs AAR friction truck

S-4 75:16 gearing 244,000 lbs AAR friction truck - selector lever held in series for "around the yard" work

S-6 75:16 gearing 246,000 lbs AAR roller truck

MLW S-7 75:16 gearing 235,000 lbs

rebuilt MLW S-7 with a slug

rebuilt MLW S-7 with a slug, whole set geared down for hump service

MLW S-13 75:16 247,000 lbs MLW RS-23 75:16 231,000 lbs 731 traction motors

MLW RS-23 65:18 233,000 lbs 752 traction motors

MLW RSC-13 lightweight A-1-A branch line duty diesel

RS-1 in standard and high-speed gearing

RSD-1 the "Army" Alco (WWII)

RS-10 in Amplidyne and Static excitation versions

RS-11 / RS-18 in 65mph, 75mph and 92mph (passenger/Canada) versions and some rebuilts and derivative models

C415

C420 several versions with different gearing and a sample of how the GE slip detection and arrest system would appear on the ammeter

C424 " " " "

C425

C430

C628

C630

C636

M630

M636

M420

FPA-4

And a few other surprises. Post your requests/comments on the "forum" at www.Trainmaster.com

Thanks to those that helped (especially Bob) and Happy Railroading

Jim in VT

jmossman@smcvt.edu