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The Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500

(Please note that the Baldwin models featured on this page are not DRS-6-4-1500s.)

The Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500 was very similar to its sister model, save for the fact that it featured an A1A truck arrangement instead of the standard B-B design on the earlier DRS-4-4-1500. The DRS-6-4-1500 was constructed at during the same time as well and proved to be about as successful, selling less than 100 units. Interestingly, the locomotive sold far better to foreign lines with more than twice as many purchased, mostly to countries in North Africa (they also were slightly modified). During the time period that Baldwin released the DRS-6-4-1500 railroads were not particularly interested in six-axle designs, as examples being offered by the American Locomotive Company (Alco), notably its then RSC2 were unsuccessful as well. Even the Electro-Motive Division's later SD7 and SD9 sold poorly. Today, there are are no known DRS-6-4-1500s preserved.

The Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500 utilized the builder's 608 SC model prime mover that could produce 1,500 horsepower. The primary difference between the DRS-6-4-1500 and DRS-4-4-1500 was that the former utilized an A1A truck arrangement, meaning that there were three axles per truck but only the outside axles featured traction motors. As was the case with nearly all of Baldwin's diesel designs, Westinghouse supplied the company with all of the DRS-6-4-1500's needed internal components such as traction motors, generators, and air equipment. The model offered comparable tractive effort to Alco's RSC2 at 58,200 starting and 42,500 continuous (although Alco's model did offer slightly better starting effort).

Once again, poor engineering and equipment led to few sales for the DRS-6-4-1500, although it proved to be more successful than its sister model selling 91 units to a handful of Class I railroads including the Norfolk Southern (original), Southern Pacific, and Chicago & North Western as well as the Savannah & Atlanta Railway by the time production had ended in 1952. Additionally, Union Pacific and Kennecott Copper purchased Baldwin demonstrators 1500 and 1501 (Kennecott, however, requested that its unit, Demo 1501, to be overhauled with B-B trucks). It should be noted that 62 of those 91 units sold were purchased from out-of-country buyers as only 29 were sold to US railroads.

Baldwin did have a very pleasing carbody design with its DRS series that offered crews good visibility. It also carried the standard look of a road switcher with a short front hood, offset cab, and trailing long hood. However, the company's attempt at trying to market so many different versions of practically the same model also hurt its sales potential. It continued to hold steadfast to the steam locomotive concept of customizing designs and would not follow the approach (until its last few years in the business) of standardization that the EMD had mastered.

This steam locomotive approach also carried over into its classification system (although another reason Baldwin used such a complicated system was the fact that it was still building steam at the time it released its first diesel designs). For instance, using the DRS-4-4-1500 model as an example the DRS referred to Diesel Road Switcher unit; the first number, 6, was the designation of six total axles; the second number, 4, referred to four powered traction motors; and 1500 stood for the horsepower rating. The model designed for foreign sale in Africa was listed as the DRS-6-4-1500E. Essentially the same locomotive its one noticeable difference was the end cab setup it employed, making it appear as a rather large switcher. Three different African lines purchased the DRS-6-4-1500E including the Office des Chemins de fer Algériens (43), Office National des Chemins de Fer du Maroc (15), and Tunisian Railways (4).

For a total production roster of Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500s please click here. Also, for technical data on the locomotive please click here. Finally, for more information about the DRS-6-4-1500s and all Baldwin road switcher models please refer to the chart below.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Diesel Locomotives Section

Baldwin Road Switchers

Model Type	Units Built	Date Built	Horsepower
AS16	127	1950-1955	1,600
AS416	25	1950-1955	1,600
AS616	214	1950-1954	1,600
RS12	50	1951-1956	1,200
DRS-4-4-1000	22	1948-1950	1,000
DRS-4-4-1500	35	1946-1950	1,500
DRS-6-4-1500	91	1946-1952	1,500
DRS-6-6-1500	83	1948-1950	1,500

For more information on the Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500 road switchers consider Mike Schafer’s Vintage Diesel Locomotives which looks at virtually all of the classic builders and models from Alco PAs to early EMD Geeps. If you’re interested in classic Baldwins, or diesels in general, this book gives an excellent general history of both.

You may also want to consider the book Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the title implies the book looks at the history and development of the diesel locomotives, covering 200 pages, from its earliest beginnings to the newest designs and models operated today. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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