Former Reading RS3 485 arrived on the railroad in 1952 in an effort by the company to begin the process of replacing coal burning steam locomotives with cleaner and more efficient diesels. The Alco RS3s could be found in both freight and passenger service around the system, the 485 usually assigned to the western end freight operations. Its current paint scheme tells of its later life working in Canada, first for the Roberval & Saguenay and later for an Ontario paper company. It is currently one of five of the thirty three units purchased to survive in the 21st century and one of two in Pennsylvania. We had the opportunity to see sister unit 467 on display at Steamtown the previous weekend. |