page_title: EMD MRS-1
section_title: Spotting features
hierarchical_section_title: EMD MRS-1 / Spotting features
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of Alco MRS-1 on Bay Coast Railroad by William J. Grimes This image is watermarked to give credit to the photographer, just as an artist signs their work!
context_page_description: The EMD MRS-1 is a type of road switcher diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division for the United States Army Transportation Corps in 1952. They were built with multigauge trucks and to a narrow loading gauge for service anywhere in the world in the event of war. Thirteen of the locomotives were built, with serial numbers 15873–15885. At almost $500,000 each in 1952 dollars,
  more than three times the price of a standard locomotive of the period,
  these were very expensive locomotives.
  Declared un-needed for wartime operations in about 1970, they were then used on various military bases around the United States, with some serving on the Alaska Railroad. Five locomotives are preserved, three currently in operating condition.
context_section_description: Being produced to the same specification, both GE/ALCO and EMD MRS-1s are very similar in appearance and can easily be mistaken; they are both C-C road-switchers that are very low in profile in order to fit within European loading gauges and structure gauges.  The major exterior differences are the peaked cab roof and long hood roof on the EMD locomotives, and the radiator intakes on the sides of the long hood end, which have outside shutters on the Alco locomotives. In addition, the short hood is visibly lower than the long hood, thanks to the long hood's peaked roof; on the ALCO units, the two are the same height.  The frame side sills are also different; the Alco's are straight from front to rear, while the EMD's step down towards each end of the locomotive.
caption: Back end of an Alco MRS-1, note much rounder cab.
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