Engine #310 heads up train No. 1 on its long trek west across the state.

GBW #310 was the first RS-27 to be put into service by any railroad.  At 2400 horsepower, it was the most powerful four axle diesel-electric sold up to that time in the United States.  In official Alco parlance the locomotive is a DL-640, although it is referred to as an RS-27 by railfans everywhere.  The new locos were to be Alco�s competitor for GE�s 2400-hp U25B (later rated at 2500 hp) and EMD�s 2500-hp GP35.  The engine was powered by a 16-cylinder 251B power plant and electrical components were by General Electric.

The 310 was a one-of-a-kind RS27:  It was the only one built with a recessed hand brake wheel in the nose of the unit.

It also brought another idea to the Green Bay Route: a low short hood on the forward end of the engine.  In later years RS-3s and RS-11s would be reconfigured with a low hood when they were shopped for major repairs.

This photo was taken on April 15, 1979 (tax day) in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  It shows the paint scheme instituted after Itel Corporation purchased the GB&W.  The red body and white lettering remained from before, but handrails were painted white at the steps as were the vertical faces of the steps themselves.  The white KEEP OFF lettering disappeared from the pilots a few years earlier.

A thanks goes out to Bob Schoneman for sharing this photo.

Scott Janz photo, April 15, 1979.
From the collection of  Bob Schoneman  and may not be reproduced without permission.