Lima 750 and 800 hp switchers

Lima A-3149 and A-3171
Cincinnati Union Terminal railroad number 25, an A-3149 (LS-750)
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Lima-Hamilton Corporation Model A-3149 (LS-750) A-3171 (LS-800) Build date April 1950 to June 1951 (A-3149) September 1950 (A-3171) Total produced A-3149: 6 A-3171: 23
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′ Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Length 47’ 10” (both) Prime mover Hamilton Engines and Machinery T69SA Engine type 4-stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Displacement 4,580 cu in (75.1 L) Generator Westinghouse 499A (both) Traction motors Westinghouse 362D (4) (both) Cylinders Inline 6 Cylinder size 9 in × 12 in (229 mm × 305 mm) Loco brake Straight air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Power output 750 hp (559 kW) or 800 hp (597 kW) Tractive effort 74,508 lbf (331.4 kN)
Career Operators Cincinnati Union Terminal, Chicago River and Indiana, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Class CUT- DES-10w (A-3149) CR&I- DES-19a (A-3171) Locale United States

The A-3149 (LS-750) and A-3171 (LS-800) were diesel-electric switching locomotives built between November 1949 and June 1951, by the Lima-Hamilton Corporation of Lima, Ohio, U.S.A.. The A-3149 is a 750 horsepower (560 kW) switcher. It was later upgraded to 800 hp (600 kW) by changing fuel rack settings. Both models used the same turbocharged Hamilton T69SA four-stroke, six cylinder inline diesel engine, a Westinghouse generator and 4 Westinghouse traction motors.

All six A-3149’s were sold to a single railroad, Cincinnati Union Terminal (CUT class DES-10w) with two (#24-25) being sold after the A-3171 had been introduced. The 23 A-3171’s were sold to just two railroads, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific bought 2, and Chicago River and Indiana (a subsidiary of the New York Central System, CR&I class DES-19a) bought 21.

Lima-Hamilton did not assign model numbers to their models but referred to them by specification numbers. Model designations such as LS-750 or LS-800 were a railfan invention. Lima-Hamilton assigned A-3149 as the specification number for the 750 hp model, and A-3171 as the specification number for the 800 hp model.

Original owners

A-3149

Railroad	Qty	Road Numbers	Notes
Cincinnati Union Terminal (Whitewater Valley Railroad)	6	20–25	to Penn Central in 1968, same numbers, 25 to Whitewater Valley Railroad in 1972

A-3171

Railroad	Qty	Road Numbers	Notes
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad	2	800–801
Chicago River and Indiana Railroad (subsidiary of New York Central Railroad)	21	9800–9820

Preservation

The last extant A-3149, former Cincinnati Union Terminal 25, is operated by the Whitewater Valley Railroad

References

• Kirkland, John F. (November 1985). The Diesel Builders Volume 1: Fairbanks-Morse and Lima-Hamilton. Interurban Press. ISBN 0-916374-69-6.
• "The Yard Limit - Lima". Retrieved March 9, 2009.