Lima LS-1200
Encyclopedia
The LS-1200 is a diesel-electric switching
locomotive built between May 1950 and August 1951, by Lima Locomotive Works
of Lima, Ohio
, U.S.A.. Lima's original design was the LS-1000
, a 1,000 hp
(750 kW) switcher, which became the standard for Lima's designs. A 660 hp (490 kW) switcher had also been designed, but none were built. By changing fuel rack settings, the LS-1000 was upgraded to the LS-1200, producing 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) from a turbocharged
Hamilton T-89-SA four-stroke, eight cylinder
inline diesel engine
, a Westinghouse
generator and 4 Westinghouse traction motor
s provided the 74,508 lbf
(331.43 kN) of tractive effort
.
Lima-Hamilton did not assign model numbers to their models but referred to them by specification numbers. Model designations such as LS-1200 were a railfan invention. Lima-Hamilton assigned A-3170 as the specification number for this particular unit.
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
locomotive built between May 1950 and August 1951, by Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
of Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
, U.S.A.. Lima's original design was the LS-1000
Lima LS-1000
The LS-1000 is a diesel-electric switching locomotive built between May 1949 and April 1950, by Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio, U.S.A.. The LS-1000 is a 1,000 hp switcher, which became the standard for Lima's designs...
, a 1,000 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(750 kW) switcher, which became the standard for Lima's designs. A 660 hp (490 kW) switcher had also been designed, but none were built. By changing fuel rack settings, the LS-1000 was upgraded to the LS-1200, producing 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) from a turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
Hamilton T-89-SA four-stroke, eight cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
inline diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, a Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
generator and 4 Westinghouse traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s provided the 74,508 lbf
Pound-force
The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
(331.43 kN) of tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
.
Lima-Hamilton did not assign model numbers to their models but referred to them by specification numbers. Model designations such as LS-1200 were a railfan invention. Lima-Hamilton assigned A-3170 as the specification number for this particular unit.
Original owners
| Owner | Quantity | Road Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Armco Steel AK Steel Holding AK Steel Corporation is an American steel company whose predecessor, Armco, was founded in 1899 in Middletown, Ohio. Today, the company's corporate headquarters is situated in West Chester, Ohio, after having moved from Middletown, Ohio, in August 2007.- Products :AK Steel's main products are... |
710, E109, E110 | |
| Baltimore & Ohio Railroad | 320–329, 340–353 | |
| Erie Railroad Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie... |
660–665 | |
| Chicago River and Indiana Railroad (New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... ) |
8406–8411 | |
| New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... |
630–639 | |
| New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois... (Nickel Plate Road) |
309–312 | |
| Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a terminal railroad owned by railroads in St. Louis, Missouri which handles traffic through its metropolitan area.-Components:It was founded in 1889 in a deal orchestrated by Jay Gould by:... |
1200–1205 | |
| Wabash Railroad Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,... |
401–406, 408–411 | |
| 69 | ||
Preservation
Two LS1200 are preserved:- ARMCO Steel E-110, the final locomotive produced by Lima- Hamilton, at the Illinois Railway MuseumIllinois Railway MuseumThe Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
. - Baltimore and Ohio 320, at the Whitewater Valley RailroadWhitewater Valley RailroadThe Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad in Indiana.The railroad is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of a 1970s era of branch line railroading. It is now operated by vintage diesel switchers during most of the year. Steam operations occur on or around labor day each year...
.