MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS

Buoyed by a moratorium on competing locomotive switcher manufacturing during World War II, the American Locomotive Company was able to cement itself as the premier switcher locomotive manufacturer of its day with the release of their S Model of switcher engines beginning in 1940. Designed to replace the hi-hood Alco diesel switchers of the previous decade, the low-hood S-1 thru S-6 models were incredibly successful with over 3,200 produced by 1961. Just over 1,500 S-2s were produced, outfitted with a turbo charged 1,000 horsepower 6 cylinder diesel engine that greatly improved upon the nearly 700 horsepower S-1. In fact, the S-2 proved to be the most successful of all the S Model switchers capable of mainline passenger or freight work in addition to the usual shortline tasks handled by most switcher engines. The Alco S-2 marks the first new switcher engine to appear in M.T.H.'s Premier Line since the H10-44 diesel of 1995. Much has changed with Premier Line diesels since then as seen with the addition of separate metal fan screens, metal grab rails, operating smoke units and the incredible sound and performance of Proto-Sound 2.0.