Lima LS-1200

The A-3170 (LS-1200) is a diesel-electric switcher locomotive built between May 1950 and August 1951, by the Lima-Hamilton Corporation of Lima, Ohio, United States. Lima's original design was the A-3080, a 1,000 hp (750 kW) switcher, which became the standard for Lima's designs. A 660 hp (490 kW) switcher (proposed specification number A-3081) had also been designed at the request of American Rolling Mill Company, but none were built. By changing fuel rack settings, the A-3080 was upgraded to the A-3170 producing 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) from a turbocharged Hamilton T89SA four-stroke, eight cylinder inline diesel engine, a Westinghouse generator and 4 Westinghouse traction motors 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. The Southern Pacific ordered 60 locomotives but agreed to receive 84 S12s from BLH instead.

Original owners

Preservation

Two A-3170’s are preserved:

• ARMCO Steel E-110, the final locomotive produced by Lima- Hamilton, at the Illinois Railway Museum.
• Baltimore and Ohio 320, at 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.
• Hirsimaki, Eric (1986). Lima – the History. Hundman Publishing Inc.
• "The Yard Limit - Lima". Retrieved March 9, 2009.