No. 561 is classified as an RSC 3m and was built by Montreal Locomotive
Works/Canadian General Electric in 1951. Producing 1600 Horsepower this locomotive
was 3 times more powerful than No. 551 and could truly qualify as the first "Road"
Diesel operated by the PGE. The durability and reliability of these locomotives is borne
out by the fact that No. 561 was operated for 35 years until taken out of service and
acquired by the West Coast Railway Association.
The first 8 locomotives delivered ,Nos. 561-568, had 6 wheel (A-1-A) trucks which
distributed the locomotive's weight more evenly on light track. Following main line
upgrading to 85 lb. rail the PGE removed those trucks and replaced them with 4 wheel
(B-B) trucks. This actually gave the locomotives better adhesion , increasing tractive
effort considerably and doing away with a nasty tendency to derail on tight curves. The
balance of the 10 RS3's (Nos. 569-578) came with 4 wheel trucks. These units heralded
the modernization of the PGE and started the process of retiring all steam locomotives.
In 1990, during the restoration of No. 561, original type 6 wheel trucks were located and
donated by Canadian National thus restoring her to original appearance. No. 561 is the
first West Coast Railway Heritage Park locomotive to be put back into operating
condition. Fired up for the first time in 12 years the locomotive switched cars in the BC
Rail Squamish yards January 27 1994. Since then No. 561 has performed flawlessly
doing switching duties in the Park. Retired PGE engineer, Vic Long, recalls that in cold
weather the fuel lines on the RSC3m's would freeze up. The crew soon found that the
way to get the fuel pumping again was to pour the hot coffee from their thermoses down
the hole where the fuel line came through into the cab. Not having coffee was infinitely
preferable to having a stalled locomotive out on the line and not getting home!
