ARR #1606 is an Alco MRS-1 (verses the EMD MRS-1 like ARR #1718). It was built for the Army (#B2059) in 1953 was purchased by the ARR in November 1974 and retired/sold/scrapped in 1984. Originally designed to be used in Europe and the mid-east. They have variable gauge trucks and low clearance cab/hood to operate on foreign gauge rails and through the small European tunnels. ARR wound up with a batch of these and they were used in road freight and yard service.
In total 13 Alco units were transfered to the Alaska RR. Six units were aquired by the ARR in november 1974 (units B2049, B2050, B2053, B2054, B2055 and B2059) renumbered to 1601 - 1606. In April 1975, a second delivery was done of 7 units (B2056, B2061, B2067, B2073, B2075, B2077 and B2100). The first 6 were renumbered to 1607 - 1612, while unit #2100 (ex US Navy 65-00586) only served for spare parts.
US No. ARR No. Aquire Retired notes date date B2049 1601 11/74 11/83 B2050 1602 11/74 11/83 B2053 1603 11/74 1984 B2054 1604 11/74 1984 B2055 1605 11/74 1984 B2059 1606 11/74 1984 B2056 (1607) 04/75 06/76 retired before renumbering to ARR number B2061 1608 04/75 11/83 B2067 1609 04/75 11/83 B2073 1610 04/75 1984 B2075 1611 04/75 11/83 B2077 1612 04/75 11/83 2100 parts 04/75 ----- cannibalized for parts for other Alco'sSpecial thanks to Jeff Childs, Randy Thompson and Stefan Nicolaï for the above information!