Yes,

But is there a particular railroad you're interested or inquiring about?

80s Running

431 locomotives were produced between 1956 - 1964.  So, without doing research, odds are some short-lines had RS11s on the roster in the 1980s.

Joe

Maine Central 802

Pic taken in Oneonta, NY in 1984.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2521704

RE: Shortline RS11s

I'm not certain if it was as early as the 80s, but Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern (KB&S) had a couple of ex N&W RS11s, and GBW had a least one. I believe there were some ex SP RS11s kicking around too. I believe the California Western had one, but they may have got it in the 90s. I'm certain there were others. RS11s had some appeal with shortlines, they were ALCOs so they were relatively cheap and the 251 engine was reasonably reliable (compared to the earlier 244) and parts were still available.

HTH,

Mike

RS11. Indian Creek Railroad

Check out the following. 

http://madisonrails.railfan.net/photo1997.html

Alco RS 11 life span

As some have already mentioned, YES. 

By 1980 the RS11 was all but gone from class 1 railroads, but this means many were purchased by shortline, regional, and industrial applications.. The RS11 would have still been common in the early 1980s, the numbers would dwindle through that decade and would continue to decline during the 1990s. Fast forward ahead and there are still a few of these classic Alcos running and earning there keep over 60yrs after being first produced. 

Deleware Lackawanna

Heck the Delaware Lackawanna still has an RS11 in regular service in 2019!  I saw it in operation two summers ago and it appeared to be in excellent condition.

Original owners?

Is the question were RS11s still in use by their original owners or just were they still in use?  The biggest American fleet was the N&W's but I think it was pretty much all dead if not cut up by 1980.  Second biggest was NdeM and I have no idea how long they ran.

I America the longest lived ones still on their first owners were probably the D&H, the GB&W, and the MEC.

Scott Chatfield

Ontario Midland RR

Just happened to take this picture this afternoon:

As to Parts

New parts and even engines can be had from Fairbanks Morse.  They bought ALCO Power.

Hi Mike ...thank you for the

Hi Mike ...thank you for the reply...I am interested in northern new England ...main central, central Vermont, new haven..

Bob thank you

Bob thank you

I am debating on purchasing

I am debating on purchasing the atlas 802...DCC but no sound...

are you serious? kind of

are you serious? kind of awesome... do you have any pics?

BMRY1905, thank you

BMRY1905, thank you

RS11's

Maine Central, and Central Vermont still were using these locos into the eighties, the New Haven was absorbed into the PennCentral in '68. The PC became part of Conrail in'76 I believe, Conrail had a large fleet of RS11's, but I think most were off roster by the eighties.

thank you Mike, that's good

thank you Mike, that's good info, I need to research more but enjoy the knowledge from folks here as well...

p.s. the Burger King photo is funny as hell

Rapido has an RS-11

Coming out later this year. Check with your dealer.

Espee over Donner

N&W

From what I can tell RS11s were off the active roster of the N&W by 1980

D&H certainly had a few running up till Guilford and for a short time after. 

As for the Canadian lines, true CA lines would have had MLW RS18s and the US based subsidiaries (GT, CV)  RS11s?

One is in Lockport, NY

I know that there is still one running in Lockport, NY

Ken L