During late 1961, early 1962, Alco decided to upgrade the 1800 horsepower RS11 (DL-701) design with improvements that had been introduced in the RS27 and RS32. For this design, Alco maintained the specification DL-701, but gave it a new designation, RS36. Externally the RS36 had the same hood features as the RS27 and RS32, and had the same overall length. Production of the RS36 began between the first NYC order and the SP order, the first units were part of an order from the Nickel Plate, which was completed after the conclusion of the RS32 production. A total of 11 units were delivered to the NKP, on which the railroad traded in its PA-1's. The last two NKP RS36's were high nose units equipped with steam genrators, completing NKP's conversion to road switchers for its remaining passenger service. In typical trade-in fashion, the PA's GT 566 main generators were re-used in the RS36's. The final RS36 production was for the Tennessee Central, for which a single unit each was delivered in April, June, and August 1963. A total of 40 RS36's were built.

This photo is the result of my travelling from the southwestern part of Tennessee to the northeastern part on business, by way of Chattanooga, on the ground. It was sometimes cheaper to rent a car and drive the distance between my employer's manufacturing facilities than fly. Some of the grounded executives had 'regular stops' en-route, but that’s another story. Anyway, I was on this route in a rental car when I spotted this train, and decided to 'adjust my speed' in an effort to get ahead of it and take a photo. Unfortunately, the weather turned bad, and this is what I got.

Apparently the L&N opted for the sheet metal (no dynamic brake) option. I understand that the GP30 is generally reported as designed by GM's automotive group. I'm no designer, but I wonder if they moved the crease in the dynamic brake section up to match the cab roofline, and put the lower intake grill at an angle to match the lower crease, what this design would look like?