American Locomotive Company

The Company

ALCo, the American Locomotive Company (later renamed to Alco Products), was a steam locomotive builder formed from several small builders scattered through the United States. They diverisified into diesel switchers relatively early, but did not start producing a serious quantity of road units until after World War 2. It was then that the PRR started acquiring their units. Due to what some attribute to infighting, the first Alco prime-mover, the 244, had problems, and until the coming of the 251 prime mover Alco units were often suspect. Alco ceased production at their Schenectady, NY, plant, in the Penn Central era, but affiliated Montreal Locomotive Works carried and evolved their designs longer before also exiting the business. While never the industry leader, and knocked even further away by formar partner GE's entry into the diesel business, Alco did introduce many innovations to the diesel market.

The Models

Passenger Locomotives

Freight Locomotives

Switcher Locomotives


These pages created by Daria P. Brashear, shadow@dementia.org