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RE: (erielack) Alco vs EMD

The books I've read state that the 244 was a flawed engine, rushed
into production at the end of World War II.  It had several
mechanical problems that didn't show up until they had been in
service for a while.

EMD had built engines throughout the war, partly for locomotives and
partly for marine applications - many for the Navy - while ALCo built
other military products.  ALCo WAS NOT ALLOWED to work on locomotives
during the war, which severely handicapped them when the war ended -
EMD was already designing improvements to the FT while ALCo was still
redesigning its prime mover.  The 244 had problems, big ones.  By the
time the 251 was designed and in production, some lines were
reluctant to buy ALCo products and switched to GE, which had
introduced the U25B.

- --- Bradley Butcher <llyengalyn_@_hotmail.com> wrote:
> Oh I do not disagree with you Chuck. I think the evidence is More
> then there to say that not just alco but all the former steam
> builders were incapable of adjustment to the disel era. Even though
> Alco was an early pioneer of diesel. I really wonder if it was more
> then that? That it was the changing nature of the industry as a
> whole that really did it too them. I got the impression that Alco
> had not even learned the Henry Ford lesson of assembly line
> production. It sounds like they were still building each locomotive
> almost like a distinct work of art in and of itself. That sounds
> nice in a way if you are an artist, but from quality control and
> uniformity standpoint it's really bad.
>  
> The point I was trying to make is that I have read in various
> places how Alcos were good strong pullers and rugged. (sounds like
> a volkswagon bug, just can't beat it down) But that they were
> haunted by production mistakes and basic design flaws that were
> easily fixed and would not have been a big deal if alco had caught
> it and done something about it before delivery. 
> BUT because they didn't catch it (and it sounds like sometimes they
> didn't care) it really hurt their reputation BAD and it cost them
> in the end.

Gary R. Kazin
DL&W Milepost R35.7
Rockaway, New Jersey


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