Re: (erielack) ALCO plant farewell

[tonyhorn1_@_comcast.net]

Ed: 

Is this closer to what you were looking for: 



American Locomotive Company (ALCO) was formed in 1901 when seven smaller locomotive builders merged with the Schenectady Locomotive Works (Schenectady, NY) in order to compete against the largest locomotive builder of the day, the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The seven locomotive builders were: 

    • Brooks Locomotive Works - Dunkirk, NY 
    • Cooke Locomotive & Machine Works - Paterson,NJ 
    • Dickson Manufacturing Company - Scranton, PA 
    • Manchester Locomotive Works - Manchester, NH 
    • Pittsburgh Locomotive & Car Works - Pittsburgh, PA 
    • Rhode Island Locomotive Works - Providence, RI 
    • Richmond Locomotive Works - Richmond, VA 

In 1902, the Locomotive & Machine Co. of Montreal, Ltd. located in Montreal, Canada joined and later changed its name to the Montreal Locomotive Works. The Rogers Locomotive Works in Paterson, NJ was merged into the company in 1905. 




In 1955 the company became known as ALCO Products, Inc and in 1964 it was bought by the Worthington Corp. 
Tony 


- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Edward T Montgomery" <ETMontgomery_@_fcps.edu> 
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net> 
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 8:44:24 AM 
Subject: RE: (erielack) ALCO plant farewell 

There were a lot of things that probably contributed to not reusing this plant for heavy industry manufacturing. I'm wondering how up to date the facility was when ALCO finally shut the doors. Were they operating on a shoestring at the time. I've read a lot about Alco Products on this site and it appeared as though their quality control wasn't very good. GE just made a locomotive that was better than ALCO so it could compete with EMD. Montreal Locomotive Works continued with the ALCO design for some years beyond ALCO's closing but I don't believe they ever tried to compete in the US market. 

Secondly, the tax rates imposed on businesses in New York State may have contributed to other locomotive manufacturers and remanufacturers to avoid what might have been an excellent site location. 

It was sad to see how ALCO kept consolidating. My uncle told me of how Cooke was still making engines in Paterson in the 1920s. Alco acquired them, Rogers, Richmond, and others and centered the manufacturing in New York. Here's an off topic question: when did the name American Locomotive Company come into Being? ALCO must have been one of the earliest acronyms around. 

Ed Montgomery 


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