Re: (erielack) ALCO plant farewell

[RJFlei_@_aol.com]

Ed,
 
Don't forget that Pittsburgh as part of ALCO, too as well as  Brooks in 
Dunkirk, NY.
 
Rick Fleischer
Cortland, OH. 
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/2010 9:43:38 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
ETMontgomery_@_fcps.edu writes:

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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