Alco-GE
Encyclopedia
Alco-GE was a partnership between the American Locomotive Company
and General Electric
that lasted from 1940 to 1953. Their main competitor was EMD. Under this arrangement, Alco produced the locomotive
body and prime mover, and GE supplied the electrical gear. Alco management could see that the market for steam locomotives would soon vanish, and General Electric was interested in getting into the lucrative diesel locomotive market.
Notable locomotives produced by Alco-GE were the RS-1
, the first road switcher
, and UP 50, a prototype gas turbine-electric locomotive
.
GE later dissolved the partnership and decided to build their own locomotives. Alco still received electrical gear from GE, but was no longer GE's sole customer for such parts. The first diesel road locomotives GE built were two A
-B
sets, later called the UM20. GE's first production domestic road locomotive was the U25
.
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
and General Electric
GE Transportation Systems
GE Transportation, formerly known as GE Rail, is a division of General Electric. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation industries. It is based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Locomotives are assembled at the Erie plant, while engine...
that lasted from 1940 to 1953. Their main competitor was EMD. Under this arrangement, Alco produced the locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
body and prime mover, and GE supplied the electrical gear. Alco management could see that the market for steam locomotives would soon vanish, and General Electric was interested in getting into the lucrative diesel locomotive market.
Notable locomotives produced by Alco-GE were the RS-1
ALCO RS-1
The ALCO RS-1 was a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Alco-GE between 1941 and 1953 and the American Locomotive Company from 1953 to 1960. This model has the distinction of having the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market.The carbody configuration of...
, the first road switcher
Road switcher
A road switcher is a type of railroad locomotive used for delivering or picking up cars outside of a railroad yard. Since the road switcher must work some distance away from a yard, it needs to be able to operate at road speeds, it must also have high-visibility while it is switching, and it must...
, and UP 50, a prototype gas turbine-electric locomotive
Gas turbine-electric locomotive
A gas turbine - electric locomotive, or GTEL, is a locomotive that uses a gas turbine to drive an electric generator or alternator. The electric current thus produced is used to power traction motors. This type of locomotive was first experimented with during the Second World War, but reached its...
.
A unit
An A unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive equipped with a driving cab, or crew compartment, and the control system to control other locomotives in a multiple unit, and therefore able to be the lead unit in a consist of several locomotives controlled from a single position...
-B
B unit
A "B" unit, in railroad terminology, is a locomotive unit which does not have a driving cab, or crew compartment, and must therefore be controlled from another, coupled locomotive with a driving cab . The term booster unit is also used. The concept was largely confined to North America...
sets, later called the UM20. GE's first production domestic road locomotive was the U25
GE U25B
The GE U25B was General Electric's first independent entry into the United States domestic diesel-electric railroad locomotive market for heavy production road locomotives since 1936...
.