Alco-GE locomotives?

[Lyon_Wonder]

I'm watching an old 1950's era video of the New Haven on Rural TV's "Trains and locomotives" and the narrator refers to New Haven's FA diesels as "Alco-GE" instead of just Alco.  In fact the logos for both Alco and GE are shown at the very end of the video 

[Proud Infidel]

Yes, GE was Alco's partner in locomotive production, they parted ways when GE began loco production, contributing heavily to Alco's demise.

[WSOR 3801]

ALCo used GE electrical components right up to the end. 

Pretty much the ALCo 244 engine soured the relationship.  GE saw the failures, and figured they could do better, as they had more resources to apply. 

Early GEs weren't the best, but they ended up being better than ALCo, which was all they needed at that point.  With more applied resources, and management that wanted to be number one, they got there, and haven't looked back. 

[jrbernier]

  The Alco/GE partnership started right after WWII.  GE developed an air-cooled turbocharger for the 244 engine.  They also supplied all of the electricals(even before WWII).  Between 244 engine issues and the turbochargers failing(GE then changed the design to a water cooled model), the Alco/GE partnership soured quite fast, and was dissolved sometime in the mid-50's.  GE marketed they own line of North American locomotives starting in 1960(U25B).  Alco was at a disadvantage as their electrical supplier was also their competitor now, and they were a distant #2 to EMD....By the late 60's Alco stopped production.

Jim

[MidlandMike]

Alco and GE began partnering on electric locos over a 100 years ago.  Both firms were in Schenectady, NY.  In 1924 Alco/GE/Ingersoll-Rand built their first joint diesel electric.  Alco supplied the body, GE the electricals, and IR the diesel engine.  In 1928 Alco acquired a diesel engine company and built it's own D-E locos, still using GE electricals.  GE/IR also built locos.  From 1940 to 1953 Alco/GE merged their loco sales forces.  Afterwards, GE went their separate way, as described in earlier posts in this thread. Reference:  Second Diesel Spotters Guide (1974) p. 207.