American Locomotive Company ALCO
Schenectady, New York, operated five ALCO chemical engine hose wagon combinations, like this one, which were built in 1912 and 1913.
The American Locomotive Company, which is better known by the acronym of "ALCO" was formed in 1901 by the merger of the Schenectady Locomotive Engine Manufactory of Schenectady, New York, with seven other smaller locomotive manufacturers. These firms included the Manchester Locomotive Works in Manchester, New Hampshire, and the Rhode Island Locomotive Works in Providence, Rhode Island.
Albany, New York, motorized an American Automatic aerial ladder with a 1913 ALCO four-wheel tractor.
By 1900 ALCO had an annual production capacity of about 3000 locomotives. In 1910, ALCO built its 50,000th locomotive. In 1905, ALCO formed a subsidiary called the American Locomotive Automobile Company. This operated from ALCO's Rhode Island Locomotive Works in Providence and manufactured motor cars. In 1909 ALCO started building commercial trucks. ALCO built four different models of buckboard style commercial trucks with capacities that ranged from two- to six-tons.
For more information about ALCO fire apparatus, please visit Built in New England: ALCO Fire Trucks in the Virtual Fire Museum.
