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American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New York

#1: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New York Author: TrevorLarkum, Location: Northampton, England

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:47 am
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I've just completed writing up another US tank factory on PreservedTanks.com, this time American Locomotive. Please let me know if you spot any omissions or errors, or if you can provide additional photos:

Location ID 82800: American Locomotive, Schenectady NY

ALCO earned its place in history as the birthplace of the M7 Priest. What I hadn't appreciated was that ALCO was the only place that certain vehicle types were produced, namely the M3A1 medium and the M36B2 tank destroyer. So we know right off that the APG M3A1 must have been built there:

Unique ID 723: APG M3A1

Do let me know if you are aware of any other tanks that were definitely or even probably built there. Many thanks.

Last edited by TrevorLarkum on Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:56 pm; edited 1 time in total

#2: Re: American Locomotive Company (Alco), Schenectady, New York Author: Neil_Baumgardner, Location: Arlington, VA

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:24 am
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SN 1405, RN 3065484, the Ordnance Museum's "Firefly," was the first ALCO built M4A2 - according to Joe DeMarco (G104, 4/2004 and 7/2006).

Neil

#3: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: TrevorLarkum, Location: Northampton, England

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:25 pm
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I've added that info to the tank's entry in the database:

Unique ID 693: APG Firefly

that means it also automatically appears as an entry on the ALCO page:

Location ID 82800: ALCO

Thanks Neil.

#4: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: TrevorLarkum, Location: Northampton, England

Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:10 am
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I'm continuing to work on this, as mentioned in other threads, so the list of ALCO-built vehicles is now:

M4, Ortona, Italy
M4 Firefly, Hechtel, Belgium
M4 Firefly, Vissenaken, Belgium
M4A2 Firefly, APG, USA

- see here: Location ID 82800: ALCO

I'm currently trying to track down pictures of ALCO M4s in the USA, namely at Benning and Huntsville, following leads on Pierre-Olivier's excellent Table of Sherman Serial Numbers. Any clues to pictures or other ALCO vehicles much appreciated.

#5: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: TrevorLarkum, Location: Northampton, England

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:05 am
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ALCO M4s at Benning now done:

Unique ID 1315: Benning Infantry Museum M4

Unique ID 1435: Benning Kelley Hill M4

My thanks to Shawn and Joe for use of their photos.

#6: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:30 am
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OT, somewhat...

Does anyone have a partial or complete list of facilities in the U.S. that built tanks (hull, turret, or to completion) since 1940? That would be foundries, factories, or any enterprise that was the main source for tanks from 1940 through the cold war (I'm less interested in the M1 Abrams generation).

What cities they were located in would also be helpful.

Thx in advance.
D.

#7: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: TrevorLarkum, Location: Northampton, England

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:21 am
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I have written up the Huntsville Veterans Museum and its ALCO M4 (with a photo from Neil):

Location ID 50200: Huntsville Museum

- bringing the total number of known ALCO M4s in the database to 7.

- Doug_Kibbey

OT, somewhat...

Does anyone have a partial or complete list of facilities in the U.S. that built tanks (hull, turret, or to completion) since 1940? That would be foundries, factories, or any enterprise that was the main source for tanks from 1940 through the cold war (I'm less interested in the M1 Abrams generation).

What cities they were located in would also be helpful.

Thx in advance.
D.

Doug, I don't know of such a list. I'm continuing to write up such facilities for PTC as I come across them as background information for the tanks in the database. I'll see if I can write some code to extract the factory entries into one place (watch this space).

Meanwhile I should explain why I am specifically working on ALCO at the moment. I was contacted a few weeks ago by James Cesare, the museum director for a new ALCO heritage museum located in Schenectady. He is trying to locate and obtain as many tanks built by ALCO as possible, to display at the museum.
I have suggested that WW2 era tanks (M4 etc.) are likely to be prohibitively expensive, and that something like an M47 would be a good place to start. However, I know that this forum is the best place to get advice like that so I've suggested James calls in here to discuss it directly. I know when he does that you'll make him welcome.

#8: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: Hanno_Spoelstra,

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:56 pm
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- Doug_Kibbey

Does anyone have a partial or complete list of facilities in the U.S. that built tanks (hull, turret, or to completion) since 1940? That would be foundries, factories, or any enterprise that was the main source for tanks from 1940 through the cold war (I'm less interested in the M1 Abrams generation).

Doug,

Here's a list of Sherman tank manufacturers I compiled many years (decades?) ago (in alphabetical order):

U.S.A.:
1 ) American Locomotive Company , Schenactady, New York.
2 ) Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
3 ) Detroit Tank Arsenal (Chrysler Corporation), Detroit, Michigan.
4 ) Federal Machine & Welder Company, Chicago, Illinois.
5 ) Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal (Fisher Body Corporation (General Motors) / Fisher Tank Division of General Motors), Grand Blanc, Michigan.
6 ) Ford Motor Company, Detroit, Michigan.
7 ) Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, Ohio.
8 ) Pacific Car & Foundry Company , Renton, Washington.
9 ) Pressed Steel Car Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
10 ) Pullman Standard Car Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Canada:
11 ) Montreal Locomotive Works, Montreal, Canada

HTH,
Hanno

#9: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:21 pm
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- Hanno_Spoelstra

Doug,

Here's a list of Sherman tank manufacturers I compiled many years (decades?) ago (in alphabetical order):

HTH,
Hanno

It does, thanks!

Doug

#10: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New York Author: ALCO,

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:28 pm
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Hi my name is Jim Cesare. I'm the museum director for a new ALCO museum in Schenectady, NY. We are just starting out. I'm hoping to obtain one of each of all of the tanks that ALCO made. Thanks for your help.

Jim

#11: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: Massimo_Foti, Location: Lugano, Switzerland

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:37 pm
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Welcome

Jim

Glad to have you here

Massimo

#12: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:26 pm
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Greetings, Jim. Welcome to our little slice of armored-heaven-on-earth here at the DG. We hope you enjoy your stay!

Welcome

Doug

#13: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New York Author: C_Sherman,

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:39 pm
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- ALCO

Hi my name is Jim Cesare. I'm the museum director for a new ALCO museum in Schenectady, NY. We are just starting out. I'm hoping to obtain one of each of all of the tanks that ALCO made. Thanks for your help.

Jim

Hello Jim!

If you actually succeed in collecting one of each, that would be the single reason I would ever make the journey to Schenectady! Good luck, and keep us up-to-date on your progress and museum here on AFV News. Heck, we may even be able to help...

Chuck

#14: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New Yor Author: ALCO,

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:40 pm
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Chuck

I'm looking for all of the help I can get. Thanks

Jim

#15: Re: American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, New York Author: JG300-Ascout, Location: Cyberspace

Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:34 pm
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- C_Sherman

- ALCO

Hi my name is Jim Cesare. I'm the museum director for a new ALCO museum in Schenectady, NY. We are just starting out. I'm hoping to obtain one of each of all of the tanks that ALCO made. Thanks for your help.

Jim

Hello Jim!

If you actually succeed in collecting one of each, that would be the single reason I would ever make the journey to Schenectady! Good luck, and keep us up-to-date on your progress and museum here on AFV News. Heck, we may even be able to help...

Chuck

...and you can squeeze in the scenic delights of Troy and Albany along the way!

Just kidding. Sorta'. Smile

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