Railroad Forums 

  • STATIONARY POWER PLANTS using Alco diesels

  • Discussion of products from the American Locomotive Company. A web site with current Alco 251 information can be found here: Fairbanks-Morse/Alco 251.
Discussion of products from the American Locomotive Company. A web site with current Alco 251 information can be found here: Fairbanks-Morse/Alco 251.

Moderator: Alcoman

 #207180  by Alcoman
 
What businesses do you know of that use an ALCO engine for stationary power?

There are 3 that I have heard about:
1) Macy's in NYC (do they still use one? what size?)
2) Glen Cove NY at a Garbage treatment plant
3) NASA using 4 2750 hp 16 cylinder engines on the launcher tractor in Fla.
 #207197  by EDM5970
 
I recall reading about the Macy's engine somewhere. IIRC, it was an old installation and had one of the "5" series engines, or possibly even the little 330 engine. I'l have to dig a bit and try and fine the reference again.

Add to the list the pair of 12-244s out at LTV's Hoyt Lakes workings, set up to provide emergency power.

The ALCO Reference book (TRP?) has several photos of skid-mounted gensets.

 #207245  by wess
 
The Missile test facility at Kwajelein Atol had or still has gensets for emergency backup. I think they are 16-251"s Check out Mr Streinbrenners: Centennial Remembrance

 #207248  by mxdata
 
Several nuclear power plants use ALCO 251's for emergency support of reactor fill pumps and in-plant backup requirements.

Philadelphia Gear Company owned a fully operable 16-244 which was used for testing Navy gearboxes. When they retired the facility the engine was offered on eBay, but I heard later than nobody acquired it and it was scrapped. That was a year or two ago.

John, I am surprised this has not attracted the wrath of the "railroad only" crowd. Usually when I post something about non-railroad applications people start objecting in a split second (we are using up valuable space that could be devoted instead to "What is your favorite locomotive" questions), so I seldom bother to offer this kind of information any more on this website.
 #207270  by H.F.Malone
 
Hartford (CT) Hospital had, up to about 15 years ago, a welded-frame 539-- I think it was Navy surplus and may have been designated a 540 engine. It was the usual in-line six, used to power a standby genset.

 #207275  by mxdata
 
And as of a couple years ago there were a pair of the big eight cylinder 538T engines at the shops of a used equipment dealer in Downingtown, PA. I understand they were originally used as generators at a mine.

 #207330  by Alcoman
 
mxdata wrote:
John, I am surprised this has not attracted the wrath of the "railroad only" crowd. Usually when I post something about non-railroad applications people start objecting in a split second (we are using up valuable space that could be devoted instead to "What is your favorite locomotive" questions), so I seldom bother to offer this kind of information any more on this website.
Since this forum subject is ALCO; it covers a wide range of topics. That includes non-locomotive uses as well. What would happen if we start talking about ALCO automobiles?
John

 #207381  by wess
 
I dont know. But I would be curious how far the thread would go since they did build trucks for a while

 #207918  by MEC407
 
mxdata,

Considering that Alcoman started the topic, and is also the moderator of this forum, I don't think you need to worry about what anybody else thinks. If they don't like the topic, they don't have to read it! :-D

 #260282  by overseer
 
This is a list from a Book that was given to me by my Grand Father who worked for many years at Auburns, ALCO Plant this list is only part of a listing of Production that carryed on into April or 1980 for Standing Generation Power at the Auburn Plant after all new Contracts were canceled or sent off to Montral. I do have more info to post but will post later. This info below is the last of the 251 production for generation power only for power plants and back up generators that was finished up in April 1980 for coustomers at varyed locations around the world.

To read this list follow the instructions below:

location, number of engions ordered, cylinders per engion, and location to where the order was sent after production.

Town of Oyster Bay 1-6Cyl 251 Bathpage, L.I.
Socony Mobil de Venezuela 2-16 cyl 251 Venezuela
California Texas Oil Co. 10-16 Cyl 251 Sumatra
U.S. Air Force 6-16 Cyl 251 Shemya, AFS
New York Telephone Co. 1-12Cyl 251 NYC, NY
City of Horton, KS 1-16 Cyl 251 Horton, TX
City of Ellis, KS 1-16 Cyl 251 Ellis, KS
U.S. Army, Redstone, Ala 9 16 Cyl 251 Roi-Namur Island
Veterans Administration 1 12 Cyl 251 Woods, WI
P.A.S.A. 1 12 Cyl 251 Argentina
U.S. Navy - AD-22 Tankers 6 16 Cyl 251 Seattle, WA
Kerala State Electricity Board 2 16 cyl 251 Kerala, India
General Electric Co. 1 12 cyl 251 Hanford, Wshington, State
Assam State Electricity Board 8 12 cyl 251 Assam, India
Transworld Radio Foundation 2 16 cyl 251 Bonaire, NWI
Assam State Electricity Board 3 6 cyl 251 Assam, India
Veterans Administration 1 12 cyl 251 Boston, MA
California Texas Oil Co. 1 6 cyl 251 Sumatra
Veterans Administration 1 12 cyl 251 Gainesville, FL
Cia Hidreletrica do Val do Paraiba 2 12 cyl 251 Brizil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 3 16 cyl 251 Anchorage, Alaska
Veterans Administration 1 16 cyl 251 Miami, FL
Corps of Engineers- Dredge McFarland 3 12cyl 251 Port Arthur, TX
Corps of Engineers- Dredge McFarland 3 16 cyl 251 Port Arthur, TX
Endesa 3 12 cyl 251 Santiago, Chile
Kaiser Engineers 2 16 cyl 251 Jamaica
U.S. Navy 16 16 cyl 251 Baltimore, MD
U.S. Navy 3 6 cyl 251 San Pedro, Calif
Copel 10 16 cyl 251 Curitiba-Parana, Brazil
Mobil International Oil Co. 1 16 cyl 251 Puerto Cabello, Venzl.
Tyonek Indians 1 16 cyl 251 Anchorage, Alaska
City of Providence 1 16 cyl 251 Providence, RI
Cincinnati Gas & Electric 1 16 cyl 251 Cincinnati, OH
Mattabassett Swage Treatment Plant 1 12 cyl 251 Mattabassess, CT
U.S. Navy 51 8 cyl 251 San Diego, Calif
Eastern Air Lines 1 16 cyl 251 Miami, FL
Western Electric Co. 1 12 cyl 251 NYC, NY
S.O.P.E.G. 3 12 cyl 251 Algeria
Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority St. Thomas, Virgin Is.
New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) 1 16 cyl 251 Harris Lake, NY
NYSEG and Pennsylvania Electric 3 16 cyl 251 Homer City, PA
Rochester Electric & Gas Co. 2 16 cyl 251 Ontario Center, NY
C.E.E.E. 6 16 cy 251 Porto Alegre, Brazil
Celanese Fibers Co. 2 12 cyl 251 Sao Paulo, Brazil
New York State Dept. of Publiv Works 1 12 cyl 251 Auburn, NY
ConEd Co. 6 16 cyl 251 Buchanan, NY
Pacific Far East & Prudential Lines 11 16 cyl 251
Northwest Bergen County Sewer Authority 1 12 cyl 251 Bergen, NJ
Electrobras7 12 cyl 251 Manaus & Celpa, Brizil
Coelba 3 12 cyl 251 Salvador, Bahia, Brizil
Hamersley Iron Co. 4 16 cyl 251 Dampier, Australia
Consumers Power Co. 2 18 cyl 251 South Haven, Mich
APL/Farrel Lines 8 12 cyl 251 NYC, NY
Dept. of Water & Power, City of L.A. 1 16 cyl 251 Los Angeles, Calif
Florida State Hospital 1 16 cyl 251 Chatahooche, FL
U.S. Navy 2 8 cyl 251 Mechanicsburg, PA
Pacific Electric & Gas 5 18 cyl 251 San Francisco, Calif.
Boston Edison Co. 2 18 cyl 251 Plymouth, Mass
Pan American World Air Ways, Inc. 1 12 cyl 251 NYC, NY
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. of NJ 6 18 cyl 251 Salem County, NJ
Delta Steamship Lines Inc 9 16 cyl 251
Waterman Steamship Lines Corp. 9 16 cyl 251
Central Gulf Steamship Corp. 9 16 cyl 251
U.S. Coast Guard 6 8 cyl 251 Washington, D.C.
Sonatrach 1 16 cyl 251 Arzew, Algeria
Westroads, Inc. 1 8 cyl Ralston, Neb.
Ontario Hydro, Ltd. 1 8 cyl 251 Tiverton, Ont., Canada
Brown & Root, Inc. 4 12 cyl 251 Huston, TX
Marinduque Mining Corp. 1 16 cyl 251 Philippines
General Dynamics-LNG's 8 12 cyl 251 Quincy, MA
James Bay Energy Corp. 4 16 cyl 251 James Bay, Canada
St. Maartens Power Authority 1 16 cyl St. Maartens
Electroperu 2 12 cyl Talara & Pucalpa, Peru
Shin Kong Synthetic Fibers Corp. 1 18 cyl 251 Taipei, Taiwan
Phel[s Dodge Copper Smelter 1 12 cyl 251 Hidalgo County, NM
Hanil Cement. Co., Ltd. 2 8 cyl 251 Indonesia
Eastern Air Lines 1 16 cyl 251 Florida
Gulf Electric 1 16 cyl 251 New Mexico
Gulf Electric 1 12 cyl 251 New Mexico
Hydo-Quebec 2 16 cyl 251 Magdalen, PQ
Electricidad del Peru 10 18 cyl 251 Peru
VA Hospital 1 16 cyl Denver, CO
Exmibal 4 18 cyl 251 Guatemala
VA Hospital 1 16 cyl 251 Salisbury, NC
Brown & Root 4 16 cyl 251 Huston, TX
Brown & Root 1 8 cyl 251 Huston, TX
Northern Canada Power Co. 1 18 cyl 251 Edmonton, Alberta
Minero Peru 4 18 cyl 251 Peru
ARABCO 3 16 cyl 251 Salwa, Saudi Arabia
U.S. Navy 1 8 cyl 251 Norfolk, VA
O.B. Brewary 1 12 cyl 251 Korea
INECEL 4 18 cyl 251 Ecuador
Nav. Fac. 1 16 cyl 251 Norolk, VA
OCCOQUAN Water Auth. 1 18 cyl 251 VA
U.S. Navy, Trident 2 12 cyl 251 Bremerton, WA
Elec. Supply of Ar-Ras 3 8 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Standered Oil of Ohio 4 12 cyl 251 Huston, TX
Quebec Hydro 4 18 cyl 251 Gentilly, P.Q.
OGEM 2 18 cyl Curacao
Matson Nav. Co. 1 16 cyl 251 Sanfrancisco, Calif.
United Engrs. 1 18 cyl 251 North Dakota
Kirchfield 1 8 cyl 251 Germany
Electric Supply of Ar-Ras 1 8 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Cementos Nacionales 4 16 cyl 251 Dominican Republic
O'Brien Machinery Co. 1 16 cyl 251 Delaware
Morrison-Knudsen 1 16 cyl 251 Colorado
Veterans Hospital 1 16 cyl 251 South Carolina
Sun Shipbuilding 1 16 cyl 251 Pennsylvaina
ARAMCO 22 8 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Seimens 2 8 cyl 251 Italy
Nebraska Public Power 1 8 cyl 251 Omaha, NE
Jan de Nul 1 16 cyl 251 Belgium
Broekhoven 1 8 cyl 251 Netherlands
Exxon 2 12 cyl 251
U.S. Navy 4 18 cyl 251
Engine Power Co. 1 12 cyl 251 Calif.
Ball Construction 2 18 cyl 251 Calif.
Bristol 1 12 cyl 251 Alaska
U.S. Navy 1 16 cyl 251 Calif
General-Dynamics-LNg's 2 12 cyl 251 Quincy, MA
Interdre 1 8 cyl 251 Netherlands
U.S. Air Force 6 18 cyl 251 Lackland, AFB, Texas
Hamadan Glass 3 18 cyl 251 Iran
U.S.A.F. 1 12 cyl 251 Offut AFB, Neb
INECEL 218 cyl 251 Ibarra, Ecuador
Princeton University 1 16 cyl 251 Princeton, NJ
Waterman Steamship Corp. 2 16 cyl 251
Geveke Motoren 1 12 cyl 251 Holland
Sonatrach 1 16 cyl 251 Arzew, Algeria
OGEM 2 18 cyl 251 Curacao
Pantropic Power Products 1 16 cyl 251 Miami, FL
Van Rees 1 8 cyl 251 Holland
Van Rees 1 16 cyl 251 Holland
Matson Nav. Co. 1 16 cyl 251 San Francisco, CA
National Oil Co. 2 8 cyl 251 Abu Dhabi
Taiwan Power Co. 1 12 cyl 251 Taiwan
Waterman Lines 3 12 cyl 251 NYC, NY
ARABCO 3 16 cyl 251 Salwa II, Saudi Arabia
Dade County Power Authority 2 16 cyl 251 Florida
Cooperativa Electric Santo Domingo LTDA 1 18 cyl 251 Ecuador
Petromin 7 6 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Petromin 1 8 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Petromin 4 16 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
Melley Energy 17 8 cyl 251 Nav. Fac., Dayisville
Geveke Motoren 2 16 cyl 251 Saudi Arabia
St. Mar's Hospital 1 16 cyl 251 Reno, NV
Plau District 3 12 cyl 251 Pacific Islands

 #311517  by mxdata
 
There are of course an entire generation of ALCO - M&S engines prior to the 251 that also were sold for industrial use. Years ago I saw a pair of the eight cylinder 538 turbo engines in Pennsylvania, they were big machines. I have seen an ad for ALCO industrial engines issued just prior to the development of the 241 and 244 designs, and the 538/539 engines were the SMALLEST ones listed. Some of the engines M&S built were enormous, and they not only built their own designs, they also built other manufacturers designs under license. There are a few old Winton diesels from the 1920s and 1930s still around, I wonder if any of the M&S engines from this time period are still out there somewhere? John, any comments to offer?

 #311537  by Alcoman
 
I pose this question to everyone above. How many of ALL these engines are still in use today? It would be interesting to compare against the lists above.

As MXDATA pointed out, how many of the early engines are still in use or even around.
mxdata,
I have a ad that shows one the m"monster machines" you refer to.
Some of these had a bore & stroke of 17-1/2 X 25-1/2

 #311541  by DutchRailnut
 
In Norwalk Ct there is a power station near the station, I believe that has ALCO diesels in it.

 #312190  by BSOR Patarak
 
Is the NASA shuttle crawler pad still powered by 251's?

 #312267  by N. Todd
 
yes.