ALCO FA
An ALCO FA-1 operates in LIRR commuter service during the 1970s.
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| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | Partnership of American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and General Electric (GE); Montreal Locomotive Works |
| Model | FA-1, FB-1, FA-2, FB-2, FPA-2, FPB-2, FCA-3, FPA-4, FPB-4 |
| Build date | January 1946 – May 1959 |
| Total produced | 1,401 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration: |
|
| • AAR | B-B, A1A-A1A (FCA-3 only) |
| • UIC | Bo′Bo′ |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 53 ft 1 in (16.18 m) |
| Loco weight |
FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2: 243,000 lb (110,000 kg) FPA-4/FPB-4: 255,000 lb (115,666.1 kilograms) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,200 US gal (4,500 l; 1,000 imp gal) |
| Prime mover |
FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2: ALCO 244 FPA-4/FPB-4: ALCO 251 |
| Engine type | V-12 Four-stroke diesel |
| Aspiration | Turbocharger |
| Displacement | 8,016 cu in (131.36 L) |
| Generator | DC generator |
| Traction motors | DC traction motors GE 726 on GM&O initial order then GE 752 |
| Cylinders | 12 |
| Cylinder size | 9 in × 10.5 in (229 mm × 267 mm) |
| Transmission | Electric |
| Loco brake | Independent air. Optional: Dynamic |
| Train brakes | Air |
| Performance figures | |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Power output |
Early FA-1/FB-1: 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) Late FA-1/FB-1 & all FA-2/FB-2/FPA-2/FPB-2: 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) FPA-4/FPB-4: 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) |
| Tractive effort |
FA-1/FB-1, FA-2/FB-2, FPA-2/FPB-2: 60,875 lbf (270.79 kN) FPA-4/FPB-4: 63,750 lbf (283.57 kN) |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Locale | North America, Brazil, Pakistan |
The ALCO FA was a family of B-B diesel locomotives designed to haul freight trains. The locomotives were built by a partnership of ALCO and General Electric in Schenectady, New York, between January 1946 and May 1959. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead (A unit) FA and cabless booster (B unit) FB models were built. A dual passenger-freight version, the FPA/FPB, was also offered. It was equipped with a steam generator for heating passenger cars.
Externally, the FA and FB models looked very similar to the ALCO PA models produced in the same period. Both the FA and PA models were styled by General Electric's Ray Patten. They shared many of the same characteristics both aesthetically and mechanically. It was the locomotive's mechanical qualities (the ALCO 244 V-12 prime mover) and newer locomotive models from both General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and General Electric (the partnership with ALCO was dissolved in 1953) that ultimately led to the retirement of the FA/FB locomotive model from revenue service. Several examples of FAs and FBs have been preserved in railroad museums, a few of them in operational status on such lines as the Grand Canyon Railway and the Napa Valley Wine Train. ALCO's designation of F marks these locomotives as being geared primarily for freight use, whereas the P designation of the PA sets indicates that they were geared for higher speeds and passenger use. However, beyond this their design was largely similar, and many railroads used FA and PA locomotives for both freight and passenger.
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