ALCO was founded in 1901, for years it was one of the biggest locomotive manufacturers. The company started building Steam engines and ended in the diesel era. The company's products moved the nation and supported the war effort (both World wars). Some of it's more famous engines were the Berkshire, the 4-6-4-4 Challenger and the  4-8-8-4 Big Boy. The company closed it's Schenectady New York plant in 1969, the locomotive production was sold to the Montreal Locomotive Works and in 1975 that was bought by Bombardier.

Many of their engine steam and diesel are still operating today. What many people don't realize is that there are still two V-16 diesels hard at work in a place most wouldn't expect them to be. NASA, A organization known for being high tech and dealing with off world activities uses the two engines. The engines are what supplies the power for the Crawler.  That large tracked platform which transports the mobile launch platform and shuttle to the launch area.

I find it heart warming that technology from the 1960's is in use today to move the most cutting edge technology.