The Montreal Locomotive Works or Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) is a Canadian factory that produced locomotives from 1883 to 1985 . The plant produced steam locomotives (including Confidiation ) and diesel locomotives . For several years, the company was a subsidiary of the American company ALCO . The plant was located in the city of Montreal .
| Montreal Locomotive Works | |
|---|---|
| Base | 1883 |
| Abolished | 1985 |
| Location |  Canada Montreal Quebec |
| Industry | Engineering |
| Products | steam locomotives |
The plant was created in 1883 to meet the needs of railway transport in Canada in locomotives. Steam locomotives were needed for the Canadian Pacific Railway , Grand Trunk Railway , Intercolonial Railway , and after 1922 - the Canadian National Railway .
In 1904, the American company ALCO acquired Locomotive & Machine Company. The Montreal-based plant has been renamed Montreal Locomotive Works.
The period from 1900 to 1915 was unprecedented in terms of railroad construction in Canada. During this period, Canada imposed large customs duties on the import of steam locomotives, so the purchase of locomotives in the United States became extremely unprofitable.
Under these conditions, it was beneficial to develop the construction of steam locomotives at Canadian plants.
During the Second World War, the company was engaged in the production of military equipment, including tanks and artillery . The jobs at the plant at that time were occupied mainly by women. After the war ended, the wealthy company returned to the construction of locomotives.
In 1949, General Motors created a diesel engine factory in London , Ontario . This allowed MLW to begin manufacturing locomotives. The electrical components of the locomotives were supplied by Westinghouse Electric . Under the license of Fairbanks-Morse , the Canadian Locomotive Company began to produce Train Master diesel locomotives since 1951 ( FM Diesel Locomotive H-24-66 ). However, until 1953, until the moment when ALKO got out of control, the plant never started producing diesel locomotives for the needs of the USA. The company built its first diesel locomotive for Canada in 1949.
Canadian railways were in no hurry to change the fleet of locomotives and in the 1950s, when many railways in the USA, the USSR and other countries began an intensive replacement of locomotive traction with diesel and electric locomotive, in Canada the rate for locomotives still remained.
In 1975, a controlling stake was acquired by Bombardier .
In 1985, the Bombardier company was reorganized. From that moment, the production of locomotives was discontinued, the company focused on the production of passenger rolling stock and aircraft.
The company produced locomotives RS-1 , RS-3 , RS-10 , RS-18 , S3 and other series.
See also
- Montreal Locomotive Works diesel locomotive list