ALCO 539T

The Alco 539T is a diesel prime mover design built by the American Locomotive Company. This engine was also used as a stationary powerplant, used in pipeline pumping stations, tugboats and dredges. It began as a straight-six, four-stroke design in a cast block which produced from 810 to 1,000 horsepower (600 to 750 kW). The engine has a bore (cylinder diameter) of 12.5 inches (318 mm), and a stroke of 13 inches (330 mm). The 539 engine was built at Alco's Auburn, New York engine plant and later starting in September 1949 in Canada. The 539T was equipped with the Buchi turbocharger, being made under license by the Elliott Manufacturing Company of Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The first 539T engines were used in S-2 switchers and DL-105 passenger locomotives built in September 1940. Alco locomotives using this engine include the S-2, S-4, RS-1, RSC-1, RSD-1, DL-105, DL-107, DL-108, DL-109, and DL-110. MLW locomotives using this engine include the S-2, S-4, S-7, S-12, RS-1, and RSC-13.

The non-turbocharged version of this engine was known as the Alco 539, and typically put out a lower horsepower rating around 660hp. It was used in lower-powered switching units such as the S1, S3, S10 and S11.

An eight-cylinder inline version of the 539T was developed by Alco. This diesel engine developed from 1,080 to 1,300 horsepower (810 to 970 kW). It was never used in a locomotive, but a twin bank V8 had been planned to be used in an early version of the “Black Maria” DL-202/DL-203 in response to EMD's FT locomotive. The inline 8-539T was used in stationary and marine applications.