ALCO Products, Inc., headquartered in Schenectady, New York (the commercial products division of the American Locomotive Company, ALCO), was a manufacturer of large diesel engines supplying the US Navy with diesel propulsion engines and auxiliary diesel generators for use in conventional submarines, destroyer escorts, and auxiliary vessels throughout World War II and the Cold War. ALCO’s high-speed and medium-speed diesel engines were installed in Gato, Balao, and Tench class fleet submarines as main engines and in destroyer escorts and other vessels in auxiliary service.

Asbestos in ALCO Diesel Engine Components

ALCO diesel engines operating in Navy service used asbestos-containing gasket materials as standard sealing components throughout the engine:

  • Cylinder head gaskets — the primary asbestos-containing component in diesel engines, sealing the cylinder head to the engine block on each cylinder. ALCO diesel cylinder head removal — required for periodic valve grinding, cylinder inspection, and liner replacement — disturbed asbestos head gaskets, with new asbestos cylinder head gaskets installed on reassembly
  • Exhaust manifold gaskets — asbestos sheet or spiral wound gaskets sealing the exhaust manifold to the cylinder head exhaust ports, exposed to high exhaust gas temperatures and disturbed during exhaust system maintenance
  • Turbocharger connection gaskets on turbocharged ALCO diesel engines — asbestos gaskets at the turbocharger inlet and outlet connections to the exhaust and air intake systems
  • Aftercooler and heat exchanger connections on ALCO diesel cooling systems using asbestos gaskets at the engine-mounted heat exchanger connection flanges

Submarine Diesel Engine Use

ALCO diesel engines were installed in WWII fleet submarines — Gato, Balao, and Tench classes — where they served as the primary propulsion source when surfaced and for battery charging when submerged. Machinist’s Mates in the diesel submarine force performed engine room maintenance on ALCO engines in the enclosed environment of the submarine engine room, where diesel exhaust and asbestos fiber from engine maintenance were both present in the confined space.

Enginemen (EN) Rating Exposure

The Engineman (EN) rating — the primary rating maintaining internal combustion engines in Navy service — performed cylinder head maintenance, exhaust system maintenance, and other ALCO diesel engine maintenance tasks involving asbestos-containing gasket materials. Enginemen serving in diesel submarines and on diesel-equipped auxiliaries performed routine ALCO engine maintenance throughout their tours.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from diesel engine maintenance aboard Navy vessels. Enginemen and Machinist’s Mates who performed diesel engine maintenance involving ALCO and other brand cylinder head and exhaust gaskets and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.