FA-1 dates from the beginning of the 40's, when American Locomotive Co. (ALCO), decided to produce a locomotive to compete with the FT version of General Motors.
The original 1350 HP motor design was discontinued until 1944 because of World War II. Unfortunately many technical problems in the turbo super-charger and in the motor crankshaft were detected after the first tests, and a new design, named "244", expected to achieve an output of 1500 HP had to be immediately developed. The first three prototypes built with this new motor gave origin to our well FA-1.
Industrial stylist Ray Stevenson made its original outline design, and the first 37 locomotives were sold to Gulf Mobile & Oil Co.
FA-1 was modified from the original DL-208 version to DL-208A, DL-208B and DL-208C, and later continued with the FA-2 version.
The first 12 exported of these locomotives came to E.F Central do Brasil, during May and June of 1948, and were used to head the Santa Cruz and Vera Cruz passenger trains, between Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte.