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Gasoline, naphtha, and distillate engines had been tried in motorcars and small locomotives with restricted success. Most had mechanical drivetrains -- very similar to a truck -- which weren't properly suited to railroad service. The general Electric Company developed an electric transmission system that had the engine drive a generator. The resulting electricity might be simply managed and used to power motors on the axles, like these fitted to electric streetcars. This system was applied to fuel-electric motorcars and, later, to small locomotives. GE constructed three unsuccessful diesel-electric locomotives in 1918, and in 1925 started to furnish electrical gear for Alco diesel-electric switchers. These have been moderately profitable and pointed the technique to the production of a number of hundred diesel-electric switchers prior to 1940. Developing a diesel powerplant capable of surviving the rigors of mainline service was one other matter, and it was here that the upstart ma