Ok Speed Queen was an Amana brand when I got into doing service. It was a beast like the old maytags. At the time Amana had a very good washer also the only difference and that depended on model was the Speed Queen had two belts and the Amana had one.
Along comes Maytag to buy Amana. The Feds said you can't have all the brands so Speed Queen turned into Alliance. Still the same washer as made years ago. Maytag took the Amana and cross bred it with and Admiral/Maytag and gave us a big box store washer that was lucky to make it out of warranty without needing major repairs. Alliance stuck with the old Speed Queen top load and it was still a beast.
Enter Whilpool wanting to buy Maytag. they had enough pull to get all of the brands Maytag had. I think an Asian buyer put in a higher bid but got shot down. Whirlpool took Amana down a little farther but you could still buy a Speed Queen.
Now today I only have one commercial Speed Queen I still service. The most common problem with it is that the pump will only eat so many nails, screws, pens and pencils and live ammo before it gives up. (Why does the laundry mat washer never have coins in the pump but all the front load richer people's pumps are always loaded with them?)
I just replaced a pump and pump belt last month in it. The third time in six years. If you see what I take out of it you would wonder how it lasts a month I was informed by my supplier that they have stopped production of this pump. Not sure if he ment alliance or whirlpool but it is a sad day for a beast of a washer.
It might not clean as well but if you want to buy a very tough washer get the Speed Queen. (Don't wash sand filled clothes all the time. Like beach stuff or horse blankets. The seal is very strong but has a weakness to the sand grinding it away.)
Jim